About the Faculty Track

The Compass Faculty Track is open to all early-career faculty across research disciplines in the United States. A career in academia requires researchers to mentor trainees and lead teams to conduct excellent science while juggling the demands of supervising people, managing projects, writing papers and grants, and so much more – all while trying to build a satisfying career and a fulfilling life. Compass offers essential knowledge, skills, and tools to navigate these challenges.

The 10-week Compass Faculty Track is delivered remotely, allowing for flexibility and removing the need for travel. Because learning and mentoring occur over 10-weeks, Scholars can practice and apply learning on the job, leading to real impact. Faculty learn with peers at institutions across the United States and receive advice from Compass Mentors in conversations facilitated by Compass leadership called “Fireside Chats”. We seek people from varied backgrounds, experiences, and disciplines to join our community.

We believe that the essential skills and resources needed for career success should be available to all – not left to guesswork.

Eligibility

All early-career faculty in the U.S. are eligible to participate. Typically, Faculty Track Scholars hold academic titles of assistant professor or instructor. Scholars are not required to be on a tenure track. Associate professors, staff scientists, and other leaders of research teams have also found Compass valuable. Researchers within one year of completing their postdoctoral training are also welcome to enroll in the Faculty Track.

The Compass curriculum and tools are designed for researchers in varied disciplines, including but not limited to basic and translational sciences, public health, and behavioral/social research. Additionally, we welcome Scholars from disciplines such as medicine, engineering, and agriculture.

How the Faculty Track Works

The Compass Faculty Track is a remote, collaborative 10-week program emphasizing practical learning, application, and mentoring. Each week, Scholars meet with their Peer Mentoring Team (PMT), and every three weeks, Scholars join the full cohort for “Fireside Chats” with experienced mentors. Faculty Scholars develop a personalized Lab Manual or Research Team Handbook that serves as a tool to articulate goals, set expectations, convey procedures, and onboard new members.

Scholars should dedicate 3-4 hours weekly to PMT meetings, working on their Lab Manual/Handbook, and completing learning activities. This commitment is a valuable investment in your professional development.

What Faculty Learn

Faculty learn best practices for leading and managing research, mentoring trainees, and building a team. These practices are presented in 3 units, each 3 weeks in duration.

Unit 1: Leading Others focuses on the difference between leadership and management, how to cultivate trust and psychological safety, creating a productive work environment, and employing key interpersonal skills such as active listening and assertive communication.

Unit 2: Managing Scientific Work focuses on managing people, creating shared expectations, hiring and interviewing, onboarding and training, handling performance problems, and employing skills such as giving feedback and having difficult conversations.

Unit 3: Leading Self focuses on understanding oneself, interacting with mentors, building a network, minding institutional politics, defining boundaries, how to say “no”, managing stress and well-being, and employing a strategic decision-making process when uncertain.

What Faculty Get

  • Our three-volume Faculty Compass Coursebook with Toolkits containing comprehensive learning material and practical advice spanning leading others, managing scientific work, and leading self. Written in an approachable style and designed to be visually appealing, the Coursebook offers a guide and toolkits for faculty to consult again in the future.
  • A customizable Lab Manual Template or Research Team Handbook Template to communicate the guiding values, expectations, policies, and procedures for the research lab or team. This tool assists leaders with defining the kind of research environment they want to create and conveying this vision to create a shared understanding.
  • Live Fireside Chats with experienced mentors at universities across the U.S. to listen and ask questions in an informal, welcoming environment facilitated by Compass leadership. Topics span leading, managing, mentoring, a career in research, wellness, and more. Scholars also gain access to a library of past Fireside Chat recordings.
  • A Peer Mentoring Team of other faculty in varied disciplines at the same career stage from throughout the U.S. Teams receive a comprehensive peer mentoring team guidebook that offers suggestions for structured activities and discussions, while also encouraging flexibility so Scholars can get input and support as needed.
  • Access to the online learning platform containing forums to communicate with all other Scholars in the cohort, exercises for practicing skills, instructional videos, mentor advice videos, and additional tools and resources that support leadership and mentoring.
  • Upon completion of requirements, Scholars receive a certificate of completion, digital badge, and suggested language for describing Compass on their CV.

After the 10-Week Training

Compass Scholars remain in the Compass community after completing the foundational training. This includes access to online resources, new and updated materials, and our LinkedIn group. Although not required, many peer mentoring teams continue to meet semi-regularly or on an as-needed basis. We believe that by creating a community we can elevate individuals, teams, and contribute to positive cultures in academia.

Cost

Enrollment in the Compass training program provides faculty with access to all Compass materials: Coursebooks, peer mentoring, Fireside Chats with experienced mentors, lab manual template, communication toolkits, other practical lab resources and tools, as well as continued access to the Compass community after the 10-week foundational training.

The cost of the program is $2,000 and upon admission, payment is due 3 weeks before the start of the program.

Please see the How to Pay for Compass page for advice for faculty on potential sources of funds to pay for Compass.