Tomorrow's Professor: Preparing for Academic Careers in Science and Engineering

by Richard M. Reis

Tomorrow's Professor is designed to help you prepare for, find, and succeed at academic careers in science and engineering. It looks at the full range of North American four-year academic institutions while featuring 30 vignettes and more than 50 individual stories that bring to life the principles and strategies outlined in the book. Tailored for today's graduate students, postdocs, and beginning professors, Tomorrow's Professor:

Presents a no-holds-barred look at the academic enterprise Describes a powerful preparation strategy to make you competitive for academic positions while maintaining your options for worthwhile careers in government and industry Explains how to get the offer you want and start-up package you need to help ensure success in your first critical years on the job Provides essential insights from experienced faculty on how to develop a rewarding academic career and a quality of life that is both balanced and fulfilling Bonus material is available for free download at At a time when anxiety about academic career opportunities for Ph.D.s in these field is at an all-time high, Tomorrow's Professor provides a much-needed practical approach to career development.

Genres: Academia, Education, Academic, Nonfiction

448 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1997

Reviews

[William Moses Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a bit dated (20 years now!), but its lessons are still useful. Use this as a primer on what to expect from the process of moving from grad student to faculty and also on what to do and what not to do to be successful at each stage. Essentially, the minute details may change due to time and place, but the overall strategies to plan for the future and also to figure out what you want and don't want are still relevant.

Definitely worth a read for undergrads, grad students, industry people thinking of switching to academia, people unsure of whether they want to be faculty and if so where, and people who want to be faculty but want to plan ahead. Read it to get a holistic view of the entire process and what to consider, reading in depth when desired and skimming over things you no longer care about.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good guidebook for aspiring professors. It'll show you all the crap that you have to put up with as an academic, and hopefully convince you to get a real job.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read for anyone considering gradate school and beyond. This book not only addresses what one should be doing to prepare for the future at any stage but also looks in depth into the many challenges and rewards of academia.

[Rex · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a must read for people who wants to be a professor. This book is also very useful for those Ph.D. student because by reading this book, you will understand the rule in academic world and you will understand your advisor better.

[Tammara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book for those considering an academic career.

[David Bickel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful information for those primarily pursuing a career in academia. Industry is presented as a backup plan.