Faculty Link Forums

Faculty Link forums are designed to bring together faculty from across campus to discuss various elements of the faculty experience in an open discussion. Forums are held in-person, with lunch provided. The first 15 minutes will be a chance to grab food and settle in, then our faculty co-leads will host the forum and prompt faculty panelists to share their experiences, insights, and tips relating to the forum topic. We encourage attendees to join the discussion and share their own questions, ideas, and expertise. These informal conversations offer great opportunities to meet faculty from across campus and learn from one another. We're excited to see you there!

Please note: The forums are currently limited to senate faculty members, adjunct faculty, clinical faculty, and cooperative extension specialists.

Participant feedback:

"Even though I didn't know many of the faculty, I immediately felt like I was part of a community. The expertise of the panelists and their diverse perspectives was also quite helpful."

"Just having a space to share and see other faculty who are looking for a sense of connection and meaning was wonderful."

“Wonderful tone, very full participation among presenters and attendees, substantive advice received”

Spring 2025 Forums

Please register in advance to attend. Registered faculty will be sent calendar invites.

If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) or information about campus mobility access features in order to fully participate in this event, please contact facultylink@berkeley.edu with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days in advance of the event.

Navigating "alt-ac" (alternatives to academia) and the changing landscape for careers in academia

Wednesday, March 5th - 11:45am - 1:30pm

Location: 9 Durant Hall

This forum will address the challenges and opportunities of "alt-ac" (alternatives to academia). We are in a changing landscape in academia in which there are fewer pathways to the tenure track and junior scholars are increasingly looking beyond academia for career opportunities. We will discuss both how to mentor graduate students pursuing alt-ac careers and also how we, as faculty, are navigating this new landscape in relation to our own advancement. We encourage faculty from all disciplines and career stages to attend and enrich the discussion with your ideas, concerns, and experiences.

Faculty Panelists:

Karen Nakamura, Anthropology
Martin Head-Gordon, Chemistry
Grace O'Connell, Mechanical Engineering

Leadership opportunities across the faculty career arc: Should I? What? Why? When?

Thursday, April 10th - 11:45am - 1:30pm

Location: Academic Innovation Studio - 127 Dwinelle

This discussion will delve into decisions you may face when considering leadership roles, from understanding what leadership opportunities entail to choosing positions that align with your skills, interests, and temperament. Leadership opportunities will arise within departments, across campus, in professional societies, and off campus. We will discuss balancing preparation of these roles with learning on the job, navigating failure as an opportunity to learn, and identifying people who will help guide your journey. We will also highlight the impact of doing leadership on teaching and scholarship, engaging with public and community-facing roles, and strategies for prioritizing your time and energy for maximum impact. If you wonder “what counts?” for career advancement, this meeting is for you. We encourage faculty from all disciplines and career stages to attend.

Faculty Panelists:

Amani Nuru-Jeter, Public Health
Sharon Inkelas, Linguistics
Rodrigo Almeida, Environmental Science, Policy, and Management
Rebecca Heald, Molecular & Cell Biology

Past Forums

Fall 2024

Carving Your Path and Having an Impact as an Assistant Professor
Working Interdisciplinarily: Connection, Collaboration, and Cultivation

Spring 2024

Maximizing research excellence through inclusive lab environments
Revealing and discussing the “hidden curriculum” for recently tenured associate professors

Fall 2023

I Need Money: Uncovering Strategies for Getting Funding
Finding your people: Strategies for building valuable new connections across the faculty career

Spring 2023

Capstones and Consolidation: Thriving Creatively in Later Career
Empirical Work for the Public Good: Strategies for community-engaged research
Publishing for Broad, Non-Academic Audiences

Fall 2022

Telling your Story: Making your best case for merits and promotion
From Service to Opportunity: Using department, campus, and professional service to support your career goals

Spring 2022

What is the "new normal"?
Writing the second book: Getting started, getting finished, and everything that happens in between
Cultivating corporate or philanthropic funding for your research

Fall 2021

What’s my identity?: What do you want to be known for and how do you shape your professional identity
Mentorship as a community of practice
#$^%*! Now what?? Dealing with rejection in the academy

Spring 2021

Finding balance? The gift and the curse of a flexible faculty life
Pivoting or pirouetting: Starting a new research project or changing your research course at any point in your career
How Does This Campus Actually Work? Demystifying how and where things get done so you can be most successful

Fall 2020

Taking Care of the Flock (and Yourself): Mentoring in the time of Covid
Navigating Choppy Waters: Promoting healthy relationships with department colleagues

Spring 2020

I Need Money: Overcoming Hurdles to Getting Grants
Is my summer a total wash?!?! Strategies for maintaining productivity, catching up, or just staying afloat over the summer