ND Start
ND Start is a program shared between the Colleges of Science and Engineering to help our new faculty jumpstart their Notre Dame careers. It consists of four sessions on topics that should be of keen interest to new STEM faculty at Notre Dame, including a basic orientation to your college, how to find funding and establish your research group, mastering the skills beyond teaching to be successful in your faculty appointment, learning how to talk about your work and be recognized for your success, and navigating the reappointment, promotion, and tenure processes. All regular faculty members (tenure-track, tenured, teaching, research, advising professors or professors of the practice) who began their first faculty appointment at ND within the past 5 years are expressly invited to participate in the ND Start sessions, but any other faculty who feel they would benefit are most welcome to join as well.
ND Start sessions will take place on the dates indicated below, starting at 3:30 pm and lasting until 5 pm, and you should register individually for the sessions that interest you. Following each, there will be a reception for the participants and various invited guests from around the University. See note below about childcare.
Questions?
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the ND Start organizers for the Colleges of Science and Engineering
Fall Sessions
Session 1: Introduction to your College
Tuesday, October 13
3:30 – 5 pm
Reception from 5 – 6 pm
McCourtney East
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College of Science: B019
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College of Engineering: 1016
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Reception: East Atrium
In this session you will learn a little about the history of your college and receive some advice about who in your department or Dean’s Office can help you on various topics.
Session 2: Multiple Topics to Choose From
Monday, November 16
3:30 – 5 pm
Reception from 5 – 6 pm in the Jordan Hall Reading Room (first floor, south end of building)
Finding Funding to Sustain your Research Enterprise
Location: Jordan Hall 105
Perhaps the most intimidating aspect of building your own research program is finding sustainable funding. This session will walk you through available funding sources, starting with the mainstay federal funding agencies, which form the backbone of most successful research programs, through sometimes overlooked sources like philanthropic foundations and corporate sources. After a series of brief presentations, you will have a chance to ask questions of a panel of faculty members who have found success using a variety of funding strategies.
Student Interactions Outside the Classroom
Location: Jordan Hall 310
Student interactions don’t stop when your class ends. This session will spark your imagination for what’s possible when you interact with undergraduates outside the classroom. After brief presentations on the following topics, a cross-college panel of faculty will answer your questions about how to put these ideas into practice: 1) the informal advising of undergraduates that can span a wide range of topics from academic to professional to personal; 2) formal advising of undergraduate researchers, both during the academic year and over the summer, which could include non-Notre Dame students; and 3) formal advising of student clubs on campus.
Spring Sessions
Session 3: Multiple Topics to Choose From
Early Spring 2027
3:30 – 5 pm
Reception 5 – 6 pm
Reception Location: TBD
Getting Recognized - Awards, Dissemination, & Building Your Network
Location: TBD
What do you imagine being known for in your faculty career? How do you hope your professional colleagues will think of your contributions? We all aspire for our careers to be filled with significant accomplishments that our peers and colleagues appreciate and recognize. However, achieving that goal often requires more than simply hard work that produces excellent results. Choices you make and activities you pursue early in your career can have a big impact on the likelihood that you receive the accolades you will hopefully deserve later in your career. Fortunately, with a little coaching, it’s not hard to learn how to maximize the recognition you receive for your accomplishments from the beginning. Come to this session, and we’ll help you see how to get started now working toward the honor and esteem you envision.
STEM Communication to the Public and via the Media
Location: TBD
Summary: The University’s Media Relations Office and Kate Biberdorf, Professor for the Public Understanding of Science, will co-host a media training and science communication mini-workshop designed to help faculty strengthen their public-facing communication skills. This interactive session offers practical guidance and real-time coaching, with a focus on engaging with the media, making science accessible, and navigating today's landscape around higher education and research funding.
Session 4: Understanding Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure
Late Spring 2027
3:30 – 5 pm
Reception 5 – 6 pm
Location: TBD
In this session you will learn about how the process of reappointment, promotion, and—if appropriate—tenure works at Notre Dame, with an emphasis on what you should keep in mind as you’re starting your career.
Family Friendly
We understand that navigating your responsibilities as a parent and a faculty member is challenging, and that attending a late afternoon or evening session can conflict with childcare responsibilities. Please know that if it would make it easier to attend, you should feel free to bring your children with you. While we cannot provide childcare, if you let us know that you’re planning to bring children on the registration form, we can make sure that there are some coloring books and Lego available to keep them entertained during the session. Your kids are also welcome to accompany you to the reception and enjoy the snacks. Also if you need to leave the session a little early or arrive a little late at the reception because of a childcare pick-up, that is completely fine!