Burnout in higher education is widespread and deeply felt. Faculty are teaching, mentoring, researching, and serving their institutions all at once. The workload rarely slows down, and many academics find themselves running on empty long before the semester ends. What was once fulfilling can start to feel like survival. Recognizing burnout is not a sign … Read more
Securing research funding has always required persistence, but for many faculty, the process now feels increasingly solitary and increasingly uncertain. Traditional sources of support, like federal grants, are harder to access. Research offices are overextended. And the work of identifying funders, tailoring proposals, and navigating institutional requirements often falls squarely on individual shoulders. The result? Faculty are … Read more
Faculty life is often described as a balancing act. Teaching, research, service, and personal responsibilities compete for attention, and the instinct for many academics is to grit their teeth and simply push harder. Late nights, working through weekends, and skipping breaks are treated as badges of honor. The message is clear: if you are strong … Read more
Author: NCFDD As the academic year draws to a close, it is tempting to focus only on the next set of deadlines, the next proposal, or the next project waiting for intention. The culture of higher education often rewards forward motion, yet meaningful progress requires a pause. Reflection is not a luxury. It is a … Read more
Author: NCFDD Ahead of the start of our new Rethinking Your Research Funding course, we’re spotlighting the experts who helped shape the curriculum. Franco Montalto, PhD, is one such contributor, bringing extensive experience working across federal, state, local, and industry-funded projects. Franco is a Professor in the Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering at … Read more
Author: NCFDD Ahead of the start of our new Rethinking Your Research Funding course, we’re spotlighting the experts who helped shape the curriculum. Sabrina Noel, PhD, RD is one such brilliant mind, who brings years of research and faculty expertise to the course. Sabrina is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health at … Read more
Author: NCFDD Artificial intelligence is reshaping higher education. Tools that can generate text, summarize sources, or analyze data are now freely available to anyone with an internet connection. For faculty, this shift brings both opportunity and uncertainty. Will AI accelerate research or diminish originality? Will it enrich teaching or undermine student learning? The answer depends … Read more
Facilitator: Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha, PhDAssistant DeanTufts University Plan Your Most Productive—and Balanced—Semester Yet On-Demand Webinar Recording Did you start this semester with big writing goals—only to find yourself already feeling behind? You’re not alone. And it’s not too late to turn things around. Watch our free Semester Planning Webinar recording, designed for busy academics who want … Read more
Author: Rebecca Pope-Ruark, PhD As we enter this new academic year, we do so confronting a sea of change, concern, and uncertainty based on our current national landscape, cuts to research funding and DEI programs, and a host of other challenges we will have to work through together. In this environment, many faculty will find … Read more
At NCFDD, we’ve spent the past 15 years building programs, tools, and resources to support faculty development at every career stage. But one thing we kept hearing from graduate students, new assistant professors, and tenured faculty alike was this: “I feel like I’m doing this alone.” Whether it’s the pressure to publish, the struggle to … Read more