Activities

The Emory Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences under the leadership of the Faculty Development Leadership Team (Vice Chair for Faculty Development, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Assistant Vice Chair for Faculty Development – Promotions; Assistant Vice Chair for Faculty Development – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Assistant Vice Chair for Faculty Development – New Initiatives) and through several departmental committees (Faculty Development Committee, Diversity Inclusion and Social Justice Committee, Appointment and Promotions Committee, Clinical Distinctions Committee, Women Faculty Subcommittee, Racial Ethnic and Cultural Minority Faculty Subcommittee, Wellness Committee) provides various offerings and programs related to general faculty development, promotions, diversity and inclusion and wellness. Our key offerings are detailed below. For more details, see our department’s website sections for faculty development and advocacy. 

Faculty Development Committee: This committee aims to support the successful development of junior, mid-career and senior faculty related to education, service, and scholarship; promote career satisfaction, work-life integration and faculty wellness; and create an inclusive community of engaged faculty within the department. It sponsors the department’s orientation, mentorship program, peer mentoring and consultation program, senior clinician consultation program, ambassador program, faculty development seminars, leadership consultation program, kudos, awards program, and focus group initiative.

Orientation: Orientation for new faculty is held once per year. This is a chance for new faculty members who are hired to meet with the Chair, Vice Chair for Faculty Development, Assistant Vice Chairs for Faculty Development, and members of the Faculty Development Committee to learn about the department structure and culture, as well as the diverse faculty opportunities and faculty development activities.

Mentorship Program: All new faculty meet in small groups with the Vice Chair for Faculty Development to select a mentor(s). Mentor pairs, which are re-evaluated annually, are encouraged to utilize our Mentoring Toolkit (includes Mentoring Guidelines, Mentoring Partnership Agreement, and Mentoring Worksheets) and follow departmental Guidance for Supporting the Career Autonomy of Junior Faculty to Promote Scholarship.

Peer Mentoring and Consultation Program: Peer mentoring groups consist of two or more faculty members with similar interests (e.g., integrated care; substance abuse). These groups provide opportunities for faculty to support one another and advance career aspirations through networking, partnership, and information sharing.

Senior Clinician Consultation Program: This program highlights the expertise of senior clinicians in the department on the website and ensures access to senior clinicians for consultation about diverse interventions pertinent to psychiatry and behavioral sciences.

Ambassador Program: This program assists new faculty with their transition to the department and university and helps them feel welcome and empowered to thrive. The Assistant Vice Chair for Faculty Development – New Initiatives pairs experienced faculty with new faculty based at the same site and/or with similar interests to promote people’s development and wellbeing from the outset of their tenure on the faculty.

Faculty Development Seminars: Seminars are provided quarterly on a variety of topics (e.g., crucial conversations, effective mentoring) from relevant experts. Input is requested from faculty members to ensure seminars are timely, relevant, and useful.

Psychiatry Research and Scholarship Consultation Service: This service provides direct assistance to faculty across our department for study development, biostatistical support, grant preparation, personalized scholarship strategic planning, and research funding and connections to improve grant submissions in both number and funding and increase research collaborations across the department.

Leadership Consultation Program: This quarterly program offers faculty an opportunity to share their leadership dilemmas and receive confidential feedback and guidance on navigating the challenges associated with being a leader.

Kudos: Our monthly Kudos program highlights faculty members’ leadership, scholarship, teaching, and service accomplishments; celebrates the arrival of new faculty to the department; and welcomes new members of our extended departmental family (e.g., birth of children).

Awards Program: The department acknowledges the outstanding contributions of individual faculty annually through an awards program. There are awards for excellence in mentoring; clinical practice; service; science; and diversity, equity and inclusion. There also are awards for adjunct faculty (outstanding contribution of an adjunct faculty member, outstanding contribution of an adjunct faculty member in community service).

Promotion Workshops: On an annual basis the Faculty Development Committee sponsors a workshop through the Faculty Development Seminars program focused on one aspect of the promotions process (e.g., CV, Personal Statement, Service Portfolio, Teaching Portfolio, Clinical Distinctions). This is followed by small group sessions sponsored by two of the faculty development subcommittees (Women Faculty, Racial Ethnic and Cultural Minority Faculty) in which hands-on feedback and guidance are provided. These workshops also offer handouts, that are made available on the faculty development section of the departmental website.

Promotion Readiness Sessions: The Vice Chair for Faculty Development and Assistant Vice Chair for Faculty Development – Promotions hold 30-60 minute one-on-one meetings to provide individualized advice on progress toward and readiness for promotion.

Promotion Consultation: Either the Vice Chair for Faculty Development or the Assistant Vice Chair for Faculty Development – Promotions meets 4-8 times with each faculty member preparing an appointment or promotion package to provide concrete guidance and feedback.

Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice Committee (DISC): DISC, which includes faculty, staff, and trainees, strives to build an equitable, inclusive, and socially just culture in which all members of the department feel respected, valued and recognized for their unique and collective contributions and have a sense of belonging within the departmental community. The committee’s goals are to adopt a mission and infrastructure for advancing DEI within the department; promote a diverse, equitable, inclusive and socially just culture; secure and maintain a diverse, inclusive and equitable workforce;  educate the department community and stakeholders regarding DEI and social justice; increase the cultural responsiveness of departmental activities and services; and establish and sustain departmental accountability for short and long-term progress in DEI and social justice efforts.  

Women Faculty Subcommittee: This subcommittee promotes a culture that actively supports the successful professional and personal development of all women faculty in our department through education, advocacy and mentoring.

Racial Cultural and Ethnic Minority Faculty Subcommittee: This subcommittee promotes awareness of issues related to race, ethnicity, and culture among the faculty in our department and provides a source of safety and support as well as education and other resources.

Diversity Dialogues: The department sponsors and co-hosts diversity dialogues, intentional conversations that encourage authentic and respectful exchanges within and beyond the Emory community between individuals with differing perspectives on topics frequently considered taboo or controversial. These dialogues offer a respectful space to reflect on outlooks and experiences and explore stereotypes, biases, prejudices, and micro/macro aggressions; bridge gaps in knowledge and awareness; build social connections among individuals from diverse backgrounds; amplify marginalized voices; and promote actions aimed at healing and transformation. The department has created, implemented, and disseminated a diversity dialogue facilitation training program.  

Affinity Groups: Affinity groups in the department (e.g., Women of Color Psychology Faculty Collective) facilitate academic success by enhancing recruitment and retention of individuals with diverse backgrounds belonging to underrepresented groups in academia; serving as advisors, advocates, and consultants; and promoting inclusive scholarship and mentoring programs. 

Faculty Development Wellness Subcommittee: This subcommittee promotes the wellbeing of faculty, trainees and staff within the department. It attends to individual wellness and serves as a voice to administration and leadership regarding opportunities in the workplace and in the workflow to promote job satisfaction and minimize burnout.

Faculty Development Wellness Activities: Our Faculty Development Committee sponsors wellness activities for faculty throughout the academic year often in collaboration with the departmental Wellness Committee. This includes facilitated dialogues (e.g., navigating family and work responsibilities during the pandemic, burnout), guided walks, cooking classes, and a faculty picnic. We also provide swag to new faculty members (tumblers, blankets, etc. with the department logo). The aims of these wellness activities are to reduce stress and increase feelings of belonging and cohesion amongst faculty members. 

Focus Groups: The Faculty Development Committee will be conducting a series of focus groups for faculty across diverse sites within the department to better understand concerns about work-life integration and propose action steps for improving faculty members’ capacity to balance and synthesize the work and non-work aspects of their lives.