The Path to Tenure
From your first semester to your tenure review, here’s where mentors matters most.
Time Management
Balancing research output, teaching loads, committee work, and grant applications requires intentional prioritization. A mentor helps you protect your most productive hours and build sustainable rhythms early in your career.
Networking
Building a reputation in your special area of expertise
Cultivating broader connections across the general academic community
Balancing Expectations of the Tenure Track
Research collaboration advice
How much university vs. professional service to take on
Setting up your lab effectively
Hiring and management of lab personnel
Teaching approaches and course development
Safe Space to Discuss Concerns
The tenure track brings pressures that are rarely spoken about openly — self-doubt, departmental politics, work-life strain. A trusted mentor provides a confidential space to process challenges without fear of professional consequence.
Career Options
Opportunities outside of academia
Thinking about moving to a different university
Weighing the decision to leave academia altogether
