Vyvyan

Striking a Balance: The Dreyfus Scholar-Fellow Program as Preparation for a Career at a PUI : Striking a Balance: The Dreyfus Scholar-Fellow Program as Preparation for a Career at a PUI James R. Vyvyan Department of Chemistry Western Washington University Bellingham, WA 98225-9150 Postdoctoral Appointments: Roles and Opportunities National Science Foundation Workshop Arlington, VA May 11 – 13, 2003


Successful faculty at a PUI… : Successful faculty at a PUI… Must balance the triad of academe Teaching Research Service Too many faculty juggle these duties One is always ‘in the air’ Dropping one (or more) is always a risk


What type of post-doc? : What type of post-doc? The ‘Harvard’ post-doc Fast-paced, high-powered research environment Develop pedigree for the job search Will work for career at PUI or Ph.D. granting institutions Visiting / limited term faculty appointment Develop instructional skills Practical experience for the PUI / liberal arts job search Dreyfus Scholar / Fellow Model Teaching and research experience with undergraduates


The Dreyfus Scholar / Fellow Program : The Dreyfus Scholar / Fellow Program History Instituted in 1987 200 Scholars / Fellows at 68 institutions Up to 10 awards / year Structure (revised in 2000) $100,000 over 2 years ($105,000 if high school teaching incl.) Fellow stipend of $35,000 each year Institution must provide $10,000 for Fellow stipend in yr 2 Research and Educational support of $20,000 each year $10,000 Supplemental Award if Fellow accepts position at PUI


Not just a ‘teaching postdoc’ : Not just a ‘teaching postdoc’ “The award is intended to enhance and enrich the Scholar’s research and teaching. It is also designed to provide the Fellow with experience in the operations of an undergraduate department. The Fellow is expected to have teaching …assignments that are meaningful but still allow for significant research collaboration with the Scholar.” http://www/dreyfus.org/sf.shtml


My experience with Dreyfus : My experience with Dreyfus Knew of Scholar / Fellow program in 1991 Considering career options in graduate school Academic career interest group (Peter Carr) Set sights on career at research-rich PUI 1995…a great year to be an organic chemist ! Position at Hope College with Stephen K. Taylor


Structuring for a ‘win-win’ : Structuring for a ‘win-win’ “My goal is to prepare someone to outperform me in their career.” Stephen K. Taylor, spring 1995 A variety of teaching assignments Co-advise the entire research group Develop and explore Fellow’s own research ideas, including supervision of students on those projects Participate in the department as regular faculty


Developing as a teacher… : Developing as a teacher… Fall 1995 Organic Laboratory I Spring 1996 Organic Chemistry II Fall 1996 Structure, Dynamics and Synthesis Spring 1997 Organic Laboratory II Calibrating expectations


Developing as a scholar… : Developing as a scholar… New areas of research Reaction of aluminum ester enolates with spiroepoxides Synthesis with enzymes and whole-cell systems Supervising a research team 6 students 1995-1996 5 students 1996-1997, including 2 to myself ! Writing papers and grant proposals Published 3 papers Contributed to 2 grant proposals


Developing independence… : Developing independence… Nurturing research ideas for export spirolactone natural products caparratriene asymmetric haloetherification medium ring ethers: the heliannuols Some preliminary experiments were done and two research proposals completed !


The job search : The job search Response to Dreyfus post-doc mixed, but generally favorable: some schools prefer the ‘Harvard’ postdoc… …but most schools look for talent, experience, and potential regardless of post-doc type at least one school only looked at Dreyfus Fellows !


Starting out at WWU : Starting out at WWU January 1997 Accept position at WWU May 1997 Submit proposals to PRF-G and Research Corp Fall 1997 Arrive in Bellingham Equip lab with start-up and Dreyfus $ PRF-G funded; Research Corp denied Select first group of research students


Starting out at WWU : Starting out at WWU 1998 - 9 Submit revised RC proposal—funded Increase size of research group First independent publication; 2 UG co-authors, one from Hope College Submit NSF CAREER proposal—rejected


Starting out at WWU : Starting out at WWU 2000 Second publication Submit revised NSF CAREER proposal—funded Increase size of research group Develop new elective: Medicinal Chemistry


Starting out at WWU : Starting out at WWU 2001-3 Published 4 papers Frasch Foundation grant Tenured and promoted 2002 NSF-MRI grant for 500 MHz NMR


Acknowledgements : Acknowledgements Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation Bob Lichter National Science Foundation Stephen K. Taylor Hope College