Assistant Professor of Architecture (3 Positions Available)

Home of the American School of Architecture and a DesignIntelligence-ranked Architecture program, the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture invites applications for one of three 9-month, full-time tenure-track or renewable-term faculty positions at the rank of Assistant Professor of Architecture beginning in August 2021. Please note that Gibbs College is also hiring one tenure-track faculty member in Interior Design (visit http://apply.interfolio.com/83981),  as well as three, 2-year faculty fellows in Architecture and Interior Design (visit http://apply.interfolio.com/83997).

 

We seek emerging scholars and/or community-engaged designers who are passionate about collaborating within/across Gibbs College’s three broad strategic areas:

• Environmental/Social Resilience broadly construed (including, but not limited to, efficient/responsive environmental technologies, resilient fabrication and building technologies, building simulation and performance-based design, design for social & environmental justice, BIPOC design practices, affordable housing, design history and theory, inclusive design pedagogy, etc.), or
• Design Entrepreneurship and Real Estate broadly construed (including, but not limited to, real estate development and/or investment, equitable development, urban economics, design leadership, lean design and construction, etc.), or
• Wellbeing by Design broadly construed (including, but not limited to, human-centered design, biophilic design, neuroscience and perception, design psychology, air quality, visualization, behavior mapping, etc.)

 

These strategic areas of focus reflect a renewed commitment by Gibbs College to improve equity and belonging in our communities through scholarship, teaching, and professional practice. Gibbs College of Architecture is committed to recruiting faculty and students from underrepresented identities and is dedicated to creating a welcoming environment for all. Candidates who share and contribute to this commitment are strongly encouraged to apply, including those from underrepresented identities and/or with experiences working with underrepresented communities. Please see “Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity + Belonging statement” to learn more (link).

 

Our Culture of Excellence

The Gibbs College of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma, whose oldest program was established in 1916, supports a future in which all communities are designed for resiliency and empowered to maximize their social, economic, and environmental well-being. Gibbs College educates more than 650 students through undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs across seven academic units in Architecture, Construction Science, Environmental Design, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design and Regional and City Planning. Gibbs College is also home to the Institute for Quality Communities, a community engagement program which has completed more than 50 community projects in 28 Oklahoma counties. For more information about college programs, please visit gibbs.ou.edu.

 

About the University of Oklahoma

Established in 1890, the University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Carnegie R1 Institution (Very High Research Activity) known for its excellence in teaching, research, and community engagement, including its service to the educational, cultural, economic and health-care needs of the state, region, and nation from three campuses located in Norman, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa. OU enrolls over 30,000 students and has more than 2,700 full-time faculty members in 21 colleges. In 2014, OU became the first public institution ever to rank #1 nationally in the recruitment of National Merit Scholars; today, it is home to over 600 National Merit Scholars. Its 277-acre Research Campus in Norman was named the No.1 research campus in the nation by the Association of Research Parks in 2013; in 2017, Architectural Digest named OU’s Bizzell Library among the 18 most stunning university libraries in the world. Learn more about OU’s aims and purpose in our “Lead On” strategic plan (2020).

 

Norman, Oklahoma, is a culturally rich and vibrant town located just south of Oklahoma City. With outstanding schools, amenities, and a low cost of living, Norman is a perennial contender in “Best Places to Live” rankings. Oklahoma City was recently named one of the “50 Best Places to Travel” by Travel + Leisure magazine. Visit ou.edu/facultyrecruitment for more information about what OU and the local communities have to offer.

 

Opportunities at Gibbs College

The appointment offers the following exciting opportunities for one’s career path in higher education:

• To work with inspired leadership and nationally recognized faculty committed to creative and innovative approaches to designeducation
• To contribute to an architecture program recently ranked #4 by Design Intelligence in the “Most Hired From” category
• To develop teaching and scholarly/creative collaborations across the College, including with an Environmental Design and an Urban Design program, and with accredited programs of Construction Science, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture (#11-ranked public graduate program*), and Regional & City Planning, as well as OU colleagues from other colleges
• To contribute to the interdisciplinary D. in Planning, Design, and Construction
• Regular internal grant and fellowship funding opportunities at the College and University levels, including research and community engagement grants, teaching grants, guest lecturer funding, and travel funding

 

The successful candidate’s responsibilities will include:

• Advancing a rigorous research, creative activity and/or community engagement agenda, including collaborating across disciplines on research and outreach initiatives
• Teaching undergraduate and graduate architecture courses including special topics seminars, lecture courses and designstudios (three to four courses per year, including two studio courses)
• Working with faculty and students in our NAAB-accredited design programs to help maintain a curriculum consistent with program goals and related accreditation guidelines
• Offering mentored research and or practice opportunities to undergraduate and graduate students in the program
• University and community-based service; this service work is highly valued and critical to the University mission

 

Required Qualifications:

• A minimum of an accredited professional degree in Architecture, international equivalent such as RIBA, or a terminal degree such as an MBA or Ph.D. in Architecture or a related field; a Ph.D. or professional registration/licensure with a terminal degree may be required for tenure and promotion
• Evidence of ability to successfully teach architecture studios, seminars and/or lecture courses
• Emerging record of research productivity or evidence of contributing to a successful design practice
• Demonstrated ability to support a collegial and collaborative or working environment in addition to possessing effective communication and inter-personal skills

 

Preferred Qualifications:

Individuals who truly value interdisciplinary collaborative teaching, scholarship/creative activity, and service are preferred. Additional preferences include:

• Expertise in one of Gibbs College’s broad strategic areas (see above for examples): Environmental/Social Resilience; Design Entrepreneurship and Real Estate; Wellbeing by Design
• Experience with cross-disciplinary teaching and service efforts in architecture or a related discipline
• Evidence of successful collaborations in teaching, scholarly/creative activity, or community engagement
• Record of peer-reviewed research, patents, competition awards, design awards or other publicly acknowledged design or community engagement work
• Preference may be given to those candidates who can articulate how they may address issues of equity and belonging through their teaching, research and/or service

 

How to Apply:

Please submit one package to be considered for all three Assistant Professor of Architecture positions. Interested candidates should submit the following materials via Interfolio as soon as possible:

• Cover letter which highlights relevant experiences and accomplishments; candidates are encouraged to articulate how their teaching, research and/or service work may support equity and belonging
• Statement of interests in 1) teaching and 2) scholarly/creative activity and/or community engagement
• Full contact information from four professional references (please indicate if these are to remain confidential)
• Current curriculum vita
• Digital portfolio that demonstrates potential for success in teaching and scholarly/creative activity, community engagement, and service work; please limit the digital portfolio submission file size to less than 100MB and a max of 25
• All application materials may be submitted online through the Interfolio website at: http://apply.interfolio.com/83982

 

Application review will begin March 8th and the search will remain open until the positions are filled. Please submit questions by email to Camille Germany (germany@ou.edu).

 

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

The University of Oklahoma is an EO/Affirmative Action institution (http://www.ou.edu/eoo/). Women, minorities, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. The University of Oklahoma, in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, age, religion, disability, political beliefs, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices, or procedures. This includes, but is not limited to: admissions, employment, financial aid, housing, services in educational programs or activities, or health care services that the University operates or provides.

 

Land Acknowledgement:

The University of Oklahoma is on the traditional lands of the Caddo Nation and the Wichita & Affiliated Tribes. This land was also once part of the Muscogee Creek and Seminole nations. It also served as a hunting ground, trade exchange point, and migration route for the Apache, Cheyenne, Comanche, Kiowa, and Osage nations. Today, 39 federally recognized Tribal nations dwell in what is now the State of Oklahoma as a result of settler colonial policies designed to confine and forcefully assimilate Indigenous peoples. Read our full land acknowledgement (link).