| Abstract: "How can I get a job like yours?" This is a question that Amy Cheng Vollmer is often asked by students at conferences. For some reason, because of the focus on undergraduate students, a job at a 4-year college appears to be 'easier' than a professorial position at a University. In this talk, Amy will give an overview of the diversity among 4-year, primarily undergraduate institutions in terms of their missions, facilities, resources and student populations. This type of job is not easier, but vastly different from a university faculty position. She will explain the expectations for teaching, professional development and service at her institution and compare it with others. She will provide resources that are available for those interested in teaching and conducting research with undergraduate students in the laboratory. Finally, she will discuss the best way to prepare for such a career trajectory. This is a presentation that Amy Vollmer has given at numerous research universities and at the ASM's Kadner Summer Institute that provides participating graduate students and postdoctoral fellows with career preparation. |
