HR: 09:30h
AN: ED11E-03    [Abstracts]
TI: Maximizing Research Productivity and Recognition: Strategies for Junior Scientists
AU: Bell, R E
EM: robinb@ldeo.columbia.edu
AF: ADVANCE Program Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, 61 Rt 9W, Palisades, NY 10964, United States
AU: * Pfirman, S
EM: spfirman@barnard.edu
AF: Barnard College, 3009 Broadway, New York, NY 10025-6598, United States
AU: Culligan, P
EM: culligan@civil.columbia.edu
AF: Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, 500 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027, United States
AU: Laird, J
EM: laird@ldeo.columbia.edu
AF: ADVANCE Program at the Earth Institute - Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory 61 Rt 9W, Palisades, NY 10964, United States
AB: The post-doc and the first six years of the academic lifecycle are crucial: the performance and decisions a scientist makes during this time often set the stage for the rest of his or her career. We frame our presentation around the criteria that reviewers typically use to assess candidates: reputation, impact, and productivity. Publication productivity is one of the most critical aspects of a researcher's success and the number of publications is often the first item that evaluators look for when reviewing files of job applicants and tenure candidates. Citations are typically used as a measure of impact, but they reflect a complicated set of factors besides quality, for example, visibility, size of citing community, and integration in social and professional networks. Letters of recommendation carry significant weight in evaluations for promotion because they are the only external measure that synthesizes all three parameters: reputation, impact and productivity. We have developed strategies for developing a research plan, getting the most out of scientific meetings, identifying potential letter writers, and integrating research into teaching. In this presentation we combine insights from the literature with our own experiences, to outline these strategies for increasing research productivity, recognition, and impact.
DE: 0800 EDUCATION
DE: 0825 Teaching methods
DE: 0855 Diversity
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting