Meet Erin

The Positive Academic

meet erin
the positive academic

  • purposeful
  • positive
  • productive

After a decade as a tenured faculty member, I recognized that I derived the most joy from mentoring (graduate students and junior faculty) and running an academic writing program. However, these service roles comprised only a minute part of my overall job description so I could not dedicate myself to these activities. Therefore, I founded The Positive Academic, LLC and made the “support of academics, in their individual journeys to success and fulfillment” as my primary work mission.

Although I began my work in 2017 initially following a model of a writing coaching with a focus on productivity and project management, I soon realized that “not getting one’s writing done” usually had very little to do with the actual writing.  Addressing such challenges also required more than the latest time management hacks. Therefore, I shifted my focus to a more holistic approach in which I work to empower academics to connect with their values and inner wisdom in order to transform how they approach work or even envision a new definition of work – not just simply to “get more done”.

Although I began my work in 2017 initially following a model of a writing coaching with a focus on productivity and project management, I soon realized that “not getting one’s writing done” usually had very little to do with the actual writing.  Addressing such challenges also required more than the latest time management hacks. Therefore, I shifted my focus to a more holistic approach in which I work to empower academics to connect with their values and inner wisdom in order to transform how they approach work or even envision a new definition of work – not just simply to “get more done”.

So now I will ask you: Are you ready to create a new vision of your work and your life– one that allows you to see new opportunities, lean into your strengths and spend more time in the sources of joy?  Are you also ready to meet those hard truths about what is holding you back from your vision (maybe … doubts, fears, or simply needing new skills)?  Are you ready to be held accountable to take the action steps for making that vision a reality?

P.S. As an added bonus – when your work is aligned with your values and your vision for self – any needed writing will definitely get done!

accomplishments

in the past:

  • Studied Psychology at Wellesley College
  • Taught elementary school and middle school language arts in Massachusetts & Virginia
  • Awarded an M.Ed. and a Ph.D. in Education at the University of Virginia
  • Earned tenure and multiple awards for teaching, mentoring & research productivity at Texas A&M University (TAMU) from 2006-2016
  • Graduated and placed > 10 Ph.D. students in faculty positions
  • Received multiple federal grants (e.g., NSF) to support interdisciplinary projects
  • Co-directed POWER Writing Support Services at TAMU –designed workshops, developed a writing course for international students, provided individual support for writing
  • Published (and continue to!) > 50 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters
  • Trained in mediation with a focus on managing academic conflicts

currently:

  • Mom to twin boys (Happiest accomplishment!)
  • Work half-time as a Research Scientist in Educational Psychology at the Norwegian National Reading Research Center in Stavanger, Norway
  • Lead workshops for university faculty in writing productivity & mentoring in the US & Europe
  • Internal Coach at The Future of Humanity Institute (FHI) at Oxford University, England and for research groups at Berkeley Existential Risk Initiative
  • Founded “The Positive Academic” providing coaching on academic productivity, writing, and balancing the many demands on academia — while staying true to the inspiration behind one’s work