On navigating academic disciplines at your uni (or mistakes I made in my 40s).
Academic disciplines can be very inward-looking, resulting in misunderstandings about good research, best practices, & acceptable research topics.
A simple illustration is the half-life of papers across disciplines.
Recently, a business #facultymember complained that data collected over the past three years was useless - the context had changed too much!
That same day, an #emeritus#humanities#faculty member expressed joy in finally publishing an annotated book that had been in preparation for 53 years - the content had finally matured!
Understanding differences in values, resources, students, & experiences is essential, if you are going to represent your discipline at the college or university level effectively.
As the director of a startup interdisciplinary institute, I learned these differences the hard way, which failed to draw the support of colleagues across the university.
In retrospect, if I had taken more time to listen & learn the values of other colleges & disciplines, the Institute could have been more successful.
So what lessons did I learn? That can help you prevent making my mistakes? & succeed in academic life?
First, pay attention to #researchmethods.
Methods capture value systems.
By paying attention to the methods employed by other disciplines, you can learn a lot about the faculty's motivational structures.
You can also learn a lot about how faculty spend their day - in the field, the lab, or the library.
Knowing what people value & where they do their research, makes it easier to understand their priorities.
Second, #salaries & #resources differ.
Faculty love to complain about salary & resources (or the absence thereof).
But.
If you fuss about "your low salary vis a vis your field" to someone from a field with a much lower base salary, you will not get much sympathy. You will likely lose their respect.
Take some time to educate yourself on salaries & resources. It'll make navigating the social landscape simpler.
Third, requirements vary by #academicdepartment.
Yes, all disciplines emphasize #intellectualartifacts.
However, not all departments equally emphasize all contributions.
Some departments prioritize service & teaching over research.
Learn the local requirements & respect them.
Fourth, #teaching differs.
I know #Engineers who fail 60% of their students. They report no problems.
If I failed 60%, the dean's office would be filled with screaming MBA students.
Recognize how you rate & treat students differs by discipline.
Fifth, #women & #disadvantagedgroups have different experiences than men & advantaged groups.
Take some time to #listen.
You will be surprised how much challenges differ across disciplines.
Once you understand the situation, offer appropriate support.
Leaving your office can be fun if you learn about your university's social landscape.
Best of luck!
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