Purpose
The purpose of Gillings Visiting Professorships (GVPs) is to enhance the School’s intellectual climate by creating a synergy of ideas and exposing faculty, staff, and students to alternative ways of thinking, new methodologies and different perspectives and disciplines. GVPs also can advance new areas and new collaborations by providing the opportunity for focused work at the School by people from other organizations. Visiting professorships may be of two types:
- Faculty members from within the UNC School of
Public Health, selected based on a UNC SPH review of their proposed
activities, who conduct research, teaching, intensive service, and/or
other scholarly activities at an external institution/organization
during the period of their professorship, or combine intensive focused
effort at the SPH with work at external locations, or
- Qualified scholars and other experts external to
UNC, selected based on a UNC SPH review of their proposed activities,
who are in residence at UNC or other appropriate location during the
period of their visiting professorships.
The majority of GVPs will be selected through the application process detailed below. However, some GVPs may be invited by UNC SPH leadership, subject to the same review process as competitive applicants. This could occur as a strategy to advance very high priority topics or collaborations. Central to all GVPs is a clear statement of purpose and goals, a well-defined plan for achieving those goals in the time available, a set of metrics by which success can be documented, and a strong statement of how the proposed work will be of benefit to the visiting professor, to the institutions involved (including UNC), and most importantly, to the public’s health. While we recognize that all people may benefit from sabbaticals, this is not a sabbatical program. It is an opportunity for two way exchange intended to advance knowledge, collaborations and problem solving. Any person who comes to UNC or goes out from UNC should be prepared to share their experiences with others at the UNC School of Public Health so that the ripples from the GVP extend far beyond one individual.
Applicants may come from other universities or other schools and campuses within the UNC system, government agencies, other nonprofit organizations, and business and industry. Candidacy is not restricted to US citizens, and the Gillings Visiting Professorship program is eager to review applications from members of historically under-represented groups. We also encourage applications from “non-traditional” fields related to public health—such as specialists in innovation, neuroeconomists, futurists, experts in dissemination of innovations—and from specialists in the assessment of public health impact. We encourage faculty members to seek opportunities that expose them to new ways of thinking, new knowledge and skills and that may permit them to draw connections between fields and disciplines that would not have occurred in the absence of this experience.
GVPs may focus on any topic related to public health. Priority will be given to proposals in areas of the School’s strategic initiatives: obesity, water quality, global health, and health disparities. We are always interested in visiting professorships that address, either directly or indirectly, public health issues in North Carolina. GVPs hosted by UNC may come to work in Gillings Innovation Labs, but are not required to do so.
Basic eligibility requirements
GVP candidates will come from a wide range of disciplines, backgrounds, and organizations. Thus, the criteria for qualification are broad. In general, GVP candidates will have demonstrated commitment to and success in improving public health, but specific training, credentials, or appointments are not required. Candidates for Gillings Visiting Professorships must at a minimum:
- be active in public health, or a discipline, agency, organization, government office, or business with clear relevance to public health
- be in good standing at their current place of employment, and eligible to return there after the completion of the GVP
- have achieved academic training and credentials, or gained experience and leadership in their fields, sufficient to conduct the proposed activities, and
- be eligible to obtain valid work authorization in the proposed work location.
For UNC SPH faculty, additional requirements include
- full time faculty appointment (i.e. full time tenured/tenure-track or research faculty) in one of the departments of the School, or full time appointment in an academic department at UNC, with a substantial time commitment to an existing joint appointment in the School of Public Health
- term of employment that extends at least one year beyond the duration of the GVP, and
- support from department chair, indicating that the candidate’s regular duties (e.g. teaching, committees) have been covered for the tenure of the visiting professorship
Applications
GVP candidates may be nominated by others or may nominate themselves. The basic nomination packet will include:
- a cover letter from the nominated visiting professor stating the overall purpose of the proposed GVP, the location and institution at which the activities will take place, and the duration (up to two years) of the proposed GVP (1 page)
- a description of the activities to be conducted during the GVP tenure, including (5 pages)
- specific collaborative research, developmental, writing, or teaching activities to be carried out, with a rough timeline for achieving important goals and metrics by which to evaluate success
- identification of colleagues who have agreed to host or collaborate with the visiting professor during the GVP period
- for GVPs in residence at UNC, specific service and teaching activities to be undertaken during the GVP (e.g. teaching courses or seminars, mentoring student research, developing SPH research capacity)
- a clear statement of how the GVP will benefit the career of the visiting professor, UNC SPH, the host institution (for UNC GVPs in residence elsewhere) or home institution (for GVPs in residence at UNC), and make material contributions to public health research, training, or practice
- a proposed budget for the GVP, to include salary for the visiting professor, travel, and associated expenses related to conducting the planned activities (see below)
- letters of support from the home department chair (for UNC faculty) or immediate supervisor stating that the GVP application is supported by the home department or organization, that the candidate meets all the eligibility requirements (including eligibility to return after the GVP period), and that the proposed GVP activities are consistent with the mission of the organization and will contribute to the success of the organization
- letters of support from the host institution department chair or immediate supervisor stating that the GVP application is supported by the department or organization, that the proposed GVP activities are consistent with the mission of the organization and will contribute to the success of the organization, and that appropriate resources are available to support the GVP
- letters of support from the major collaborator(s) listed in the description of activities above, stating strong and specific support for the work proposed, and specific commitment to achieving the goals of the work proposed
- a current curriculum vita or résumé
- names of three potential reviewers
Because GVPs are inherently collaborative efforts, great weight will be given to the content of letters of support from collaborators and host institution leaders. Influential letters will be specific rather than generic, provide tangible evidence of support rather than only support in principle, and document evidence of pre-existing collaborative relationships, when appropriate. Lack of infrastructure support can ruin the best short term project. The letter of support from the host institution or organization must therefore include specifics regarding the nature of physical support (office, lab, computing resources, research assistants, etc) that will be made available to the GVP.
Proposals for GVPs to be hosted by UNC must include a specific plan for the visiting professor to enhance the school’s intellectual climate. This can be done in a number of ways—e.g. through teaching, seminars, workshops, student engagement, service projects, improving research capacity or infrastructure. GVPs in residence at UNC are expected to promote the collegial atmosphere through active participation in appropriate school activities. In the spirit of reciprocity, GVP applicants from UNC, to be hosted by other organizations, are encouraged to include such a plan as part of their proposal. We recognize that some activities are hard to predict before a person arrives.
Length and timing of visiting professorships
Gillings Visiting Professorships can last from several months up to two years, though most are expected to be about 12 months. Duration of the award must be commensurate with the planned activities. Part time efforts will be considered on a case by case basis, and must be well justified. Start and end dates for GVPs will be negotiated among the recipient, the recipient’s host and home institutions, and Carolina Public Health Solutions, the sponsoring program at the School of Public Health.
Selection process
For the coming cycle, proposals must be received by 12 noon (EST) on July 31, 2008. Proposals will be reviewed by August 30th, and we anticipate announcements of GVPs by the end of September. The earliest date for proposed GVP activities from this cycle is October 1, 2008—many proposals will require substantial personal and professional arrangements, however, and GVP applicants are encouraged to plan enough lead time to accomplish these before the start of the award period. GVP candidates may submit only one application per cycle. There is no specific limitation on the number of times a GVP applicant may apply for a GVP. Previous GVP recipients will not be eligible for subsequent awards for 7 years following completion of their most recent GVP, and priority generally will be given to supporting meritorious first time awardees. GVPs may not be renewed or extended, except under extenuating circumstances.
During this inaugural round of GVP selection, we anticipate awarding 3 visiting professorships. As funding and experience grow, we anticipate awarding up to 10 GVPs annually.
Competitive applications will be reviewed by a committee comprised of the Dean and selected members of the Dean’s Council and the SPH Research Council, as well as external reviewers. Each GVP proposal will be reviewed in detail by at least three reviewers. Reviewers will focus on all aspects of the application, with particular focus on evidence of a detailed collaborative plan between either UNC faculty candidates and the host institution, or external candidates and UNC collaborators.
Invited GVPs will be reviewed by the same process, to assure that the candidates meet the GVP requirements and have provided a plan for their activities at least as detailed as that required for competitive GVPs.
Support
The level of support for GVPs may vary greatly, depending on the type of work the individual proposes to undertake and negotiations with the host and home institution. UNC faculty can expect salary coverage in the amount to which they are currently entitled, plus, at a minimum, housing and travel allowances to and from the host institution. GVPs in residence at UNC should expect support commensurate with that which a UNC faculty member of equivalent rank or experience would receive, as well as travel and housing allowances. GVPs in residence at UNC who are entitled to compensation substantially in excess of current faculty salaries will not automatically be entitled to similar levels of funding, but will negotiate with UNC and their home organization to make up the difference. In general, support will reflect both the individual GVP and the duration and nature of the GVP activities.
GVP applicants may request funds to cover costs associated with GVP activities, but must justify their requests. GVP funds may not be used for core/overhead funding or for buildings or other capital items. GVPs may not receive direct salary support for their proposed activities, other than from UNC and the home/host institution, unless agreed to prior to the award. GVPs are not research grants, and requests for substantial support of research activities (e.g. lab equipment or tests, research staff, recruitment incentives, data collection resources) will be reviewed unfavorably.
Gillings Visiting Professors will have all the rights and privileges accorded to visiting professors under the rules of the School and the University. UNC scholars in residence at other institutions will abide by the rules regarding visiting professors at the host institution.
Gillings Visiting Professors are required to submit final reports detailing their achievements during their period of support. The content of the reports and any other final products will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
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