Space Professor's way of putting things (3-2)
I believe the answer is:
end-on
'way of putting things' is the definition.
(as in arranging objects with their ends touching)
'space professor's' is the wordplay.
'space' becomes 'en'.
'professor' becomes 'don' (I've seen this before).
'en'+'don'='END-ON'
(Other definitions for end-on that I've seen before include "Viewed from the tip" , "Opposite of 'side-on'" , "With one side pointing towards the front" , "Presenting a minimum cross-section" , "One view of object" .)