Moving through your career as an analytical chemistry faculty

After you start as a professor, the next steps sound obvious: attract students to your new group, secure funding, and write papers. Wash, rinse and repeat. What does this mean at various career stages? How can this be repeated for decades without growing “stale”? In my case, like many faculty, I have not lacked for ideas; thus, there has been the steady addition of new projects to the group. How does one keep a group to a reasonable and manageable number of individuals as projects are added (or how does one end projects)? When new opportunities arise (such as becoming an associate editor, university administrator or professional society officer), finding the time for these opportunities that should be worthwhile can be daunting. Taking examples from my career, I highlight the approaches that have kept my group contributing to analytical chemistry and evolving to new areas over the past three decades, while allowing me to explore new career opportunities.