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To facilitate mentor relationships for junior, pre-tenure faculty
To expand Drexel’s national and global reach
To foster sustainable partnerships based on mutual scholarly interests; social network
To provide resources (currently up to $7,500 per award) to foster initial collaborations
To provide impetus, credibility, and support for junior faculty to contact an unknown potential mentor and ask for help

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COACHE survey data indicated that junior, tenure track faculty at Drexel felt they lacked mentors.
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Lack of senior faculty in their department/field with time/inclination to mentor them.
This encouraged the Drexel Office of Faculty
Development & Equity (FDE) to create a program to enable junior, tenure track faculty to find mentors outside of Drexel.

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CDAs built sustainable international connections providing mutual benefit to both junior researcher at Drexel and senior researcher elsewhere.
Mentoring has transformed into ongoing research relationships that are outcomesfocused and productive.
CDA program supports increase of sustainable, international connections across university.

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How likely to result in tangible outcomes?
How likely to have a significant impact on career?
Sustainability of relationship post-award?
Impact on faculty/graduate students at Drexel?
Considers faculty diversity and equity?

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2-day working group meeting with participants from industry and academia
Mini conference at Drexel with faculty and industry contacts from CMU, Harvard, IBM,
MIT, NCSU, Siemens with 10 presentations
½ day seminar on physical activity
Visited lab to learn new technique
Conducted seminars at Imperial College of
London

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Call for applications online and emailed
Proposals due six weeks later
Required 2-page proposal, budget, letter of support from Department Head, letter from
Mentor
Meet with applicants by request
Review budgets by request

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Reviewed by a panel of faculty and faculty/administrators
Use 5-point checklist to rate, with primary and secondary reviewer
Finalists chosen, then award group selected

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College of Engineering (5)
College of Arts & Sciences (5)
College of Information Sciences & Technology
(2)
College of Media Arts & Design (2)
College of Nursing and Health Professions (2)
Earle Mack School of Law (1)
School of Public Health (1)
School of Education (1)

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Quarterly progress reports by awardees
Meeting with awardees at end of award year
Electronic survey at end of award year
Periodic follow-up emails to track new developments that are directly attributable to
CDA funding
Review of awardees’ CVs

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Funded thirteen faculty over first three years
$83,433 generated $6.4 million in external grant funding (NSF, etc.)
Numerous publications, presentations, panelists
Established sustainable collaborations in academics and industry in 9 foreign countries on 4 continents
Global impact on courses
All CDA Awardees who have “come up” have been promoted to associate professor and awarded tenure.

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“The Award has completely changed the trajectory of my career in many very positive ways… I do believe that my Awards work did lead to my NSF grant award and my being given the Devereux
Award.” (M.E.)
“Drexel doesn’t really have any other faculty working in areas closely related to mine so it has been difficult…” The CDA has “been incredibly valuable.” (M.O.)
“In the past year, I won the American Physical
Therapy, Section on Pediatrics National Research
Award. … The activities afforded to me with this award have helped me to develop my skills as an independent researcher.” (M.O.)

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“Absolutely it has great impact on both my career and reputation. I can appeal to people that the career development award is part of my academic achievement based on my research performance, which can give people
(especially proposal panel reviewer) good impression on my research.” (M.K.)
“The CDA impacted my career by offering me opportunities to do things that I would not have been able to do otherwise.” (M.R.)

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“I would not even thought that I could have done something like this… No idea that I could get faculty from other institutions and mentors – gave me the courage to set up a mini-conference.”…
“The Career Development Award has significantly impacted my career and my reputation in my field, and helped me to obtain over $500,000 research grant. Actually, this award is the most important milestone in my career.”… “I could not have obtained these research grants without working with these collaborators outside Drexel” (Y.C.)

For More Information Please Visit: www.drexel.edu/fde/CDAOverview.html