academic
n. countablen. a person who teaches or does research at a college or university. They spend their time studying a specific subject and sharing what they learn with students or other experts.
n. a member of a university or college faculty, or a person who pursues higher education and research. Often used to refer to someone whose professional life is centered on scholarly research and teaching.
The academic published a new paper about history.
After finishing her PhD, she found a job as an academic at a top research university.
While many experts work in the private sector, this particular academic dedicated his entire career to theoretical physics within the university system.
Often used as a collective noun in the plural ('academics') to refer to the scholarly community as a whole.