Blog from Tianshu Li, Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
GWALA has been a uniquely valuable experience for me. I said “uniquely” because not holding any academic leadership position and taking GWALA may not seem very sensible in the first place, at least when our Department Chair recommended the program to me. But eight months later I am convinced that this is such a valuable experience that prepares me for the future — whether following the current trajectory to continue my academic endeavor or making a bold move to pursue the next-level academic goal.
The six-session course (not including the kick-off session) allows for a deep self-reflection that I hardly imagine I could do otherwise, or even have the time to practice. Being a productive scientist/engineer and passionate teacher, my sense of fulfillment has been stemming from problem solving, discovering, and enlightening. Although often involuntarily/unintentionally practiced in my academic life, many of the covered topics in GWALA have never been systematically studied or even considered as important as hard skills. Those pre-work tests allow me to see through more clearly what my strength and weakness are. Having spent hours solely focusing on these skills and reflecting on the past, I understand that I will apply a more sensible decision-making strategy in defining the next academic goal, be more flexible and versatile in conflict management, focus on the big picture rather than details when conveying my idea with the team, and many others. Knowing my colleagues experiencing the same challenges is reassuring, but knowing how experienced academic leaders navigate through these circumstances is truly inspiring.
GWALA has shaped my thinking. Regardless which way I choose in the future, having the knowledge and more importantly the mindset of being an academic leader has positioned me very differently from eight months ago. I want to deeply thank GWALA, especially Sara Melita and Jeff Brand, for their hard work and passion that cultivate the growth.