Transcript Planning your career ladder in academe: Reflections from

Research in a busy academic career how does one fit it in?
John M Pettifor
Professor Emeritus and Honorary Professorial Researcher,
Faculty of Health Sciences
University of the Witwatersrand
Research is better than Red Bull
Research gives you wings!
Academe
‘the environment or community concerned with
the pursuit of research, education, and
scholarship’
Oxford dictionary
To climb the ladder
Professor
• Three major areas of
assessment:
– Teaching
– Academic citizenship
– Research
Associate lecturer
The Academy’s Role & Responsibilities
Teaching: Transmit new knowledge
beyond ourselves
Service: Responsibility for contributions
to the attainment of university goals
and to society
Research: Uncover/discover new
knowledge
Teaching and learning
From this
(1900s)
To this
(2011)
Teaching
• Students no longer just acquire facts
• Students must be able to understand, reason,
assess, and develop arguments from first
principles
• Students must be able to participate in the
economy when they qualify
Academic citizenship
• Being an active member of the University,
supporting its students and activities
• Departmental administration
• School, Faculty and University committees
• Involvement in professional and scientific
societies and associations
Why Research?
• Three major reasons:
– University requirement and vision
•
•
•
•
Funding
Status
Attracts the best staff
Is a requirement of society and government
– Improve teaching abilities and necessary for
postgraduate training
– Personal satisfaction and development
Improves teaching
• Helps provide up-to-date context for one’s
teaching.
• Helps to give a local perspective.
• Provides facts rather than anecdotal evidence.
• Gives insights into various hypotheses related
to the topic and thus stimulates students.
• Develops the enquiring mind of the student.
Personal satisfaction
• Stimulation – routine patient care may
become monotonous.
• Active participation in national and
international meetings beyond just being a
passive observer.
• Kudos and feeling of accomplishment when
article published.
• Important as a criterion for obtaining
academic promotion.
“The recipe for perpetual ignorance is: Be
satisfied with your opinions and content with
your knowledge.”
Elbert Hubbard – author 1856-1915
SA health research productivity
Academy of Science of South Africa
Research outputs of SA Universities
UCT
SU
Wits
NWU
UJ
UFS
UWC
UNISA
UKZN
UP
Hours of supervision received per month by doctoral
students at public higher education institutions
in South Africa, 2009
ASSAf The PhD study 2010
Why are we not doing this?
• Biggest obstacle is that research is seen as a voluntary
option in the life of a ‘so-called’ academic – particularly
in the professional faculties (health sciences,
accountancy, law, etc.).
• If one wants to join the University staff, there should
be a realisation that research is just as important as
teaching.
• Must be built into KPIs.
• Must be given training and time to do research.
• The University must pay more than lip service to
research by providing the necessary infrastructure and
financing.
Researcher Development Framework
• The Researcher Development Framework (RDF) is a major
new approach to researcher development, which aims to
enhance our capacity to build the UK workforce, develop
world-class researchers and build our research base.
• The RDF describes the knowledge, behaviours and
attributes of researchers and encourages them to aspire
to excellence through achieving higher levels of
development. It will be invaluable for planning,
promoting and supporting the personal, professional and
career development of researchers in higher education.
http://www.vitae.ac.uk/policy-practice/234301/Researcher-Development-Framework.html
Vitae – Researcher Development Framework
(2011)
The knowledge and skills
to work with others and
ensure the wider impact
of research
The knowledge of the
standards, requirements
and professionalism to
do research
D
Engagement,
influence and
impact
Research C
governance and
organisation
A
Knowledge and
intellectual
abilities
The knowledge,
intellectual abilities and
techniques to do
research
B
Personal
effectiveness
Domains
The personal qualities
and approach to be an
effective researcher
How?
• The biggest stumbling block is getting started.
• Suggest forming teams or groups to discuss and
develop possible research questions and
protocols in various divisions/Depts.
• Involve other staff and students – be inclusive.
• Remember patient data are not one’s personal
possession, however don’t poach, rather
collaborate.
• Regular research meetings at which ongoing
research and research protocols are presented
and discussed.
How?
• Mentorship is very important!
– Someone you can talk to
– Someone who is interested in your work and your
academic progression
– Someone who has time
– Preferably not a close friend
How?
• Start small – don’t try and win the Nobel Prize in the first
year.
• If possible join an active research group or person initially.
• The protocol is the most important part of research – a
good protocol will provide answers to questions - a poor
protocol will not!
• Spend time and thought developing protocol.
• Consider piloting it – particularly if dealing with
questionnaires.
• Don’t try to answer all the questions you have – thus collect
only the information you require. Not – ‘Wouldn’t it be nice
if we….’ or ‘lets collect the information anyway’
“Basic research is what I am doing when I don't
know what I am doing.”
Werner von Braun 1912-77: R. L. Weber A Random Walk in
Science (1973)
To climb the ladder
Professor
• Three major areas of
assessment:
– Teaching
– Academic citizenship
– Research
Associate lecturer
Research gives you power!
Russian Red Bull advert