Faculty Link Forums

Faculty Link forums are designed to bring together faculty from across campus to discuss various elements of the faculty experience in a moderated, 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”

Fall 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.

October 14th

Register to attend!

Mentorship: How to do it, how to find it

Tuesday, October 14th, 11:45am - 1:00pm

Location: Academic Innovation Studio - 127 Dwinelle

Mentorship is core to the academic life, yet an area where none of us receive formal training. In this forum, we’ll exchange our experiences and strategies for fostering effective relationships as a mentor (to faculty, graduate students, and others). We will also discuss how we seek mentorship guidance for our own success and satisfaction. Faculty at all career stages are encouraged to join us to discuss how to provide and receive helpful support, build trust, and navigate common challenges in mentoring relationships. 

Faculty Panelists:

  • Teresa Caldeira, City & Regional Planning
  • Rudy Mendoza-Denton, Psychology
  • Grace O'Connell, Mechanical Engineering
  • Matt Welch, Molecular & Cell Biology

Register to attend

November 20th

Register to attend!

Finding Balance: Nurturing Academic and Personal Well-Being

Thursday, November 20th, 11:45am - 1:00pm

Location: Academic Innovation Studio - 127 Dwinelle

While the flexible nature of the faculty career offers autonomy and opportunity at all stages, it also presents challenges in setting boundaries (saying “no”), managing workload, and maintaining well-being. In this forum, we will discuss experiences navigating the many competing demands of the faculty career, and share strategies for balancing a successful and sustainable professional life with a fulfilling personal one, focusing on what brings faculty hope and joy in challenging times, and identifying new potential sources of inspiration.

Faculty Panelists:

  • Sharon Inkelas, Linguistics
  • Chung-Pei Ma, Astronomy/Physics
  • Thomas M. Philip, Education
  • Steven Raphael, Public Policy

Register to attend

Past Forums

Spring 2025

  • Navigating "alt-ac" (alternatives to academia) and the changing landscape for careers in academia
  • Leadership opportunities across the faculty career arc: Should I? What? Why? When?

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