Some of my non-academic friends are curious as to how I can leave the University of Northern Colorado for four months and still keep my job. I can see why folks would wonder that.
First, I won't try to convince you that this isn't really awesome, because it is. I also won't try to convince you that I'm actually working really hard to make this happen (even though I am - I'm ridiculously tired and really stressed right now). I will do my best to explain why and how I'm doing this however.
I'm taking a sabbatical leave from my university. A sabbatical is something that professors earn every seven years or so (depends on which school you work for), but you are not obligated to take it. In fact, most professors don't. I have no idea why because they are AMAZING.
Basically, our universities want us to head off every so often and learn new skills and knowledge that we can bring back to benefit our home universities . It's a bit like sending us off to school for a while so that we stay on top of our jobs. It's definitely not a vacation, but just doing something different sometimes feels like a much needed break.
My university will pay me my regular salary for one semester, or half of my salary for a year, and in return I agree to go off and learn some new things that will benefit the University of Northern Colorado. To get this sabbatical approved, I had to write a somewhat lengthy proposal a year ago explaining what I intend to do, and how it will benefit UNC. It had to pass review by my fellow faculty members, my Chair, my Dean, and the Provost of the University.
This will be my third sabbatical since I started doing this professor thing back in 1990. My first one involved going to the University of Arizona in 1998 for an entire year and working in their Hydrology and Water Resources Department. I was able to develop some new hydrology courses while I worked there that I eventually brought back and taught to my students. I also developed some new research projects that involved students. All in all, it was one of the most productive years I've had on the job, and one of the most rewarding.
My second sabbatical in 2006 involved a lot of research. At the time, I was working in South Dakota and teaching a lot. I had just received a big NASA grant to study lava flows on Mars, so I took a year to work on that project, and travel to some new research sites in the Pacific (Australia and New Zealand). I also learned to scuba dive because I wanted to get involved in some ocean research projects. I was able to involve some students in my research when I returned.
So, now I am heading off to teach for the Semester at Sea program this spring! I will be teaching 3 courses I have not taught before so that I can come back to UNC and teach those new courses for our students. I will also be doing some research on lava flows, and I will be writing some opinion pieces on science education for the university. Definitely NOT a vacation, but a real change in direction from what I have been doing.
I don't mind talking about the money part since I'm a public employee and I think folks deserve to know how we are paid. So, I'm working for the University of Northern Colorado and the University of Virginia this spring. UNC pays my regular salary, and UVA pays me a rather small amount (about $3000) for each class (which I am completely blowing on travel in our port countries) and pays all my expenses. Karen gets to come along for almost free! So, I'm not getting rich, I'm working hard, but I get paid to do something few others will ever get to do - take a ship around the world with a bunch of college students. Amazing.
The toughest part will be waiting another 7 years to do another sabbatical leave.
First, I won't try to convince you that this isn't really awesome, because it is. I also won't try to convince you that I'm actually working really hard to make this happen (even though I am - I'm ridiculously tired and really stressed right now). I will do my best to explain why and how I'm doing this however.
I'm taking a sabbatical leave from my university. A sabbatical is something that professors earn every seven years or so (depends on which school you work for), but you are not obligated to take it. In fact, most professors don't. I have no idea why because they are AMAZING.
Basically, our universities want us to head off every so often and learn new skills and knowledge that we can bring back to benefit our home universities . It's a bit like sending us off to school for a while so that we stay on top of our jobs. It's definitely not a vacation, but just doing something different sometimes feels like a much needed break.
My university will pay me my regular salary for one semester, or half of my salary for a year, and in return I agree to go off and learn some new things that will benefit the University of Northern Colorado. To get this sabbatical approved, I had to write a somewhat lengthy proposal a year ago explaining what I intend to do, and how it will benefit UNC. It had to pass review by my fellow faculty members, my Chair, my Dean, and the Provost of the University.
This will be my third sabbatical since I started doing this professor thing back in 1990. My first one involved going to the University of Arizona in 1998 for an entire year and working in their Hydrology and Water Resources Department. I was able to develop some new hydrology courses while I worked there that I eventually brought back and taught to my students. I also developed some new research projects that involved students. All in all, it was one of the most productive years I've had on the job, and one of the most rewarding.
Living in Arizona. Research in Hawaii with my student Brandi.
My second sabbatical in 2006 involved a lot of research. At the time, I was working in South Dakota and teaching a lot. I had just received a big NASA grant to study lava flows on Mars, so I took a year to work on that project, and travel to some new research sites in the Pacific (Australia and New Zealand). I also learned to scuba dive because I wanted to get involved in some ocean research projects. I was able to involve some students in my research when I returned.
Hiking with Aspen at Tongariro volcano in New Zealand
So, now I am heading off to teach for the Semester at Sea program this spring! I will be teaching 3 courses I have not taught before so that I can come back to UNC and teach those new courses for our students. I will also be doing some research on lava flows, and I will be writing some opinion pieces on science education for the university. Definitely NOT a vacation, but a real change in direction from what I have been doing.
I don't mind talking about the money part since I'm a public employee and I think folks deserve to know how we are paid. So, I'm working for the University of Northern Colorado and the University of Virginia this spring. UNC pays my regular salary, and UVA pays me a rather small amount (about $3000) for each class (which I am completely blowing on travel in our port countries) and pays all my expenses. Karen gets to come along for almost free! So, I'm not getting rich, I'm working hard, but I get paid to do something few others will ever get to do - take a ship around the world with a bunch of college students. Amazing.
The toughest part will be waiting another 7 years to do another sabbatical leave.
