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The mission of the program is to prepare graduate students and postdoctoral scholars for faculty careers, with a special emphasis on students who are committed to increasing the inclusiveness and representation of historically underrepresented groups. Note that different groups may be underrepresented in different disciplines.
During the workshop, which is held each spring at NC State University, participants attend sessions covering life as a faculty member at a research-extensive university, expectations of new faculty and resources available to faculty for help with research and teaching. Participants attend presentations on research, teaching and faculty development and have discussion sessions with current faculty at all levels from assistant to full professor. Each participant is matched with an academic department whose interests closely match their own.
During the visits with academic departments, participants have the opportunity to meet with faculty to discuss faculty research programs and learn about the departmental culture. They tour the research facilities and laboratories, meet with current students and the department head and dean of the college in which the department resides. During these in-depth departmental discussions concerning their academic work and career interests, participants receive one-on-one advice about preparing for an academic career and may obtain feedback on which parts of their preparation are strong and which parts might need strengthening. This is an invaluable opportunity for both the BFF participants and the NC State departments to get to know each other.
The BFF program encourages applications from graduate students and post-doctoral scholars from groups that are underrepresented in their disciplines. The program aims to increase representation of diverse U.S. graduate students and post-doctoral scholars joining the professoriate.
The Building Future Faculty program is not a job placement program. Rather, it is designed to provide invaluable information for graduate students and post-docs preparing for faculty careers.