Bridge to Faculty
B2F Heading link
Bridge to Faculty (B2F) is a recruitment program designed to attract underrepresented postdoctoral scholars with the goal of a direct transition to a tenure-track junior faculty position after two years. This recruitment initiative aims to attract and retain promising scholars to UIC as well as diversify our faculty, with particular emphasis on departments with low or no presence of faculty who are underrepresented in their field. B2F uses a cohort model, where postdoctoral scholars participate together in meetings and tailored workshops to prepare them to teach, establish a research program and support their ability to pursue grants, and create productive mentor relationships.
Departments interested in hosting a B2F Scholar must complete an application detailing the rationale for their interest in participating in the program and must provide a plan for mentoring and supporting an incoming B2F Scholar, expectations for evaluating Scholar progress through the two-year postdoctoral period, and a plan for transitioning the Scholar into a faculty position after the postdoctoral period. Departments selected to participate in the program conduct competitive searches to select and hire B2F Scholars. Resources for the postdoctoral positions and the faculty hires that result are provided by UIC’s central administration.
B2F is funded by the Chancellor’s Office and administered through the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Engagement. For more information please contact Dr. Nadine Peacock, Associate Vice Chancellor for Equity & Belonging, and Mario Lucero, Director of Inclusion Initiatives, via the B2F email account: bridgetofaculty@uic.edu.
B2F Points of Pride Heading link
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49 Total B2F Scholars with 31 of them already UIC professors and more hires on the way!
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156 Published peer-reviewed journal articles and counting!
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19 New faculty members in Fall 2023
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14 New B2F Scholars started in Fall 2023
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8 New B2F Scholars expected to start in Fall 2024
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48 B2F Community (Campus Partners)
Apply Now to the B2F Scholars Program
B2F Scholar Reception | Fall 2023 Heading link
B2F News Heading link
B2F Events Heading link
B2F Scholars in Action! Heading link
Check out our scholars and their work by visiting our archive of videos including the UIC Latino Cultural Center’s online public presentation series, Radical Research from BIPOC Scholars at UIC.
Welcome Our New Scholars | Fall 2023 | Cohort 4 Heading link
Awarded Departments & Scholars Heading link
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In Fall 2023, five UIC departments were selected for the opportunity to recruit and hire a Bridge to Faculty Scholar. Scholars will begin their appointment at the beginning of the Fall 2024 semester.
- Biomedical Engineering
- Civil, Materials and Environmental Engineering
- Communication
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics
- Political Science
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In Fall 2022, ten UIC departments were selected to recruit and hire a Bridge to the Faculty Scholar. Scholars began their appointment at the beginning of the Fall 2023 semester.
- Chemical Engineering
- Disability and Human Development
- Educational Psychology
- Health Policy and Administration
- Hispanic and Italian Studies
- History
- Industrial Engineering
- Learning Sciences Research Institute and the Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science
- Managerial Studies
- Urban Planning and Policy
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In Fall 2021, nine UIC departments were selected for the opportunity to recruit and hire a Bridge to Faculty Scholar. Most scholars began their appointment at the beginning of the Fall 2022 semester.
- Biological Sciences
- Biomedical and Health Information Science*
- Human Development Nursing Science**
- Medical Education
- Pharmaceutical Sciences***
- Pharmacy Practice (2)
- Psychology
- Special Education
- Urban Planning and Policy
*Unsuccessful searches; award not renewed
**Cohort 5 (Fall 2024)
***Cohort 4 (Fall 2023)
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In Fall 2020, twenty UIC departments were selected for the opportunity to recruit and hire a Bridge to Faculty Scholar. Most scholars began their appointment at the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester.
- Anthropology
- Art History*
- Biobehavioral Nursing Science**
- Biological Sciences
- Community Health Sciences
- Computer Science
- Criminology, Law and Justice
- Earth and Environmental Sciences***
- Educational Policy Studies
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- English
- Global Asian Studies
- History
- Medical Education
- Occupational Therapy
- Pharmacy Practice
- Sociology
- Special Education
- Theatre
- University Library*
*Cohort 5 (Fall 2024)
**Cohort 4 (Fall 2023)
***Cohort 3 (Fall 2022)
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In Fall 2019, nine UIC departments were selected for the opportunity to recruit and hire Bridge to Faculty Scholars. These departments welcomed Scholars at the beginning of the Fall 2020 semester.
- Anthropology
- Biological Sciences
- Educational Psychology
- French and Francophone Studies
- Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science
- Museum and Exhibition Studies
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Philosophy
- Public Administration (2)
One department hosted a B2F Affiliate.
- Population Health Nursing Science*
*Postdoctoral appointment housed in and supported by the College of Nursing with cohort-based support programming offered through the B2F program