External peers can offer useful insights into the creativity and the impact of the work of the faculty member. Users of the research usually have useful insights into the communication skills of the faculty member and the impact of the research. Faculty members should feel free to draw regularly upon internal peers, external peers, and users of research for help on ways to improve performance. Promotion and tenure committees should solicit information from any or all of the three groups to paint the most complete picture of the quantity and quality of the research. Extension and Outreach Extension and outreach activities, like those involving teaching or research, are expected to have a scholarly component in that the faculty member is expected to be constantly experimenting with new and improved methods of technology transfer and to be learning from the results of the experiments.
Several attributes are critical to be an effective extension specialist.
These include a sincere interest in the clientele, practical experience in the area of expertise, knowledge of the field, creativity, communication skills, and a desire to have a positive impact. Internal peers can be most helpful in reviewing annual plans of work and assessing their creativity and likely impact. External extension peers can help evaluate the creativity demonstrated by the person in terms of his or her knowledge of the field, and level of communication skills. Clients, or customers, know if the extension specialist has a sincere interest in them and their problems, is committed to results in solving the problems, is knowledgeable about the field, is a good communicator, and has actually made a difference in their lives or their operations. Most importantly, clients are in the best position to quantify the impact of extension activities.