"Professor of Practice" rank created for faculty with field experience

An increasing number of IU professors have not spent their profession in the classroom alone. Many have first-hand experiences in their field of study.

Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs Thomas Gieryn said the importance of this experience has grown in the eyes of the administration.

“We felt that the professors would have something unique to offer our students both through their expertise and their connections with the professional world,” he said.

IU recently made increased attempts to incorporate professors with experience outside the teaching field.

On May 6, 2011, IU created a new faculty rank, “Professor of Practice”. This position allows professionally distinguished individuals to continue their professional careers in addition to teaching at the University.

Gieryn said the faculty addition was created to benefit IU students.

Adjunct Professor of Choral Conducting Robert Porco and voice Professor Wolfgang Brendel currently possess this title.

Porco previously worked as the director of choruses for the Cleveland Orchestra. He is in charge of both directing and conducting a series of concerts for the Cincinnati Festival in May.

While conducting the concerts, his students sing in the choir. Doctoral conducting student Brendel has performed on all the major opera stages in Germany and in other European countries, Japan and the United States.

“You know the saying ‘Those who can’t do teach?’” Brendel said. “This is not the case, because I do both.”

When Brendel applied for the job in 2011, he competed against 90 other practicing musicians for the position and emerged victorious.

“While you are on stage, you are responsible for delivering the part,” Brendel said. “As a professor and a teacher, you are second role. You stay behind because you are not that important. The students are. The students are my work now.”