I agree that titles carry baggage and that leaving well enough alone is usually wise.  But why shouldn't other professionals be called "Professors"?  And I can think of few professions other than science where the act of professing claimed knowledge is so fundamental AND TRUE because the declarations originate from that individual's own discovery, i.e. genuine knowledge.
We live in an age where reading a teleprompter makes you an orator and where bleached teeth gets you points in debate.  Let epistemology rule.  PI = professor.  Teacher = lecturer.   PI+Teacher = priceless.

CH

At 11:31 AM 1/31/2005, you wrote:
>Our senior management staff is contemplating changing the titles for our Principal Investigators.  Since we are strictly a research organization, not an academic institution, traditionally the titles for our Principal Investigators at our organization have been "Senior Investigator", "Associate Investigator" or "Investigator".  Our senior management is contemplating changing titles of these individuals to "Professor" or "Assistant Professor" since they have some teaching/training responsibilities such as training medical residents, graduate students and summer interns (approximately 10% for some PIs).
>
>May I have the opinions of others on this subject?  Do you see a problem with this change in titles?  Why or why not?  Thank you in advance for your replies.
>
>
>
>
>Linda Brill, CPA, MBA
>Associate Director of Finance
>Lankenau Institute for Medical Research
>100 Lancaster Avenue
>Wynnewood, PA  19096
>610-645-2760
>610-645-8299 (fax)
>xxxxxx@mlhs.org
>
>
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