​​PROFESSIONAL OVERVIEW

​My Doctoral Journey

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One of the best pieces of advice I received when I entered the Applied Technology & Performance Improvement (ATPI) doctoral program came from one of my corporate mentors. After discussing my educational goals and announcing that I had been accepted into the program, he stated, "always remember that obtaining a PhD is not just about the course grades- it is about getting ready for a journey dedicated to lifelong learning." As a student in the program for the past three and a half years, I have come to understand and appreciate this advice as I have worked towards my goal of becoming a scholar in the academic community.



The ATPI program has challenged me to think critically, work independently and grow intellectually. I have become a researcher, scholar and a mentor along my journey. During my first year, I worked hard to make strong connections with other students in the program so that I could be surrounded by a network of diligent people who would help me develop my research skills. Through these connections, I was introduced to the academic conference circuit, and attended my first conference as a round table presenter at the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) international conference in 2011. Since that time, I have become a regular presence at AHRD, and have expanded my conference participation to additional academic venues including the Association for Career and Technical Education Research (ACTER) and the Southwest Case Study Research Association (SCRA). Presenting at these conferences has given me an outlet to contribute to the academic community while also honing my research and academic writing skills. As a teaching fellow and teaching assistant, I have had the opportunity to mentor other students as they traveled along their educational journeys.



During the last three and a half years, I have actively sought opportunities to collaborate and stretch myself academically. I am a regular reviewer for journals and conferences in the field of learning, performance management and human resource development. As a member of the ATPI Research Team, I have collaborated with students in our program and helped contribute to various proposals and publications as an author, editor or consultant. In 2012, I became a founding member for the Learning and Performance Quarterly journal, an open-access, student-led peer reviewed journal with the Department of Learning Technologies. This experience allowed me to gain insight into reviewing manuscripts, working with editors and providing constructive feedback to contributing authors. Recently, I was asked to become the assistant editor for this journal, which will groom me to step into the full editor role within the next year. I was also invited to manage a monthly article in the AHRD Digest dedicated to expanding knowledge of technological tools that can be used in the field of HRD.



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Being a student in the ATPI program has also helped me understand the research methods I prefer. Through various courses, I have had opportunities to conduct qualitative, quantitative, mixed-method and case study research. I have discovered that I am drawn to quantitative research and my first independent journal publication utilized this method. Although this is my preferred method, my understanding of different research methods has led to additional journal publications using various forms. In terms of  subject matter, I have always known that my research focus was is in the area of virtual/distance learning in higher education and corporate settings. This knowledge, combined with the discovery of my preferred research methodology, has led me towards a dissertation topic that will explore the psychometric properties of a newly introduced instrument designed to measure key factors related to success in online and virtual distance learning settings. 



Professionally, my academic journey has helped me progress in my career. As an advocate for personal development, I have spent the past 14 years as a learning professional in some capacity. When I began this program, I had been working as an individual contributor focused on virtual content development for a large organization for almost eight years. With each course I completed in the ATPI program, my confidence in my personal abilities related to topics focused on advancing human performance grew. This confidence led to my decision to explore other opportunities. Currently I am the Director of Curriculum Development and Learning for an association in the telecommunications industry. My career goal is to secure a tenure track faculty position at a research university. I feel that the move from a corporate environment to an academic one will be a smooth transition because of the relationships and opportunities I have been exposed to during my time in this program.



In 2010, I entered the ATPI program as a student unsure of what scholarly research and lifelong learning was truly about. As I move towards the final phase of this journey, I have become a researcher, mentor and scholar. This portfolio details my intellectual and scholarly growth throughout the program and provides insight into my future academic interests. During the past three and a half years, I have been allowed to learn from talented individuals and I am proud to be a part of this community of strong, reputable researchers. I look forward to continuing my growth and contributing to the advancement of knowledge in the ever-changing field of virtual and distance learning.