Faculty Mentor Program

One of our many endeavors in the Teaching Support Centre is the Faculty Mentor Program. This is quite a special program, it was jointly developed with the University Faculty Association and the University Administration specifically to make the experience, knowledge and expertise of colleagues available to new faculty. There are several projects designed and offered by the Centre to further this goal.

We are organizing a number of special sessions: panel discussions on significant topics that relate to the challenges and experiences of the faculty. These sessions will run during the year and are designed not only to convey relevant information, but especially to encourage interaction among all participants.

Mentoring has proven to be one of the significant common characteristics of a successful academic career. Mentors are experienced faculty who are happy to be an ear, who will respond to questions, explain oddities of the local environment, and offer advice if it is sought. As a new faculty member, there are a number of ways you can take advantage of mentoring. Some Faculties conduct their own mentor programs. For other Faculties, we create a list of departmental mentors who work with new members of faculty. Also, we plan to organize informal gatherings of new faculty to encourage peer exchange of ideas on career challenges.

This year we will be working on different ways to encourage and support a broader conception of mentoring that empowers individual members of faculty to build the networks of support they need for their particular contexts. The Mentoring Micro Grant we offer is an example of such an initiative, embodying our goal to respond to the great diversity of our faculty and the variety of their concerns.

It is exciting to be part of this endeavor. As we begin a new academic year together, let me offer my ear to you. Please feel free to contact me with your suggestions, concerns and questions. I look to you for reactions to our programs so that we can respond quickly to faculty needs. To succeed as a teacher/scholar is a wonderful challenge. We hope to facilitate your success.

Madeline Lennon
Coordinator, Faculty Mentor Program
mlennon@uwo.ca

Faculty Mentor Program 2012-13

Preparing Research Grant Proposals: CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC

September 28, 2012 ~ 1:30 - 3:30pm
Teaching Support Centre, Room 112, The D.B. Weldon Library

Knowledgeable colleagues offer guidance and advice on how to best position your application, and share their experiences with grant review panels. We begin this workshop with a brief meet and greet period, and continue with introductions and general observations from the panel. Much of the session will be devoted to breakout groups dedicated to each of the three Councils, to provide time for focused discussion and questions.  You choose which is most relevent for your area: CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC.

Panelists: Dr. David Litchfield (CIHR) Professor and Chair, Department of Biochemistry, Department of Onocology; Dr. Kim Baines (NSERC) Professor and Chair, Department of Chemistry; Dr. Andrew Nelson (SSHRC) Associate Dean (Research & Operations), Faculty of Social Science, Professor, Department of Anthropology

Presentations:
How is your CIHR grant application judged?
NSERC Discovery Grants
SSHRC The Insight Programme

Research Support: Beyond the Three Councils

October 26, 2012 ~ 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Teaching Support Centre, Room 122, The D.B. Weldon Library

This session's focus is on the broader scope of programs outside the three government Councils. At Western there are Internal Grant opportunities that are especially important for new faculty.  The panel will also discuss ways to locate and benefit from the many varied programs and research sponsors outside the University. 

Panelists: Dan Sinai, Acting Associate Vice-President (Research); Theresa Russelo, Research Development & Services; Prof. Michael Bauer, Department of Computer Science; Dr. Jessica Grahn, Department of Psychology; Dr. Prudence Allen, Director, National Centre for Audiology, School of Communication Sciences and Disorders

Presentation:
Research Support: Beyond The Three Councils

International Research Connections

November 16, 2012 ~ 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Teaching Support Centre, Room 122, The D.B. Weldon Library

Your research has international ramifications. What are the possibilities for linking with colleagues in other countries? Experienced colleagues suggest strategies for success, pitfalls to avoid, and the potentials of internationalization for research and teaching.

Panelists: Andrew Walsh, Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology; Ian Colquhoun, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology; Juan Luis Suarez, Professor, Department of Modern Literatures & Languages; Yolanda Babenko-Mould, Assistant Professor, Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing; Elizabeth Greene, Assistant Professor, Department of Classical Studies; David Sherry, Professor, Department of Psychology

Tenure and Promotion Under the Collective Agreement: How the Process Works

December 6, 2012 ~ 1:30 - 3:30pm
Weldon Library, Room 258

Faculty who are new and those in tenure-track positions will be interested in this interactive session. A panel of representatives from the UWO Faculty Association, the Office of Faculty Relations and the Office of the Provost will explain the procedures and respond to questions. Topics will include: the Official File; annual performance evaluation; documenting your career; the balance for teaching, research and service; the P&T Committee; the process of file review; the roles of Chairs, Deans, and the Office of the Provost.

Panelists: Alan Weedon, Vice-Provost (Academic Planning, Policy & Faculty, Professor, Department of Chemistry; Bryce Traister, Past President, UWOFA, Professor and Chair, Department of English; Donald Abelson, President, UWOFA, Professor, Department of Political Science; Michele Parkin, Director of Faculty Relations

Writing - Getting It Going

January 18, 2013 ~ 1:30 - 3:30pm
Teaching Support Centre, Room 122, The D.B. Weldon Library

Publishing our research is a very high priority for academics, yet writing can be a barrier to success. We procrastinate, we hesitate, or we are insecure about what we do produce. In this workshop we consider approaches and techniques that help to get us writing, suggest ways to improve what we write and to make writing an ongoing part of our scholarly lives.

Presenter: Madeline Lennon, Professor Emerita, Visual Arts; Coordinator, Faculty Mentoring Program

Development of a Teaching Dossier and a Teaching Philosophy

February 1, 2013 ~ 1:30 – 3:30 pm
Teaching Support Centre, Room 122, The D.B. Weldon Library.

Get a head start on this part of the P&T process with tips from the experts.