PROGRAMS FOR ASSISTANT PROFESSORS

Professional Development Programs and Workshops

The CFE is dedicated to the overall professional development of 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.

Past Programs

WORKING EFFECTIVELY AND ENJOYABLY WITH OUR RESEARCH GROUPS (2023) led by Devora Zack, MBA, global keynote speaker and CEO of Only Connect Consulting (OCC). Three distinct programs merged dynamic, interactive skill building with specific, practical applications.

Day 1: Leveraging Your Myers Briggs Personality Type- Introductory program for faculty and research staff who had not attended previous MBTI programs with Devora. Topics included knowledge and understanding of one’s Myers Briggs Type, productively engaging with different personality styles, methods for single tasking to improve productivity and approaches for action planning and designing outcome goals.
Day 2: Strengthening Your Professional Skills- Program for SSoE graduate students and post-docs from the research teams of faculty participating in the Day 3 afternoon session of this 2023 program. Topics included enhancing professional skills and developing practical tools for team problem solving self-reflection, small and large group work, and communication techniques.
Day 3: Enriching the Dynamics and Effectiveness of Your Research Group- This program was for SSoE Principal Investigators and their research groups to increase cohesiveness and enhance collective skills in problem solving, goal-setting and shared priorities.

SUMMER 2021 CFE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP SERIES led by Devora Zack, MBA, global keynote speaker and CEO of Only Connect Consulting (OCC).

Program 1: Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and Customized Communication- This half-day hands on program was for participants who had not attended previous CFE workshops featuring the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. Each participant received an analysis of their individual MBTI temperament. The focus of the program was on personality styles for leadership and techniques to engage successfully with diverse personality styles.
Program 2: Leadership, The Next Level- This one-day program was for participants who completed a prior CFE program on the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, including participants who attended Part 1 of this 2021 program. All new content featured topics such as: leading through change; creating commitment and buy-in; creating rapport and enhanced productivity in the lab; establishing a collaborative workspace.

CREATING A STRONG PROMOTION & TENURE PACKAGE PANEL DISCUSSION (2021). The Head of the APTRC led a panel of four recently promoted faculty who shared their experiences of preparing for the tenure process. The panelists included Drs. Susan Fullerton, Tevis Jacobs, Gelsy Torres-Oviedo and Jingtong Hu.

Creating a Strong Promotion & Tenure Package Panel Discussion (2021)

INTRO TO THE SSOE SPONSORED PROJECTS OFFICE (2021). In response to input from many junior faculty, we added a presentation to our speaker/panel series on the Sponsored Projects Office. In the first of what we hope to be several SPO presentations, Erin Menzies, Senior Manager of the SSoE Sponsored Projects Office, introduced her staff, provided an overview of the SPO office and discussed approaches for how best to work with the SPO.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE AMIDST MANY UNKNOWNS (2020) led by Devora Zack, MBA, global keynote speaker and CEO of Only Connect Consulting (OCC). Five session lunch time programs provided skill development and discussion in topic areas such as navigating a virtual reality, leading remote teams, managing yourself and your priorities, virtual presentations, introvert & extrovert challenges, singletasking from home, customizing online communication. 

WHAT EVERY PI SHOULD KNOW ABOUT PROPOSAL BUDGETING (2020) led by Dr. Jennifer Woodward, Vice Chancellor for Sponsored Programs and Research Administration at Pitt, Professor of Surgery and Immunology.

LEADING YOUR TEAM (2019) led by Devora Zack, MBA, global keynote speaker and CEO of Only Connect Consulting (OCC).

Day 1: Immersion in Leadership- Introductory program for faculty who did not attend the May 2017 program with Devora. Topics included personality styles for leadership including application of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI); customized networking techniques and methods for Singletasking to increase effectiveness.
Day 2: Leading Your Group- For faculty who completed the May 2017 program or who attended Program 1 of this 2019 program. Topics included leading and managing teams, project simulation, applications of supervisory tools, and addressing identified real-life challenges
Day 3a: Intro to Leadership for Students and Postdoc- This morning program was offered to graduate students and postdocs from the research teams of faculty participating in the Day 3 afternoon session of this 2019 program. Topics included fundamentals of leadership and enhanced self-awareness through intensive MBTI workshop.
Day 3b: Enhancing Team Effectiveness- This afternoon program was open to participants of Day 1, 2 and 3 (morning). Participants worked together, leveraging training from earlier parts of the program to establish practical methods of engagement, team strategies, and clarity of diverse working styles

WRITING WINNING GRANT PROPOSALS (2018) led by Dr. John Robertson, Grant Writers' Seminars & Workshops, LLC. This two-day grant writing workshop included Write Winning NSF Career Proposals and Write Winning Career Development Award Proposals for the NIH and AHA.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP (2017) led by Devora Zack, MBA, global keynote speaker and CEO of Only Connect Consulting (OCC). The Office of Academic Affairs of the SSOE, the Office of the Associate Dean for Research, the Office of Diversity and the Center for Faculty Excellence co-sponsored with six SSOE departments to host a unique, interactive one day workshop for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. The seminar included self-assessments, team problem solving, self-reflection, small and large group work, and communication techniques.

SSOE WORKING WITH THE HUMAN RESEARCH PROTECTION OFFICE: WHEN, WHY, AND HOW (2016) led by Dr. Richard Guido, Chair of the University of Pittsburgh Human Resource Protection Office (HRPO), and Melissa Miklos, Associate Director of Education, University of Pittsburgh HRPO. The objective of their presentation was to inform participants of the procedural steps required to gain approval for research with human subjects and to introduce resources available through the HRPO to facilitate the preparation of protocols.