SEAS adds new 'principal lecturer' position

To keep technology in the classroom up to date, the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences is adding the position of principal lecturer — a more advanced role beyond that of senior lecturer.

The new position was devised to give special recognition to the best teachers within SEAS and to ensure that students are more acquainted with cutting-edge technology, Deputy Dean of Education Vijay Kumar said.

“The position is reserved for special individuals who are not only excellent at teaching but are also innovative in teaching and pedagogy,” Kumar said.

Currently, SEAS professors are divided into three different tracks: tenure, research and teaching. Tenure professors are expected to teach and research, while the other tracks focus exclusively on either researching or teaching.

Professors that focus on teaching can be considered either a lecturer or a senior lecturer, depending on their expertise and experience in their chosen field, according to Kumar.

The new principal lecturer position will invite individuals who show expertise in instructing and have innovative research, Director of Faculty Affairs Sandra Rathman said.

The addition of this position could also be an incentive for prominent scientists and engineers to teach at Penn, Kumar said.

However, the main reason behind the creation of this position is to train students to be more knowledgeable and up-to-date when dealing with technology.

Principal lecturers will be expected to alter existing engineering courses to keep up with technological advances.

“Whether they are teaching existing or new courses, we expect them to innovate in and outside the classroom,” Kumar said. “Things that you teach today will be different from what you teach tomorrow.”

According to Kumar, outstanding senior lecturers and outside hires could also be considered for the position. “It is possible that we are able to identify exceptional cases outside the university, but the bar is considerably higher because you cannot afford to make a mistake,” added Kumar.

Rathman, however, asserted that most of the principal lecturer positions will be given to prominent senior lecturers. The department hopes that the position will give outstanding professors more of an incentive to continue their tenure at SEAS.

“We want to attract and retain outstanding teachers whose primary interests are in innovation and research,” Kumar said.

Although the Board of Trustees has approved the creation of the principal lecturer position, it is uncertain when any appointments will be made, Kumar explained.

With the new principal lecturer position, students could also find minor changes in the SEAS curriculum.

Each of the University’s four undergraduate schools have different procedures of academic hierarchy. The School of Arts and Sciences, for example, is less likely to follow suit, according to Leo Charney, a spokesman for the Provost’s office. “SEAS is unique in creating a principal-lecturer track,” he said.

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