Faculty on the Investigator/Tenure track at the assistant professor level or above from any Department of Washington University may be nominated for DBBS Program membership by their Department Head/Chair. Rare exceptions to the tenure track policy can be considered for conditional membership by the DBBS Executive Council and, at the School of Medicine, the Academic Affairs Committee.
Candidates for new Program membership in the DBBS will be evaluated using the following criteria, reflecting the importance of training and mentoring. It is expected that DBBS faculty members will have strong credentials in many/most of the following areas:
A high quality, independent research program in an area of foundational biological or biomedical research that is congruent with existing DBBS programs and evidence of sustainable research funding or (in the case of new investigators) a strong prognosis for securing funding.
A strong record of training and mentoring trainees or (for new investigators) a clear interest and potential to do so. Examples include a record of past trainees and their current professional status and achievements, a list of publications authored by trainees, formal recognition/awards for teaching or mentoring, and other activities that foster the professional development of mentees. Program members are encouraged to craft a mentorship and commitment to diversity statement for posting on the DBBS or lab website.
Past and ongoing teaching contributions to graduate and/or medical education. A list should be provided of course titles with a summary of the subject matter taught and the number of contact hours in the classroom.
For recently appointed junior faculty who have not had the opportunity to meet these criteria, the basis for a strong teaching, foundational research, and mentorship outlook should be addressed in the nomination letter from the Department Head/Chair.
The process for evaluating candidates that meet the above criteria will include the following steps.
The DBBS Associate Dean will screen all candidates for DBBS Program membership and convey their recommendation on the candidate's membership application to the Director(s) of the primary program which the candidate wishes to join.
The Program Director(s) will evaluate candidate credentials and suitability of the research program and make a recommendation to the Associate Dean. If admission is declined, a new request can be considered after one year. Appeals can be heard by the DBBS Executive Council.
Applications must include the six components described below, attached to the DBBS membership application form, which can be downloaded below. Applications must provide evidence of mentoring skills and financial ability to support graduate students (costs include stipend, fees, and any bonus for competitive fellowship awards).
Required documents:
Recommendation Letter or Supporting Statement from Applicant’s Department Head/Chair or Division Chief, whoever is financially responsible in the event of a lapse of funding by the faculty member (1-2 pages)Biographical Sketch of Applicant
Current and Pending Support (include information regarding start-up funds, if applicable (1-2 pages)
Research Statement (1-2 pages)
List of Current and Past Trainees, if applicable, and other evidence of mentoring experience and skills (Past 5 Years – 1-2 pages)