Funded by the NSF Eddie Bernice Johnson INCLUDES initiative and the Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP), we are re-imagining the postdoc-to-professor pathway within the University System of Maryland through concurrent support of postdoctoral scholars and the institutions and departments hoping to attract top talent.
We work across our seven partner institutions to recruit, develop, and transition talented postdoctoral scholars into tenure-track positions, either at their fellowship institution or elsewhere within the university system. We simultaneously work with the postdocs (to build their skills, networks and exposure to different institutional types) and the chairs, mentors, and campus leaders to cultivate collegial environments where our postdocs will want to stay and thrive. Of the 18 PROMISE Academy Fellows that have participated in the program for over a year, 15 (83%) are in tenure track positions and 11 of those 15 (73%) are in Maryland. This is especially impressive when compared to the national average, where 80% of postdocs desire tenure track positions, but only 17% of them achieve it.
The success of the PROMISE Academy Alliance is being replicated in additional University Systems through the NSF Eddie Bernice Johnson INCLUDES funded RISE UPP Initiative.
Explore the links below to discover more about our Alliance in and how you can get involved.
The NSF Eddie Bernice Johnson INCLUDES project: Re-Imagining STEM Equity Utilizing Postdoc Pathways (RISE UPP) aims to broaden participation in the STEM professoriate by enhancing the retention of postdoctoral scholars into tenure track positions within state university systems.
The program leverages the success of two state university systems programs:
in recruiting, training, and converting postdocs to tenure track faculty members within their institutions. Both models capitalize on the collaborative infrastructure that already exists in their state university systems to successfully retain STEM talent.
The RISE UPP Alliance will bring these two university systems together as Core Model Partners, which aim to provide support to 3 additional state university systems that will replicate and adapt their models as Scaling Partners:
Of the 18 PROMISE Academy Fellows that have participated in the program for over a year, 15 (83%) are in tenure track positions and 11 of those 15 (73%) have been retained in Maryland! Nationally, over 80% of postdocs desire tenure-track positions but only 17% obtain it.
The PROMISE Academy has been a driving force behind my successful journey as an assistant professor, offering not only a support system during challenging times but also valuable resources and insights that have significantly enhanced my professional capabilities. I am truly grateful for the positive impact the PROMISE Academy has had on my career trajectory.
Being part of the PROMISE Academy helped me form several strong inter-university connections, while improving my grant-writing and mentoring skills and growing my academic network to other University of Maryland institutions. It was more than just a peer or a resource group, it was a place where colleagues could talk openly and help one another find and realize advancement opportunities.
As an underrepresented minority in STEM, the PROMISE Academy has been instrumental in guiding me towards my career goals. This transformative opportunity has not only honed my skills across different areas, including understanding STEM careers, negotiation tactics, lab setup, hiring process, and teaching methodologies, but it has also provided me with a uniquely supportive community of mentors and peers. The PROMISE Academy is more than an academic platform; it offers us an invaluable sense of belonging, essential tools for success, and exceptional support in overcoming the unique challenges faced by minorities in the field.
The PROMISE Academy played a major role in preparing me for the academic job market, as its programming promoted deeper thought while crafting my vision for a prospective career in academia and built-in opportunities to receive constructive feedback on my materials. More importantly, I often reflect on lessons learned from the mentors in residence as I continue to work towards enhancing my approach to a career in academics.
The RISE UPP PROMISE Academy is funded by the NSF’s Eddie Bernice Johnson INCLUDES Initiative: Re-Imagining STEM Equity Utilizing Postdoctoral Pathways (RISE UPP), Division of Equity and Excellence in STEM (EES), NSF Award # 2217329 and the following Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) NSF awards: #1820984 (UMBC), #1820974 (Towson), #1820971 (Salisbury), #1820983 (UM Baltimore – UMB), #1820975 (UM College Park). Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations presented on our social media platforms are only those of the presenter grantee/researcher, author, or agency employee; and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. For official information about NSF, visit https://www.nsf.gov.
© 2023 All Rights Reserved to RISE UPP Promise Academy Alliance
The RISE UPP PROMISE Academy is funded by the NSF’s Eddie Bernice Johnson INCLUDES Initiative: Re-Imagining STEM Equity Utilizing Postdoctoral Pathways (RISE UPP), Division of Equity and Excellence in STEM (EES), NSF Award # 2217329 and the following Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) NSF awards: #1820984 (UMBC), #1820974 (Towson), #1820971 (Salisbury), #1820983 (UM Baltimore – UMB), #1820975 (UM College Park). Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations presented on our social media platforms are only those of the presenter grantee/researcher, author, or agency employee; and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. For official information about NSF, visit https://www.nsf.gov.
© 2023 All Rights Reserved to RISE UPP Promise Academy Alliance
