STRATEGIES EMPLOYED TO DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS DURING A 17-YEAR CAREER AS A SOLITARY GEOSCIENCE FACULTY MEMBER

Fostering on- and off-campus partnerships was the single most important factor in building a rewarding 17-year career as a solitary geoscience faculty member of a small western-US university. These collaborations not only provided opportunities for professional advancement, but also enabled students of a growing geosciences program to engage in unique research and employment opportunities that enhanced their professional advancement. Building strong collaborations first requires self-reflection and assessment in order to identify skills that faculty and their students can offer potential partners. If the faculty and students have too narrow a research focus, it limits the opportunities for collaborations and may require the faculty member to expand their skill set and perhaps make curricular changes that make their students more marketable. Once skills are identified that could serve as the basis for collaboration, contacts must be made both on-and off-campus. Because time for collaboration is so limited for those in single-faculty departments, it is imperative to sort the potential pool of collaborators to those who show evidence of finishing projects. This evidence may take the form of a publication list, or through discussions with their colleagues. During my career, the most fruitful partnerships were with professionals who did not have teaching responsibilities and could make steady progress during times where teaching would heavily impact my contributions. During the summers or other breaks, I would devote myself to the project and make substantial progress that made it worthwhile for my colleagues to collaborate with me. Finally, it is imperative that only the best, most responsible students interact with trusted colleagues. One poor student can reflect negatively upon the faculty member and the entire program, and jeopardize future opportunities.