Assessing a Seminar Series Designed to Help Prepare Doctoral Engineering Graduates for the Academic Job Market

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Abstract

The goal of this project was to obtain an assessment of the effectiveness of a seminar series developed to assist Ph.D. students and postdoctoral scholars with applying and interviewing for academic positions. The seminar series, Seminar on Entering Academia (SEA), was offered within the College of Engineering at the Pennsylvania State University to provide students with an opportunity for professional development to assist in their pursuit of faculty positions. Anecdotally, many Ph.D. students at this institution begin their careers with academia in mind. However, while the individual graduate programs in the college provide students with excellent technical training, Ph.D. students and postdocs receive little to no formal training on how to prepare for an academic position or how to approach the academic job market. This lack of preparation decreases the likelihood that graduates will obtain these competitive positions. Providing more focused preparation can also reduce barriers to entering academia, increasing both the number and diversity of qualified candidates. To provide students with such preparation, a seminar series was offered in Spring 2022 and Spring 2023 and was organized and co-taught by two or three faculty members as a service activity and not part of their teaching load. SEA consisted of three topic areas: (1) information about academic careers and pathways, (2) application process and materials, and (3) interview process and expectations. For the first two topic areas, most of the seminars were led by the co-instructors, while for the final topic area of the series, most of the seminars were led by invited speakers who serve in leadership roles within the college. The seminar was piloted with a select group in Spring 2022 and offered more broadly in Spring 2023. To assess the impact of the seminar series, both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. For the former, a handful of participants were interviewed using a semi-structured format. For the quantitative data collection, pre- and post-seminar surveys were conducted for both offerings. The survey results showed a statistically significant increase in perceived preparedness to apply and interview for academic positions. The data also showed an increase in the likelihood that attendees would apply for academic positions. The interviews highlighted the positive aspects of the seminar, including insights into the application process, guidance on crafting application materials, and opportunities for peer review. Suggestions for improvement included incorporating follow-up sessions, accountability groups, and more emphasis on networking and relationship-building. Overall, the participants found value in the seminar, and their feedback reinforces the importance of providing comprehensive training and fostering a supportive community in the academic job preparation process.

Original languageEnglish (US)
JournalASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings
StatePublished - Jun 23 2024
Event2024 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition - Portland, United States
Duration: Jun 23 2024Jun 26 2024

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Engineering

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