Promotion from associate to full professor

Several articles [1–4] and books [5, 6] have recently beenpublished discussing the tenure process in academe in theUnited States, including an excellent recent column inAnalytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry by Apryll Stalcup[1] entitled “The mechanics of getting tenure.” In fact, onthe basis of the sheer number of articles and books onemight conclude that once you earn tenure in the academythen perhaps the next step is retirement! Comparativelylittle has been written about the timing and process ofpromotion to full professor. “Professor” is the highest ranka faculty member can achieve in the academy. Promotion tofull professor is a very important step in the careerdevelopment of an academician—perhaps even moreimportant than tenure. Yes, that is what I said. In thiscolumn I would like to offer advice to newly tenuredfaculty, teaching at academic institutions in the US who areprobably, right now, taking a deep breath and perhaps evenenjoying a short moment of justified repose, and to thosenot-so-recently tenured faculty, who are considering thenext step in their career development, with regard topromotion, the process, timing, and requirements.Who do you want to be when you grow up?If you are newly tenured, let me challenge you at the outsetof this column to revisit your perspective on your career.Your focus at this point, having made it past a significanthurdle (tenure), should be on the long term—where do yousee yourself in five years? Ten years? Yes, twenty years?What would you like to be doing—running a researchcenter, chairing a department, serving as a college dean,and/or teaching and running a vibrant research group? Nowis the time to identify those professional opportunities thatwill enable you to develop and hone the skills and expertiseand to develop the professional portfolio you will need tosucceed at whichever role(s) you ultimately seek.If your objectives are to provide scientific leadership inyour discipline and to contribute to the vital scholarship inyour field, it is important to consider what you want yourlong-term impact to be. Broad, or narrow and focused?Problem-based or technique-based? Technical fields andanalytical techniques change and mature; it is, consequently,important to anticipate and prepare for change in yourdiscipline and specialty—imminent and long-term. Youshould think about your impending first sabbatical leaveand consider how you will use this unique opportunity todeepen and/or expand your technical expertise and widenyour professional network.If your goals are administrative, it is important toinvestigate professional opportunities that will provideyou opportunities to hone your leadership and managementskills, for example chairing significant department and/orinstitutional committees, serving as graduate coordinator inyour department, organizing symposia and/or professionalconferences, or as chair for your local ACS section. Strongcommunication, leadership (vision, planning, delegation,etc.), and people skills and a strong work ethic are essentialfor this career track. Experience working with budgets isvaluable but many chairs acquire their budgetary skills onthe job. If you seek to become a Dean then strongfundraising (often demonstrated in a successful chairman-ship) and management skills, a good understanding of