FIRST Scholar Onboarding
Onboarding NIH FIRST faculty involves a comprehensive process aimed at integrating new faculty members into the academic and research community while providing them with the necessary support to thrive in their roles.
Below is the NIH FIRST-specific onboarding process that will guide and support faculty to be equipped to make meaningful contributions to UTSW's research community.
To-do Lists
Prior to Arrival
- Review UT Southwestern New Research Faculty Onboarding
First Week
General start up for new faculty hires
- Meet with hiring department chair and administrators
- Complete HR onboarding
Second Week
- Meet with FIRST MPIs for welcome and orientation to FIRST. This meeting will be scheduled by the FIRST administrator. The MPIs are:
- UT Southwestern: Helen Yin, Ph.D.
- UT Dallas: Francesca Filbey, Ph.D.
The MPIs will orient you with regards to items essential for a starting first-time faculty, including many of the items particularly relevant for FIRST faculty listed below.
- Meet with FIRST MPIs for welcome and orientation to FIRST. This meeting will be scheduled by the FIRST administrator. The MPIs are:
0-3 Months
- Attend FIRST Scholars roundtable meetings (every 4 weeks during the academic year). Some of the roundtable meetings will include:
- Meeting with the Faculty Development core to discuss specific needs
- Core leaders: Jane Johnson, Ph.D. (UTSW) and Theodore Price, Ph.D. (UTD)
- Core leaders: Jane Johnson, Ph.D. (UTSW) and Theodore Price, Ph.D. (UTD)
- Completing initial evaluation offered by the Evaluation Core. We will use a mixed method evaluation approach that consists of quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. These will be conducted by professionals in the Evaluation Core. Please contact Carolyn Smith-Morris, Ph.D. (UTSW) and James Harrington, Ph.D. (UTD) for more information.
- Meeting with the Faculty Development core to discuss specific needs
- Complete FIRST IDP
- Plan your tier mentoring team that includes a scientific mentor (most likely from your primary dept), FIRST Career Mentors and a near-peer mentor. Please contact Genevieve Konopka, Ph.D. (UTSW) and Meghna Sabharwal, Ph.D. (UTD) for more information.
- Attend FIRST Scholars roundtable meetings (every 4 weeks during the academic year). Some of the roundtable meetings will include:
3-6 Months
- Enroll in the one-day in-person SMART (Scientific Management Accelerating Research & Tenure)
- Join relevant field-specific centers and institutes at UTSW and UTD. For example, O’Donnell Brain Institute and Simons Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Submit small grants, foundation grants, etc. as opportunities arise, to start your grant submission journey.
6-12 Months
- At end of first year in rank, the FIRST leadership will solicit feedback of what worked and what didn’t. The Evaluation Core will conduct evaluation surveys and structured interviews to obtain quantitative and qualitative data for our FIRST research study.
- Promotion and Tenure:
- UTSW faculty to attend the Demystifying P&T Symposium and the small group Tenure Track Faculty workshop offered by the Office of Faculty Development to become aware of the P&T and Tenure process. You will revisit these in subsequent years, by year 4 or 5 in rank.
- UTD faculty Promotion and Tenure
2-3 Years
- Submit multiple manuscripts from your lab for publication, with your name as corresponding author or co-corresponding author
- Feedback to Faculty Development Core (what worked, what didn’t)
- FIRST Scholars Retreat (every other year when we reach a critical mass of FIRST Scholars). External Advisory Committee board members will be in attendance.
- Enroll in the SOAR (Intensive R-Grant Writers Workshop) 6 months prior to when you plan to submit your first R01.
5-6 Years
- Assess your portfolio and discuss with department chair the plan for promotion to Associate Professor with tenure
- Continue to publish research papers
- Apply to the LEAD (Leadership Program for Junior Faculty) Program
- UTD LEAD
