Dr. Conrad Tucker
Assistant Professor : Engineering Design and Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
Background:
Conrad has his undergraduate degree in
Mechanical Engineering. After receiving
this degree he went to work as a Process Engineer in a large manufacturing
plant in Georgia. Here he learned that industry was not for him and that he
wanted more in his life. He decided to
go back to graduate school to pursue his Masters and eventually Doctorate
degree. He received both his masters and
PhD in Industrial Engineering from the University of Illinois. While getting
his PhD he worked as a research scientist with a National Lab and earned his
MBA. During his work as a research scientist
learned that his calling was in Academia, where he would have the ability to
work in a dynamic area and have the creative freedom to pursue his passion.
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What was your resume like when you starting
applying for an academic appointment?
It took a good 3-4 months to organize
everything needed. I actually ended up
making a portfolio to help keep everything in order. This portfolio consisted
of my research statement, teaching plans and also a 4-5 page CV. You will be surprised of the types of
experiences that you forget to put in.
For example: I had to opportunity
to travel to Japan for 3 months as part of the NSF East Asia Pacific Summer
Institute (EAPSI)I did this right after my masters, it was actually the first
grant that I had ever written and been awarded.
It was an amazing experience; I was able to see how research varies with
culture. I was in a city of about 1
million, Kanazawa. In the city you would swear that they never saw a black man
before. I would be at the gym and I
would have these soccer moms coming up to me with a soccer ball for my
autograph. Assuming that since I was a
black man I played some sort of sport with ball. Since my last name is Tucker, I would say hi
I’m Conrad Tucker, they would think I’m Chris Tucker. So I just went with it and signed my
autograph C. Tucker!
From a research perspective the Faculty-student relationship is very
hierarchical. In the United States, I would ask my student their opinion on a
certain research topic. My experience in
Japan was that the faculty gives the student the tools to implement from more
of a top down approach. Creative freedom
is ingrained in the American culture, which fosters new ideas, that is very
difficult for other countries to replicate.
In Japan, Advisors would be very strict during the day but then they would all
go out with their graduate students for drinks after work, joking around and
such would take place while they were out.
But the next day it was like that never happened. Their personal and professional lives are very
separate. I never realized how relevant
this experience was and how much I truly learned from it. That is something simple that I should have
added to my materials when applying for an academic position.
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What has the tenure
process been like for you so far?
Wow, you think when you are getting your PhD that you are busy but when I
compare it to what I’m doing now there is no comparison. But I think the PhD process does gives you
the foundation to build upon and the tools to be successful. I am doing so many different things now,
managing more than one grant, graduate students, research and classes. I feel like I am constantly working, even on
the weekends you can find me at Starbucks on Atherton….it is my weekend office!
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Do you feel like your work experience in
industry has helped you with what you are doing now?
Yes, my work experience in industry allows me to relate theoretical course
concepts to real life engineering applications. Everything is a learning
experience and while academia is where my passion lies, I do not regret my time
in industry and in fact, work closely with industry now as we move to foster
stronger industry-research relationships within my research group.
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Is
this anything you wish you had known before you started this process?
How much paperwork I have to do as a
professor. For example: filling out
conference receipts, managing student files, etc. just things to distract you
from your research. As a grad student
you get shielded from a lot of the administrative work, which is
beautiful. If you want to go into
academia, cherish these years because this is the time where you can do
research at a purely uninterrupted level.
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What is your professional goal going
forward, in the next 5 years?
I always want to have some type of involvement with research. I learned with my
MBA that I aspire to something more than management. But I do have a goal of winning a Noble Prize. That may seem a little farfetched at this
point but I believe you have to set these global visions for yourself. I feel
like I’ve been provided the tools to be successful but I don’t want to settle
with just having the tools. I don’t ever want to feel like I’m just sitting in
the past.
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Why did you come to Penn State?
I had a couple of academic interviews
back to back, one at Penn State and another highly reputable institution. There was
such a contrast in the collaborative work ethic between Penn State and the
other school. I knew immediately that
this was the place where I wanted to be.
If you aren’t surround by people who share your passion and you can work
with easily you won’t be able to grow.
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What is the academic interview process like?
The academic interview process is grueling, it’s a 3 day process and bathroom
breaks are few and far between! Back to
back to back interviews over the 3 days.
They pick you up from the airport on Day 1 and immediately the interview
starts, drop your stuff off at the hotel and then go to dinner. The dinner is
also an interview where they ask you to tell them about yourself etc. There are these nuances that they are
looking for because the university is making a huge investment and they want to
make sure that this person has a vision that is consistent with the university. It’s gets to a certain point where everyone
being interviewed has a great resume but do you fit personally with everyone
you will be working with.
So the dinner ends at midnight, then at 6am they pick you up for breakfast and
then everything continues, from there it’s just a day full of interviews. You meet with each faculty member over the
course of the 3 days, then their opinion is weighed when making the decision of
who to hire because you
are going to be working very closely with these people and it has to be a good
fit both professionally and personally.
This is different than in industry where a manager will interview but
then you have to work and get along with everyone else.
The academic interviewers ask questions
about big pictures , where you see yourself etc. As opposed to industry interviews which are
basically behavioral questions, what would you do in this situation?
With the academic interview you also give a job talk, which is basically in
front of the classroom giving a presentation.
They are observing your ability to communicate and your scientific
depth.
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Did they expect you to extend the
research that you were already working on? How does it work on terms of your
research direction?
What
graduate school provides to you is the foundation. I have been out for less than 2 years and the
path that my research is taking is completely different than what I was doing
for my PhD. You have the tools, and whatever
direction you take your research is up to you.
During an interview process they will ask you how you plan to
differentiate yourself from your advisor and it’s good to have an idea of the
path you want to take.
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Do you have to find places where your
research matches the ground work that is already in place at an institution?
The most important thing is to be yourself.
You can’t tell people what they want to hear; you have to be yourself. If you tell them what they want to hear and
you end up there not doing something you want to do then you will be unhappy
and the people you are working for will be unhappy. If you interview for a place and you don’t
like it, don’t go there and it’s best for both.
Be yourself and go somewhere that you are wanted and you will feel
supported.
