Exploring the Nexus of Teaching and Research Productivity in a Research-Intensive University among STEM Faculty
摘要
This study examines patterns of teaching and research productivity among STEM faculty at a large public research university. Using eight indicators of research productivity and eight indicators of teaching productivity, we conducted a cluster analysis that identified three distinct productivity profiles among Research-Focused Faculty (RF), Teaching-Focused Faculty (TF), and Lecturers. These clusters reflect high, moderate, and low research productivity combined with varied levels of teaching activity. We then evaluated how faculty type, rank, gender, and discipline relate to membership in these clusters. The findings show that research and teaching productivity are not strongly correlated and that productivity patterns are shaped by faculty type and disciplinary context. RF in the high research cluster tended to have lighter lower division teaching responsibilities and stronger engagement in undergraduate research mentorship, while TF and Lecturers were more heavily concentrated in clusters with high teaching obligations. Gender was not a significant predictor of cluster membership once faculty type, rank, and discipline were included in the model, though this result should be interpreted with caution because important forms of academic labor were not captured in the available metrics. The study highlights the need for evaluation systems that recognize the varied contributions faculty make to teaching and research and provides a framework for understanding how institutional structures and disciplinary norms shape faculty productivity.