The C.V. Doctor: C.V. For a Faculty Member in the Sciences

This is an excellent vita from a candidate whose career goal is to teach at a small private college or university. He writes: “I would like to continue doing some research, particularly if I can get undergraduates involved. Therefore, I have included a version of my CV that starts with teaching information before the research information.” We particularly liked the way this candidate groups statements about teaching and research with the relevant lists of experience or citations.

-- Mary Morris Heiberger and Julia Miller Vick

Examples:

• C.V. for a dean
• C.V. for a community-college instructor
• C.V. for a Ph.D. in the social sciences
• C.V. for a Ph.D. in the humanities

CURRENT TITLE: Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology¹

CONTACT INFORMATION: Department of Biology Small Private University City, State Telephone number E-mail address

EDUCATION: Ph.D. Wildlife Science, Southern Research University and satellite campus, August 2002. M.S. Fisheries (Minor: Ecology), University of State, October 1997. B.S. Biology (Minor: Chemistry), Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, University of State, May 1994.

AWARDS AND HONORS

TEACHINGPHILOSOPHY:2 I believe a Socratic-style of teaching tends to be highly effective. In my experience, students generally seem more responsive to direct interaction with an instructor and classmates than to passively receiving information from a teacher lecturing to them. Students unaccustomed to this method sometimes resist at first, but with encouragement, they rise to the challenge and begin to initiate interaction themselves. However, an effective teacher must be willing to continually adjust to the needs of the students. After all, the primary goal of teaching is to encourage students to learn and to provide them with the tools and skills necessary to do so. Teachers have an obligation to find an effective way to do this.

COURSES TAUGHT:³

Vertebrate Zoology, Visiting Assistant Professor, Small Private University, Aug.-Dec. 2002

A lecture and laboratory based course aimed at demonstrating the evolution and diversity of vertebrates in regards to their life histories, structure and function.

Principles of Wildlife Management, Lecturer, Southern Research University at City, Aug.-Dec. 2001

Responsibilities required full development of the course: developing the course outline and objectives, selecting specific material to cover, selecting required texts, writing and presenting lectures, writing and administering exams and quizzes, development and grading of written and oral class projects.

Wildlife Nutrition, Guest Lecturer, Southern Research University at City, Nov. 1998

Lectured on effects of nutrition on pre/post-hatching/natal mortality

Fish Physiology, Teaching Assistant, University of State, Sept.-Dec.1995, 1996, and 1997

Responsibilities included selecting papers for and organizing class discussions, developing a class web site, giving lectures (Topics: Stress and Chemoreception), developing exam questions for lectures given, and grading term assignments (10 page reviews or research proposals).

Animal Anatomy and Development, Teaching Assistant, University of State, Sept.-Dec. 1992

Responsibilities included aiding students with the dissection of their specimens, setting up lab assignments, and administering and grading practical examinations.

RESEARCH
INTERESTS:⁴
My primary research interests are associated with animal behavior and behavioral ecology. They include physiological and environmental influences on behavior as well as its evolution. My previous work has examined physiological responses to stressors in conscious animals as well as hormonal and pheromonal effects on behavior. The latter work included a novel technique I developed for visualizing urinary release in free-swimming fish. My current work focuses on environmental and geographic influences on grouping in a social hawk (Harris’ hawk, Parabuteo unicinctus). Together, my previous and current work has required the use of a number of laboratory and field-related techniques. In the future, I would like to combine laboratory and field work to examine interesting behavioral questions.

EXPERIENCE

August 2002 - Present: Visiting Assistant Professor,

Dept. of Biology, Small Private University, City State

August - December 2001: Lecturer,

Dept. of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, Southern Research University, City, State

January 1999-2002: Rob & Bessie Welder Wildlife Foundation Fellow,

Southern Research University, at A and B campuses.

September 1998-September 1999: Research Assistant,

Wildlife Research Institute, Southern Research University, City, State

October 1997-July 1998: Research Fellow,

Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife, University of State, City, State.

September 1994-September 1997: Research Assistant,

Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife, University of State, City, State.

August 1992-July 1994: Laboratory Technician,

Dept. of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of State School of Medicine, City, State.

May-August 1992 & May-August 1991: Laboratory Technician,

Serology, Histology, Clinical Pathology, Animal Diagnostics & Research Laboratories, Western State University, City, State.

GRANTS - PRINCIPAL

INVESTIGATOR:

⁵

B.C. & Addie Brookshire Charitable Foundation. 09/00-08/02.

“Relative abundance, habitat use, and group formation of Harris’ hawks in southern Texas.” $5000.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. 07/00-08/02.

“The ecology of cooperative behavior of Harris’ hawks in southern Texas.” $5000.

Rob & Bessie Welder Wildlife Foundation. 01/99-08/02.

“The ecology of cooperative behavior in Harris’ hawks of southern Texas and northeastern Mexico.” Stipend, travel and supplies, $41,000.

PUBLICATIONS:

Peer Reviewed

Candidate, Name, and Name. 1999.

Freshwater fish release urinary pheromones in a pulsatile manner. In: Advances In Chemical Signals In Vertebrates. Edited by Name, Name, and Name, Plenum Press, New York. Pp. 247-256.

Three additional publications listed.

Manuscripts In Preparation

Two manuscripts listed.

Thesis and Dissertation

Two entries listed.

Abstracts

Job Candidate, Name, Name, Name, and Name. 2001.

Environmental factors influencing Harris’ hawk group formation in southern Texas. Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Annual Report 2000-2001. Southern Research University. p. 47.

Nine additional abstracts listed.

PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS ATTENDED:

State Chapter of the Wildlife Society (City, State), 2002

Oral Presentation: Job Candidate, Name, Name, Name, and Name. Ecological determinants of Harris’ hawk grouping in southern Texas.

Four additional meetings listed.

Professional Society Memberships 1993-Present Animal Behavior Society

COMMUNITY:⁶

Invited Speaker

November, 2001 - State Wildlife and Birding Festival, City, State

“Cooperative Grouping In Harris’ Hawks”

December, 2000 - Brown Bag Seminar, Conner Museum, Southern Research University, City, State

“Let’s Get Together: Cooperative Grouping In A South Texas Hawk.”

December, 2000 - City Audubon Outdoor Club, City, State

“Ecological Determinants of Harris’ Hawk Grouping in Southern Texas.”

1.) We like how the candidate lists his title of “Visiting Assistant Professor” at the top of the vita. It clearly indicates that he has a job for the year but probably for just the one year.

2.) This statement of the candidate’s teaching philosophy, although brief, gives a good sense of his pedagogical style and commitment to good teaching. We particularly like how he indicates that some students are initially unused to his interactive style, but he perseveres and they become comfortable with it. It is a good idea to talk about challenges and what can be done about them.

3.) His brief descriptions of the courses he has taught give a good sense of both his teaching style and subject content. In his descriptions, he might want to remove the rather unnecessary word “responsibilities” and use active verbs like “managed” or “coordinated” to describe his work. Here’s an example of how he might better describe the “Principles of Wildlife Management” course: “Designed and developed the course including the outline and objectives as well as the selection of material to cover and the required texts; wrote and presented lectures; wrote and administered exams and quizzes; developed and graded written and oral class projects.”

4.) Like his teaching statement, this statement of the candidate’s research interests is brief yet provides a good snapshot of his scholarship. He indicates that, in the future, he plans to put his research experience to work in examining “interesting behavioral questions.” He might want to provide some specific examples, since a “Research Interests” section should answer the question “What are your future research plans?”

5.) We particularly liked the way this candidate organized his CV so that the overview of his research interests and experience is followed by separate sections detailing his “Grants,” “Publications,” and “Professional Meetings Attended.” It makes for a strong research section.

6.) The details of his community-service section are nice for a couple of reasons. The nature of this candidate’s work should be shared beyond the academic community, and this section shows that it is. As he is looking to teach at a small private college or university, this experience, along with departmental and professional service, demonstrates that he becomes active in his institution, association, and community -- something highly desired by many small institutions.