Welcome from Dean David Daniel

FAST Start is a faculty development program whose purpose is to help you be successful as a faculty member here at Illinois. FAST Start is sponsored and run by the Colleges of Engineering and Education, and the Academy for Excellence in Engineering Education (AE3). The program focuses on teaching, advising, managing a lab, obtaining grant support, working with colleagues, and other issues relevant to our profession. FAST Start is also a significant support base where new faculty interact with peers.

Those who have completed this faculty development program have increased student course evaluation scores and have higher course evaluation scores than their peers. Participants in the program have said: "[this program] makes me much more efficient in preparing lectures. My preparation time was reduced with better feedback from students;" and "It gave me tools and confidence to take charge of my curriculum and my class. It inspired me to enjoy teaching and effectively educating others in my field;" and "The opportunity to participate in an atmosphere where issues related to teaching could be discussed with others who have similar doubts, fears, and successes was very beneficial."

FAST Start is stimulating, rewarding, beneficial, meaningful, and fun. Your participation in the program can increase your efficiency and productivity as a faculty member, and it will lead to substantial personal development. You will also start to form a network of colleagues from across the college hat can be very helpful in your teaching and research. Welcome!