Visualize your ideal academic career?
I'd love to teach Africana Studies/Cultural Studies at an institution that has a politically active population of black students, other students of color, and faculty that openly address issues of black nationalism and black feminist traditions. I also want to teach in a community with a mixed array of students that identify with LGBTQ communities and are critical of institutionalized patriarchy; and are active in partison and non-partisan political groups (particularly revolutionary thought).

What do you want to do all day as a professor?
I would prefer to be involved in doing work with students (and hopefully my department) that extends out of the academy and into the surrounding communities, as well as with international groups doing work in other, often so-called third world, countries (ie- abroad internships, travelling conferences, etc.). I plan to research, write, publish (extensively), while also creating non-profit organizations that focus on non-traditional approaches to black male imprisonment on an international scale. (I also plan to base my organization's mission on non-aligned, African-based spiritual traditions, hopefully offering an alternative worldview to individuals and groups in crisis.)

Stumbling blocks that could prevent your ability to have the career you wish?
One significant stumbling block could be the current practice of dismissing many Africana & Black Studies departments in favor of the more homogenized Multicultural Studies departments. As this practice has grown more popular with many campuses, it has become increasingly important to challenge such thinking and, if nothing else, extent a multi-level, multi-valant protest against the elimination of fields of study that foster students to challenge conventionalism in favor of work that avoids challenging the white, androcentric, privileged, heteronormative status quo programming of most academic institutions.

What steps could you take now to overcome possible barriers?
Aside from protest, I have sought to build a mutli-disciplinary network of colleagues at all levels of the academy (from undergraduate students to university executives), that can help me to stay on the cutting edge of my field, while finding new ways to articulate my interests as a means of making myself competitive in a wide range of fields. Therefore, it is my hope that I can work somewhat like Robin Kelley; where I may not be confined to any one field, but I can do th same work across institutions and across various fields.

-Hasan

My ideal academic career, like the one posted above, consists of teaching, research/publication, and advising students at a four year university. A typical day would involve teaching a class, keeping office hours that would allow time for counseling students, time with colleagues,and research. I would want to partner with colleagues that are committed to an academic environment in which critical thinking is applied to an open exchange of ideas from a wide range of sources. This same desire I apply to the kind of students I would want to work with.

The kind of reaearch I'd like to do would center on the nature of values (religious or ethical) and how they are formed in peoples lives. Beyond theories about values I believe a great source for such research is literature as one can observe within narratives the variety of ways one comes to believe in something. Such a methodology, I believe, encourages understanding if not agreement between those who hold very different value systems.

Stumbling blocks that may prevent me from realizing the above goals include a measure of self doubt despite the objective encouragement I receive from others. Another factor would be the very real and immediate nonacademic demands that I have as a father of four. Also, the fact that I have begun the persuit of a very competitive career a bit later in life keeps me from restfull sleep on occasion.

Perhaps a course such as this one is one step toward overcoming or at least meeting these obstacles. Also, working closely and leaning on the advice of my mentor would serve this purpose as well.

How do you visualize your ideal academic career?

My ideal academic career would take place at a teaching university, among supportive and helpful colleagues, and teaching respectful and hard-working students. As a female in the IT field, I hope to be a role model for my students. My own turning point in deciding on teaching as a career was taking a class from a female professor and her openness in my potential for earning a doctorate and I hope to someday pay it back to others.

               

What do you want to do all day as a professor?

I imagine my typical day as a professor consisting of a mix teaching undergraduate and graduate classes, meeting with students after or before class or during office hours, with time to network with colleagues (this may be during lunch), and time to spend researching and keeping up with current happenings in my field. This may be through reading journals, surfing the web, conducting and writing up my own research or reviewing to submitted work of another.

 

Who do you want to have as colleagues? As students?

I hope to have supportive and understanding colleagues in my future (and hopefully) tenure-track position. A supportive environment with a senior faculty member I can ask for help on the large and small things related to teaching and the school and department. For students, I want to teach people who want to learn, or gain the teaching expertise to engage those taking a class because it is a “required” class and not because it is a subject particularly interesting to them (i.e. – many undergraduate general education classes)

 

What types of research (big, little, specialized, student-focused, etc.) do you hope to do?

In my research I hope to engage others, including students and colleagues in research that ties my institution to businesses and organizations in the area. In other words, real world research that has real meaning to the students involved and the organizations I hope to engage.

 

What stumbling blocks do you see that could prevent your ability to have the career you wish?

The job market and the general demand for professors when I finally do graduate is one of those uncontrollable factors that will have a major bearing on my ability to obtain a tenure-track position. Publishing in my field in journals that are considered A or B level I also see as a possible stumbling block for me.

 

What steps could you take now to overcome possible barriers?

I have already started obtaining teaching experience, but depending on the institution I set my sights on, teaching may not have the weight that publishing does. I have also become a member of one of the research centers in the school of IS&T (Kay Center) in order to gain insight into publishing from others who have “been there, done that” and also to increase my publishing opportunities.