In episode 131, we sit down with Dr. Faith Deckard to talk about one of the biggest challenges facing new faculty members: time. From balancing research, teaching, service, mentoring, and administrative responsibilities to protecting focused writing time and avoiding burnout, we explore what the transition into an assistant professorship really looks like. Drawing on her experiences as a recently hired assistant professor at UCLA, Dr. Deckard shares practical strategies, lessons learned, and advice for navigating the competing demands of academic life with intention and sustainability.
Faith Deckard is an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of California – Los Angeles. Currently, she is examining how commercial bail entangles families in a complicated economic and social system of obligation, debt, and punishment. Faith received her PhD from the University of Texas at Austin in 2024. As a researcher, her interest lies in understanding how marginalized groups experience and respond to social control institutions.
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Coming Soon.
Get in touch with Faith:
UCLA Website // Personal Website // fdeckard AT soc.ucla.edu