Amber Smith

Amber Smith, PhD, is the Associate Director at the Wisconsin Institute for Science Education and Community Engagement (WISCIENCE), a unit at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) that is dedicated to broadening access to and inclusion in STEM for all. She received her bachelor’s degree in Biology from Carroll College in Montana and her PhD in Plant Breeding and Genetics from UW-Madison. During graduate school, Amber was involved in many science education and science outreach projects which triggered her interest in teaching. Following graduate school, she started her career in science education by becoming a postdoctoral fellow in the Institute for Biology Education at UW-Madison. Amber has held many positions in science education including being an Instructional Consultant in the Center for Research on Teaching and Learning at the University of Michigan and the Director of Mentor and Mentee Training at WISCIENCE. 

Can you describe your academic and professional background? What path led you to pursue this field?

Currently I am the Associate Director of the Wisconsin Institute for Biology Education (WISCIENCE). My academic background includes earning a B.S. in Biology (1999-2005) from Carroll College, Montana and a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding Plant Genetics (2005-2010) from University of Wisconsin-Madison. After completing my Ph.D. I did a postdoctoral fellowship in the Institute for Biology Education at UW-Madison to learn how to develop and evaluate programs to support the transition into college Biology. In 2013 I took a position at the University of Michigan as an Instructional Consultant in the Center for Research on Teaching and Learning. In this role I supported graduate student and faculty instructors in implementing active and inclusive teaching pedagogies. In 2015 I returned to UW-Madison as the Director of Mentor and Mentee Training at WISCIENCE. In this role I implement training programs and courses to support success in STEM research for both mentees and mentors.

How did you find this particular position, and what was the hiring process like? Is there a typical structure for this in your field?

I was familiar with WISCIENCE from my time at UW-Madison and knew I wanted to be in a position to help all students engage and succeed in STEM. I also knew I wanted to move back to Madison so when I learned of the Director of Mentor and Mentee training position at WISCIENCE I was eager to apply. The hiring process started with submitting an application with a cover letter and CV. Then I had a phone interview to share my interest in the position and to answer some basic questions about my background. After the phone interview I was invited for a campus interview to meet with the search and screen committee, institute director, and WISCIENCE staff. The interview was typical for this kind of position. Sometimes interviews for these kinds of positions include role play consultations or candidates are asked to give a workshop or presentation.

Can you tell us about your current responsibilities? What is a typical day or week like in your role?

My current appointment includes two roles: Associate Director of WISCIENCE and Director of Mentor and Mentee Training Programs. In my role as Associate Director I supervise five program directors and support them to run programs related to teaching and learning, service learning, leadership, and research mentor and mentee training. I oversee professional development programs for everyone in the institute which includes tasks like using our new database as well as ways to grow in our conceptual understanding of topics such as anti-racism, active learning pedagogies, and first generation college student experience that are related to our mission. In my role as Director of Mentor and Mentee Training, I develop, implement, and evaluate programs and courses that help to improve mentorship relationships as well as direct two summer research programs.

I spend about 60-70% of my time in meetings and really enjoy working collaboratively. As my roles have changed, I have had the opportunity to bring on a program coordinator who is a huge help for many of the day to day tasks. On any given week I will have one-on-one meetings with program directors, facilitate a workshop for graduate students, postdocs, or faculty, teach an undergraduate course, review/analyze and summarize evaluation data, create programming for institute staff, and serve on campus committees or connect with collaborators. One of the best parts of my job is the variety!

What do you enjoy about your current job and work environment?

I sincerely enjoy working with my colleagues. Everyone genuinely cares about our mission and puts their best effort forward. I have a lot of flexibility with my schedule and I feel trusted and empowered to do good work. The mission of making STEM accessible to all is inspiring and seeing the impact on students' lives is highly motivating.

Do you have any professional plans for the future? What are some future career paths that could open up for someone in your position, 5-10 years down the road?

One of the best things about WISCIENCE is that we are always looking forward to future trends and we try to be responsive to what our students and campus partners need. I feel like I have a lot more growth potential in both of my roles. I am really enjoying the leadership aspects of my job and look forward to further developing those skills. Certainly, someone in a job like mine could develop skills and experiences to step into other administrative roles in a large university.

What activities, internships, or organizations would you recommend someone get involved with to help them break into this field?

I would recommend to anyone interested in educational development work to learn and practice facilitation skills. Whether I am facilitating a meeting or a workshop these are skills I use daily. I would also recommend building skills and knowledge in areas such as leadership, change management, and interpersonal skills.

Is it common for people in your field to have a scientific/academic background (i.e. have PhDs)? Can you think of any advantages or disadvantages someone with a PhD might experience while pursuing or working in your field?

It is very common, and often required, for folks to have STEM experience and a STEM degree of some sort. When working with people on research mentor training it is invaluable to have experience with the research process and with the culture of a research training program. This is not to say that experience in other disciplines would not be valuable, but there may be more of a learning curve to understand the environment. Having a Ph.D. has only opened doors for me in this work. There may be opportunities for candidates with a Master's degree, but both the skills and experience of graduate school have been essential to do my job and to maintain credibility as a facilitator. 

Do you have any final words of advice for those navigating these career questions? Is there anything you would have done differently given what you know now?

While I have experienced the normal ups and downs common to any career, I have always tried to stay authentic to my values and to find ways to develop and use skills that I enjoy using. One benefit of my career path is the variety of programs, initiatives, and roles that are all within reach. The changes I have made in my career reflect points where my work was not resonating with my skills and interests. I had to learn that it was good for my interests to change over time because it reflected what I had learned and how I was growing. The most important advice I can give is to not be afraid to make a change in support of your happiness.