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Postdoctoral Faculty Interns - this program is currently discontinued

Guidelines for Department of Chemistry Postdoctoral Faculty Intern Selection and Training

The University of Utah Department of Chemistry is dedicated to offering the best teaching to all of its students.  As part of this commitment, we have initiated a program, Postdoctoral Faculty Intern, to mentor and develop the next generation of Chemistry educators.  This program allows interns to get hands-on experience in educating undergraduates concomitant with real time guidance from our experienced faculty."

Structure of Intern Selection, Mentorship, and Compensation

  •   At the beginning of each scholastic year, a list of potential summer course openings will be
      distributed among the faculty. Faculty will inform their postdoctoral fellows of these openings
      and interested postdoctoral fellows, with consent from their faculty advisors, can apply.
  • The application will include a letter of support to be completed by the faculty advisor. This
      letter of support should highlight what the qualities of the postdoctoral faculty intern that will
      commensurate the potential for high pedagogical achievement. In addition, the letter of
      support will include the agreement from the faculty advisor to provide pedagogical mentorship
      for the postdoctoral faculty intern. This mentorship shall include, and may not be limited to, a)
      providing teaching tools (powerpoint slides, lecture scripts, exams, homeworks, discussion
      worksheets) and b) commitment to attend multiple lectures early in the semester to provide
      feedback.
  • A committee consisting of the Division Chairs will review the applications and make
      recommendations to the Vice Chair for Academic Affairs who will then appoint the
      postdoctoral interns.
  • When available, the postdoctoral faculty interns may be asked to take pedagogical courses.
  • Upon appointment, the postdoctoral faculty intern will sign a teaching contract with the
      department and will agree to fulfill his/her duties to teach the Summer course in its entirety.
      In return, the Department will pay the postdoctoral faculty intern ($8000, subject to change)
      and provide necessary TAs for the assigned course.
  • The postdoctoral faculty intern will be supported by the same administrative assistant as
      his/her faculty mentor.
  • Time commitment for teaching a particular course may vary but should average about 10
      hr/week.
  • Ultimately, it will be the responsibility of the faculty advisor to ensure the contracted summer
      course is taught and that the quality of teaching meet the standards of the department. If
      there is a problem with the quality of teaching or an emergency arises in the coverage
      of the 
    course, the faculty advisor is responsible for filling in with teaching until other
      arrangements can be made. The faculty mentor takes full responsibility to teach the
      class 
    or pay for a suitable substitute if their postdoctoral intern does not meet the
      teaching 
    expectations of the department.
  • Postdoctoral fellows who have completed one summer as a faculty interns may reapply in
      future summers. Previous teaching evaluations will be included in the application and review
      process.
Last Updated: 6/3/21