CAREER GOALS
When I think towards the future, about what I want to do for the rest of my life, I realize that in many ways I am already doing it. The masters program in Learning, Design, and Technology introduced me to many aspects of educational research. This past year in the PhD program, I have been introduced to a way of thinking and knowing and exploring that assures me I will never run out of questions to ask, and that what I can offer to my community is a commitment to ask questions that matter. What I get in return is the privilege to do so.
Looking to the world after graduate school, I want to continue to learn and work with other scholars, especially on collaborative projects that link expertise to deeply investigate complex problems. Of course, there are other career opportunities available with a PhD, but the combination of research, teaching, and service makes a professorship the ideal goal for me. Below I have linked a few positions I find interesting, moving from the initial goal of a post-doc, to the assistant/associate professor, and finally a directorship position that provides a different way to engage in academia.
SAMPLE POSITIONS
Post Doctoral Fellow, College of Education and P-16 Integration
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
This position caught my attention because it calls for a post-doc to oversee the research and operational activities of the college's mixed-reality simulation services. At the lab manager at RAIL, I have had the opportunity to meet with colleges across our campus engaging in this type of innovative work. I have also worked on an international team as part of a course project to create a virtual-reality simulation module. I believe I have the management and outreach experience as well as the research interest and experience to oversee these services and help them become self-sufficient.
Assistant Professor in Learning, Design, and Technology
Purdue University
This position is a 9-month tenure track position, and under preferred qualifications "an ability to integrate critical perspectives and theories into students’ learning experiences" is listed. With my research agenda focused on real-world problem solving for social responsibility, and my experience and interest in advocacy work and social justice, this position would be ideal.
Assistant/Associate Professor in Technology, Innovation & Pedagogy
University of Northern Colorado
This position is also a 9-month tenure track position, with the potential for summer employment. This is the type of job that I could apply for after having several publications and a record of applying for grant funding. I picked this position because of the emphasis on the ability and interest to create cross-disciplinary collaborations within and outside of the college. My experience working with RAIL has provided me the opportunity to see how these kinds of collaborations are built and sustained.
Director of the Public Service Center
Cornell University
This position is not a tenure-track position, and does not require a PhD. However, I believe my experiences in the doctoral program and future positions would contribute greatly to my qualifications for this position. This position would allow me to focus on community and academic partnerships, and fostering the cross-disciplinary collaboration I am passionate about. Additionally, this level of administrative management would be an interesting challenge for me.