Program LE²AP

A central program within the CFE is Program LE²AP (Leveraging Excellence in Engineering Assistant Professors). LE²AP is designed to enhance the ability of tenure track faculty in the Swanson School of Engineering to work effectively during the tenure track period as they lay the foundation for continued success after tenure review.

CFE in Numbers

70 LE²AP participants since 2014
28 current tenure stream faculty
100% participants were promoted since 2014 (30/30)
210+ mentoring committee meetings
135+ senior mentors drawn across all six SSoE departments, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, Pitt’s School of Medicine, UPMC, CMU and other non-local universities
13 promoted LE²AP participants became LE²AP mentors
18 Executive Coaching Program participants since 2019

LE²AP was designed to facilitate faculty excellence with respect to the three key criteria for tenure and promotion- Teaching, Research and Service, as well as to provide a mechanism for deliberate preparation of successful tenure packages.

LE²AP Outcomes

Through program LE²AP, each participating junior faculty in the Swanson School of Engineering (SSoE) develops:

Realistic understanding of the tenure process and expectations for promotion
Supportive, scientifically relevant community that regularly provides guidance and realistic feedback (both senior and peer mentoring communities)
Enhanced professional skills such as leadership, networking and conflict resolution

LE²AP Activities

Regular meetings with individualized scientific mentoring committees
Tenure and Promotion Process Lecture/Discussion
Panel discussion/workshop by members of the Appointment, Promotion & Tenure Review Committee (APTRC)
Individualized scientific mentoring committees
Peer to peer junior faculty lunches, including rotating external participants such as recently tenured faculty, successful faculty researchers and key senior administrators
Grant writing workshops and opportunities for proposal development/editing consultation
Formulation of a strategic research plan
Design and Implementation of a visibility plan- focused on visibility in the department, school and research community
Establishment of a long-range teaching plan

Senior Mentoring Committees

The Center for Faculty Excellence facilitates well-designed senior mentoring committees with clear expectations for mentees and mentors. Each mentoring committee is composed of 4-5 tenured faculty members, at least one of whom is outside the home department and potentially at another university. These mentors provide scientific and strategic insights, professional connections, regular feedback and advocacy for the junior faculty member. The role of the mentoring program is designed to involve the mentors in a highly focused, effective manner.

The committee and junior faculty member meet two times per year.  During these meetings, the junior faculty member provides an updated CV including information about their research, teaching, visibility plan and service activities. After providing an overview of their scientific focus, they then work with their mentors to refine strategic plans.

senior mentoring committee

Professional Development Consultations

Each junior faculty LE²AP member is encouraged to engage in individual professional development consultations with key collaborators, chosen to enable the junior faculty to leverage the rich knowledge, resources and networks within the Swanson School of Engineering. These include:

Strategic Planning Consultation with Dr. David Vorp, Associate Dean of Research
Engineering Education Consultation with Dr. Mary Besterfield-Sacre, Director of the Engineering Education Research Center (EERC)
Visibility Consultation with Paul Kovach, SSOE Director of Marketing
Grant Writing Consultation with Dr. Julie Myers-Irwin, Grants Developer of the SSOE

Understanding the Tenure and Promotion Process

The CFE hosts a special annual presentation with the SSoE Chair of the Appointment, Promotion & Tenure Review Committee (APTRC) on the tenure and review process and preparation of the tenure package. Recently tenured faculty members share their experiences and advice as panelists.

Power point screen shot for tenure and promotion

Junior Faculty Networking Lunches

The CFE hosts networking lunches each term with junior faculty members and recently promoted Associate Proessors from across the six SSOE departments. Peer to peer mentoring at these lunches is an important opportunity for our junior faculty to share information and to provide a source of emotional support and inspiration for each other. Networking lunches contribute to the creation of a sense of community, in addition to fostering social and professional networking opportunities in a relaxed setting.

collage of 3 images from networking lunch events with Pitt faculty members

Past Professional Development Programs & Workshops

The CFE is dedicated to the overall professional development of SSoE junior faculty. Our comprehensive approach includes vibrant workshops and seminar series that lay the foundation for continued success, as well as panel discussions that encourage junior faculty to create outstanding promotion packages. Click on the tab below to see archives of previous Pro Dev programs and workshops.