The George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing’s Future Faculty Fellows program supports PhD students and postdocs as they pursue an academic career path.
Now in its fifth year, the Future Faculty Fellows program offers resources and one-on-one consultations to help fellows create compelling application packets, prepare for interviews, and begin their faculty positions. The Activate Engineering Communication Program continues to be a key partner in giving fellows the skills they need to communicate the value they would bring to a university faculty position.
The program introduced new initiatives this year to strengthen the fellows’ support systems and provide peer feedback opportunities.
“This year, our main goals were to develop a stronger sense of community and to create opportunities for Fellows to receive additional support and feedback through multiple avenues,” said Renata Ramos, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Rice Engineering and Computing. “To accomplish this, we incorporated networking time to our panel events, established a dedicated communication channel for Fellows, and piloted a research presentation practice session to give Fellows peer feedback on their job talks. These meaningful changes have led to increased interactions and mutual support among the Fellows and the extended Rice community.”
For the Fellows, this added peer support has been a critical part of their job search journey.
“By being paired with a fellow candidate in my field, I was able to connect with someone going through the same faculty search process, allowing us to exchange ideas, provide detailed feedback on documents and presentations, and offer emotional support,” said Thiago Pinheiro, Ph.D. candidate in chemical and biomolecular engineering and Future Faculty Fellow. “Establishing yourself as a strong faculty candidate can be stressful, and having a peer to navigate the process with was immensely helpful.”
The program also helped current Fellows broaden their network by inviting past Future Faculty Fellows back to campus as panelists and by forming a faculty committee to mentor and provide additional avenues for feedback.
“The faculty committee, and their mentorship was invaluable in my job application process. They helped me refine my research statement and CV, making them stronger, more impactful, and appealing to search committees,” said Peng Yang, Ph.D. candidate in statistics and Future Faculty Fellow. “Additionally, they were proactive in sharing job opportunities, often forwarding relevant postings from email announcements. Their support and guidance significantly benefited my preparation.”
This year, 14 fellows representing all nine Rice Engineering and Computing departments participated in the 2024-25 cohort. The size of the cohort and close interactions with program staff and peers helped build a community of support.
“Interacting with the Future Faculty Fellows staff and receiving feedback from others were the most beneficial aspects of the program,” said Elyse Chase, postdoctoral fellow in mechanical engineering and Future Faculty Fellow. “This ranged from initial statement creation workshops to practicing answering questions during mock interviews.”
Applications for the 2025-26 Future Faculty Fellowship are now open and will close June 1, 2025. PhD students and postdocs from the School of Engineering and Computing who are preparing to apply for faculty positions in the upcoming fall semester are eligible to apply.