As beginning professors they are responsible for selecting their own topics and research direction. Working with government and industry can provide junior faculty members with insights that can help them determine their own research emphasis. Yet, young faculty members should not move too fast with arrangements outside the university structure. In particular, new faculty members should stay away from such things as expert-witness assignments, which often take place in stressful courtroom environments where their expertise is constantly under challenge from opposing counsel, or pure service assignments such as debugging software programs, which do nothing for their teaching or scholarship. Keep in mind that it is usually the better-known senior professors who are hired for their expertise as consultants.
Young professors are more likely to be engaged for their research capabilities in a particular area.
Rather than go outside the university to consult with companies, it is often better for new professors to bring work into the university through research contracts or unrestricted gift funds from industry. With this approach everything is above board, which is particularly important if students are involved, where even the appearance of a conflict of interest should be avoided. When engaging in such arrangements, Professor Lee advises that faculty members make sure there is an explicit delineation between sponsored research and gift funds. There are a number of ways to get started with consulting and other industry projects. Former advisers, and even former student colleagues, can be good sources.