Article by Autumn Siebold

Moving your academic career forward means more than just giving the perfect lecture. That’s why the new Office of Faculty Professional Development (OFPD) is taking a holistic approach.

“Faculty need many skills beyond teaching and research,” said Bonnie Ferri, the vice provost for Graduate Education and Faculty Development. “They need to be able to communicate, mentor, manage teams and projects, network, and innovate.” 

OFPD offers events and resources to assist Georgia Tech faculty in maintaining productivity, developing their careers, and engaging in the Tech community.

“We support faculty in developing the skills they need in their work as scholars, intellectual leaders, and mentors at Tech and beyond,” said Brandy Simula, professional development specialist in the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Faculty Development. “We provide resources and services that support faculty productivity and well-being.”

For example, OFPD offers an annual professional development workshop series with several workshops a month, hosted by and for faculty, on topics ranging from developing grant proposals to effective mentoring to understanding freedom of speech as a faculty member. 

The office also offers a monthly faculty writing retreat, which offers tips on writing productively, support on moving past writer’s block, and dedicated time to making progress on the project of your choice. Whether you’re brainstorming for a grant proposal or putting the final touches on your manuscript, you  can join these retreats to work on any project at any stage of completion. 

Finally, OFPD offers the annual new faculty orientation and year-long orientation for new faculty leaders. For more information on upcoming programs and events, visit OFPD’s programs and events page.

If you’re looking for more individualized professional development opportunities, Simula is also available for one-on-one faculty development consultations. These are tailored to your needs and are the first step in finding resources for any professional development issue (e.g., building a five-year strategic plan for your career or working on academic time management skills). Faculty can read more and register for a consultation.

In addition to the resources and programs offered through OFPD, faculty also have free access to live professional development workshops, an extensive webinar library, and 14-day writing challenges through Tech’s institutional membership to the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD). To access these workshops, register for an NCFDD membership using your Tech email address.  

Questions? Contact Simula at brandy.simula@gatech.edu.