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.