Position Description for Eberly Professor of STEM Education, 4/4/13

Position Description for Eberly Professor of STEM Education, 4/4/13 The Eberly College of Arts and Sciences of West Virginia University seeks nominations and applications for the Eberly Professor of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Education. The start date is negotiable and can be as soon as January 2014. The tenure home will be in a department/program in the Eberly College (http://eberly.wvu.edu/); however, much of this position’s effort will be devoted toward growing the Flexible Education Research Network (FERN), a trans-disciplinary, STEM education initiative identified by the University as one of five areas for strategic investment. The initiative includes the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, and the College of Education and Human Services; over 70 faculty members have outreach, research, and funding in STEM education, and each college has designated resources, including current faculty time and planned new hires to FERN. The appointment will be made at the full professor or advanced associate professor rank. A doctoral degree is required in a STEM or STEM-education related discipline, as well as a record of teaching and scholarship that would qualify the candidate for a tenured appointment in the home department as a full professor or advanced associate professor. Area of specialization is open, and the committee invites applications from persons with a track record in trans-disciplinary STEM education or broadening participation in STEM fields. Trans-disciplinary work blends approaches from multiple disciplines to address research questions. Applicants who have worked primarily within one discipline should provide evidence indicating potential for success at engaging with faculty in other disciplines. The position involves administrative leadership, teaching, and scholarship that will advance FERN’s research, education and outreach agenda. The percent of effort related to administration, teaching, and scholarship is negotiable and administrative support will be provided by an executive director to manage operations, as well as support staff. The position includes significant service and leadership responsibilities, including: mentoring other STEM education faculty members; leading collaborative, trans-disciplinary research projects across departmental and college boundaries; and strategizing to identify priority areas, build coalitions, and move a research agenda forward. The successful applicant will communicate with many types of audiences, using a variety of media, in order to promote the importance of trans-disciplinary collaboration to broaden participation in STEM. West Virginia University is the flagship institution of the state of West Virginia and is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a doctoral high research university. As the primary land-grant institution in West Virginia with teaching, research, and engagement at the forefront of its mission, it attracts over $152 million in externally funded projects annually. Located in Morgantown, WV, WVU is within easy traveling distance of Washington, D.C. to the east, Pittsburgh to the north, and Cleveland and Columbus to the west. Morgantown has been ranked as the Number One Small City in America by BizJournals, and 5th Best Small Metro by Forbes. The Eberly College has 400 full-time faculty and 100 classified staff in 30 academic departments, programs, and centers in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. These include tenure track faculty in STEM education research in the departments of Mathematics (6), Biology (1), and Chemistry (1); as well as promotable non-tenure track STEM teaching faculty in the departments of Physics, Geology and Geography, Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry. Applications should include a letter of interest, a CV, addresses of at least three references, and a statement of research plans showing trans-disciplinary perspectives for STEM education and broadening participation in STEM, and should be submitted electronically at https://fs9.formsite.com/kasijackson/form11/secure_index.html. For more information, or to make a nomination, contact Dr. Kasi Jackson, Associate Professor, Women’s and Gender Studies, at kasi.jackson@mail.wvu.edu. The screening process will begin on August 16, 2013, and continue until a successful candidate has been found. WVU is responsive to the needs of dual career couples, committed to building a multicultural work force and strongly encourages women, racial/ethnic/gender minorities, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans to apply. Therefore the search committee invites applications from any person who through research, teaching, or service supports the success of underrepresented groups and thereby contributes to the inclusivity and excellence of the academic community. WVU is the recipient of an NSF ADVANCE award to recruit, retain and promote women in STEM (http://advance.wvu.edu).