The Institute for Future PUI Faculty (IFPF) and Its Impact on Participant Motivation and Perception of Being a Chemistry Faculty Member at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI)

Abstract

The Institute for Future PUI Faculty (IFPF) is a new two-week professional development experience for chemistry graduate students and postdoctoral scholars interested in pursuing an academic career at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI). With the traditional graduate and postdoctoral chemistry experience being devoid of preparation for those interested in teaching-intensive academic positions, this Preparing Future Faculty (PFF)-style program hosts participants at Lafayette College to observe, teach in, and learn about a PUI environment. Through a demographic survey and semistructured interviews with the first cohort, we gathered participant perceptions of PUI faculty life and motivation for pursuing a PUI career both before and after the IFPF program. From these comments, it appeared that participants' motivations remained consistent but their interest and perceptions changed. In all cases, participants' responses after the program demonstrated that this PUI-specific educational experience clarified their desired career trajectories and their understanding of what succeeding in a chemistry PUI faculty position entails.