Initial Assessment
As a new researcher in your field—and at UWM— it’s important to become familiar with the terrain where you’ll be working. This includes:
- The institutional culture of the University, your school or college, and your department.
- University resources for research support.
- The funding landscape of your discipline.
- Your personal qualities as a researcher.
UWM’s institutional culture
Each school and college—sometimes each department—has its own unique culture and expectations regarding benchmarks such as tenure, promotion, and annual evaluations (manuscript, articles, performances, exhibitions). You should learn this early on and plan your research agenda accordingly. Informal meetings with your new department colleagues and formal meetings with your department chair can be very helpful.
Aligning your research activities with campus-wide missions, research goals, or special initiatives may also be beneficial.
A formal approach to addressing some of these questions is the Faculty Mentoring Program. Coordinated by UWM Employee Development, the program is designed to help junior faculty acquire survival skills and to prepare for the tenure process.
University research support resources
In addition to the Faculty Mentoring Program, some schools and colleges provide research support for new faculty members. In addition to reducing teaching loads in their first year, providing summer support following the first academic year of appointment, and funding start-up packages for new faculty, some schools and colleges also offer staff and/or facilities for research support and development assistance.
Funding landscape of your discipline
Each federal agency that provides research funding has unique missions, goals, and program guidelines. Identify the agencies whose missions are closest to your research interests. Learn their priorities and programs. Keeping these in mind when establishing your research program may increase your chances of getting funded.
Talk to colleagues on campus and elsewhere who have been funded in your discipline, get to know program officers, and serve as a grant panel reviewer.
It may also be helpful to review the programs’ enabling legislation, annual reports and budgets, and abstracts of awarded proposals.
Your personal qualities as a researcher
Keep your own strengths and weaknesses in mind when designing your research program. Leading from your strengths is important, especially when you’re trying to establish yourself. But also work to strengthen your weakness over time. The following qualities are key to success in research:
- Creativity
- Curiosity
- Independence of thought
- Perseverance
- Self-discipline
- Strong communication and interaction skills