Presentation Title
Getting from There to Here: Collaborations, Motivations and Mistakes at Mid-Career
Presenter Status
Professor of Social Work, Department of Social Work and Institute for Prevention of Addictions
Location
Newbold Auditorium
Start Date
8-11-2012 6:30 PM
End Date
8-11-2012 7:00 PM
Presentation Abstract
The mid-point in a career is a good time to reflect on one’s successes and challenges in research. This presentation will focus on the importance of strong mentoring, collaborative networks, and the role (and sometimes lack of) of release time in providing space for productivity. In addition, the presentation will discuss how resources can motivate and shape projects, providing leverage to follow interests but also opening up new interest areas. Finally, the role of mistakes, false leads, and phantom opportunities will be considered as learning stages along the research path. Three key projects – ImpacTeen; DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative; and United Way – will be used to illustrate the joys and frustrations of the research process.
Getting from There to Here: Collaborations, Motivations and Mistakes at Mid-Career
Newbold Auditorium
The mid-point in a career is a good time to reflect on one’s successes and challenges in research. This presentation will focus on the importance of strong mentoring, collaborative networks, and the role (and sometimes lack of) of release time in providing space for productivity. In addition, the presentation will discuss how resources can motivate and shape projects, providing leverage to follow interests but also opening up new interest areas. Finally, the role of mistakes, false leads, and phantom opportunities will be considered as learning stages along the research path. Three key projects – ImpacTeen; DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative; and United Way – will be used to illustrate the joys and frustrations of the research process.