Balancing Professional Work: Teaching, Research, and Service

Abstract

In “Balancing Professional Work: Teaching, Research, and Service,” we argue that the happiest, most successful academics are those who blend professional tasks. Although the responsibilities of contingent positions are often time-consuming and poorly compensated, seeking ways to merge personal research interests with traditional academic responsibilities can alleviate burnout and help teacher-scholars envision ways to fully capture and document the work they may already be doing. In this chapter, we offer profiles and models for integrating teaching, research, and service and suggest ways to fully capture and document the work we do. By viewing interests through the lens of institutional mission statements and goals, teacher-scholars find opportunities for engaging in personally satisfying work that also meet institutional initiatives and mandates.