Robert L. Bowen Industry Residency Program 2024

Description

Objective

The objective of the program is to enrich the classroom experience of construction students by providing opportunities for selected faculty members to gain construction experience through summer residencies with AGC member companies.

Background

Construction Management programs need faculty members who possess requisite academic, professional, and scholarly credentials. These include a relevant graduate degree (usually a Ph.D.), industry experience, and a record of scholarly activities and publications. To meet university requirements when hiring new faculty members, these programs often compromise on the industry experience, because few faculty applicants meet all three criteria. Even highly experienced senior faculty may find that their experience has become outdated and in need of refreshing. One method for faculty members to gain industry experience is to complete an industry residency with a construction firm or organization during the summer months when classes are not typically taught. Such residencies allow faculty members to gain recent professional experience that they can directly apply in the classroom. To help create industry residencies for existing construction management faculty members, the AGC Education and Research Foundation has developed the Robert L. Bowen Industry Residency Program.

Program

The program is envisioned to be a partnership among the academic institution, a construction firm or organization, and the Foundation. Each partner will contribute one-third of the cost incurred by a faculty member undertaking an industry residency, up to a maximum cost of $10,000 per partner. Such costs may include salary, benefits, travel, and living expenses for a period not to exceed three months. Any faculty member desiring to become a resident under this program must identify the specific skills and knowledge to be gained during the residency, identify a construction firm or organization that will agree to provide the requested professional work experience, and obtain support from the faculty member's institution. 

Applications must be submitted by December 1, 2023 prior to the summer in which the residency is desired. The Foundation will review all applications and notify selected recipients by February 1 of their selection for the residency. Recipients will be required to submit a report to the Foundation after the completion of the residency by December 1st. The report is to describe their professional experiences during the summer residency and how the experience will enhance their teaching responsibilities.  

Professional residencies also benefit the sponsoring construction firms or organizations. They receive temporary help on projects and often receive feedback on their management processes from the industry resident. Participating in this program is an investment in the future of the construction industry, because recent professional experience will enable the faculty member to be more effective in the classroom by being able to share that experience.

Industry Residents are expected to:

• Demonstrate their commitment to their host company and their learning.
• Learn from the areas they observe.
• Display a professional demeanor.
• Systematically think about their practice and learn from their experiences.
• Be responsible for demonstrating the outcomes, professional skills and objectives of the residency experience.
• Provide a written report to the AGC Education & Research Foundation within a month of completion of the residency. The report should detail the experiences, learning outcomes, and the value the residency will bring to his/her classroom.

Host Company Directing Managers are expected to:

• Work as a collaborative member on the residency team.
• Plan the resident experience and assess performance.
• Suggest ways to strengthen the resident's competencies.
• Clearly communicate his/her expectations.
• Orient the resident to workplace, staff and organization.
• Regularly confer with the resident. 

University Supervisors are expected to:

• Review the resident's work.
• Review and complete the residency plan.
• Develop timelines for residency activities.
• Maintain resident's profile.
• Provide feedback and record outcomes in evaluation/tenure documents.