Maximizing Impact: 2024/25 Cohort

UBC's Vancouver campus from the air, looking north.
UBC's Vancouver campus, looking north. Photo by: UBC Brand & Marketing

Maximizing Impact is an eight-month cohort-based program now entering its fifth year. Non-tenured faculty members at the level of Assistant Professor in the research stream and the educational leadership stream within their first three years at UBC are invited to apply to the program.

The 2024/25 cohort will include 35 faculty members from both the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses.

Maximizing Impact is led by Dr. Lisa W. Loutzenheiser, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education and was founded by Dr. Naznin Virji-Babul, former Senior Advisor to the Provost, Women and Gender-Diverse Faculty and Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine.

Program benefits

This unique and intentionally designed program provides mentorship and coaching to early-career academics and educational leaders to help them maximize the impact of their research, teaching, and leadership.

The program focuses on helping participants learn more about how the university operates, consider their roles and goals in faculty positions, develop leadership skills, and advance equity and change.

Program components

The program will include the following components:

  • Networking and community: Connect with fellow early-career academics from both the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses who are navigating similar challenges and opportunities and build a network supporting your work and vision.
  • Personalized coaching: Benefit from one-on-one and/or group coaching with certified and experienced UBC Leadership Coaches to navigate the complexities associated with the role, explore strengths, uncover the broader system and set and achieve professional and personal goals. This program component is supported by UBC Coaching Services, Learning and Talent Development, Human Resources. Coaching will begin in October and run through April, depending on participant needs.
  • An in-person institute/orientation: Connect with other participants in person and start your immersion in the program. Session will be held on Saturday, September 21, at UBC Vancouver. Arrangements will be made for UBC-O participants. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. This session is being offered at the suggestion of the last cohort.
  • Monthly professional development workshops: Join invited speakers to discuss navigating early-career faculty transition to faculty and fostering connection to UBC, including:
    • Tips and Tricks for New Faculty
    • Expanding Mentorship
    • Finding Balance
    • Reframing Imposter Syndrome
    • How to say no (and yes)!
    • Building a Research Pipeline
    • Tenure expectations
    • Working with graduate students
    • Building a lab/group culture

Watch this space for the schedule to be posted after the cohort meets on September 21.

Who can apply

All non-tenured faculty members at the level of Assistant Professor in the research stream and the educational leadership stream within their first three years at UBC Vancouver or UBC Okanagan.

Apply now


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