Transitioning to a T32 Posted on October 19, 2007 Paul A. Pilkonis (bio) gives advice for mid-career or senior-level researchers.

I actually think that the decision to try formally to become a training director is probably reserved to at least the mid-career status. I think, there are actually disincentives early on for doing this other than as initial introduction to the research training enterprise. T32s, for instance, as they are currently structured, don't provide salary support for training directors and co-directors, so this is something that the institution in some way has to subsidize. So you need to be well enough established on your own individual terms to be able to ensure you have broad enough support, whether that's from the department or your own research efforts. So this is not something, this is not something you want to do at the most junior level.

The other obvious reason not to attempt it too early is because a good training program requires lots of collaboration, lots of faculty buy-in and you have to have, have to be sufficiently respected in your own department to have a number of colleagues who are willing to join you in this enterprise and you have to have sufficient managerial skill to make sure that the folks involved in the training program are doing good things.

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