Academics, help get us out of here, job application help! PLEASE

[admylin]

I have to send a job application off for dh by midnight tonight via email and again it's another hope on the horizon of getting out of Germany. It's an assistant professor job, we've got a good CV and cover letter plus resaearch interests statement but can you help me make this bit about teaching goals sound better - I want dh to get an interview atleast.

"My teaching interests lie in the teaching of pathology and Physiology, mechanism of disease, chronic neurological disease and neuropharmacology"

Any help much apreciated, my brain won't give any better than that this morning. Thanks.

This is right up my street except that I am no good at selling myself! I would say that being a bit more specific might help but it's hard to know without seeing what's on his CV. Has he done much teaching before? I think they might want to know whether his interests (bearing in mind that these might need to be tailored to the job) lie mainly in giving lectures to hundreds of first years, small group tutorials for final years, small discussion groups for postgrads or whatever. Has he come up with courses or modules from scratch before? A bit of enthusiasm about it would be good, something like "I am very comfortable teaching across the whole range of pathology and physiology, mechanism of disease, chronic neurological disease and neuropharmacology, but I have particularly enjoyed setting up new modules in blah blah", kind of thing.

Thanks for answering! Yes, that is the problem, he hasn't got alot of teaching experience over the whole range only teaching postgrads and supervision of medical students doing PhD - he's a biologist with neuroscience mainly but also Physiology and Pharmacology. The job fits his profile and it's in a great place in an english speaking country so perfect for me too!

You're welcome I would just say something about how much he feels he's got out of the teaching he's done so far and how he'd welcome the opportunity to broaden his range to teaching undergrads (if he would!).

Actually, if you wanted me to look over the application I'd be happy to do so- I'm a geneticist really but I am a module organiser for Neuroscience Honours teaching and I'm on their exam board, so I know a bit about it.

Great, thanks! One more question wiould you say the shorter and compacter the better or is a long elaborate statement best? I know my bit was minimalist but I've got it up to about half a side.

I think research interests need to be reasonably substantial because they probably want to know how good a bet he will be for bringing in grant income. I wouldn't go overboard on the teaching if he hasn't done much.

OK, that's my problem then, he had to rush out to the lab today and left me with a few scribbles on a note book with his research goals and I'm not a scientist so I don't even understand half of it! I've emailed him my first attempt for him to read through but he won't have time to do much more as he's experimenting till late tonight. I could send you an abstract from his CV maybe and what I've written so far if you've got time? Email me admylin at gmx dot de.
I thought the deadline was 30th but it's today arghhhh!

Tamum, I sent you an abstract. It would be great if you think he'll have a better chance of getting an interview by changing anything I've got 'till midnight tonight to press the send button!