Assistant Professor, Climate Change

Job Summary

The Water School at FGCU (https://www.fgcu.edu/thewaterschool/) is hiring 15 faculty for Fall 2022 across a range of disciplines related to water and the environment. The Water School is an interdisciplinary enterprise that brings together faculty from five colleges and schools representing 15 departments to focus on the environmental, economic, and human dimensions of coastal resilience, ecosystem integrity, health and wellbeing, and restoration and remediation.

This appointment will be made at the rank of Assistant Professor in the Department of Ecology and Environmental Studies.

The Assistant Professor of Climate Change will teach undergraduate and graduate courses and will have the opportunity to develop new courses, build a productive program of research that involves students, participate on university committees, and perform other duties as assigned. There is also the potential to work with FGCU’s Center for Critical Race and Ethnic Studies (https://www.fgcu.edu/ccres/). A focus on social dimensions of climate change is particularly desirable.

FGCU is dedicated to quality education, research, and service. Faculty are expected to be excellent teachers who are responsive to changing professional needs, committed to innovative delivery of instruction that results in improved student learning, produce high-quality peer reviewed scholarship, and serve the university and the local community, as appropriate. Primary teaching responsibilities will be on the main campus, with potential to teach courses at our Everglades Wetland Research Park (https://www.fgcu.edu/thewaterschool/centers/ewrp/) in Naples and Vester Marine Field Station (https://www.fgcu.edu/thewaterschool/centers/vestermarine/) in Bonita Springs.

With an enrollment of 16,000 students, FGCU has a main campus of 800 acres with LEED-certified buildings and 400 acres of protected habitat. The university’s award-winning initiatives in education, energy production, research, and sustainable practices make us one of the nation’s greenest campuses. FGCU is located in beautiful Southwest Florida, known for its beaches, resorts, nature preserves, and outdoor recreation. Located between the cities of Fort Myers and Naples, FGCU is just two hours by car from the major cities of St. Petersburg, Tampa, and Miami, and 15 minutes from the Southwest Florida International Airport. The region is surrounded by water—important estuaries to the north, Lake Okeechobee to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the west, and the Florida Everglades and Florida Bay to the south—providing an unparalleled setting to study all facets of water and environmental issues.

FGCU aspires to be an inclusive working and learning environment where students, faculty, staff, curriculum, social activities, governance, and all other aspects of campus life reflect a diverse, multi-cultural worldview. We collectively stand against any practices of discrimination, intolerance, expressions of hate, or disrespect. We are committed to preparing students to understand, appreciate, and live and work in a diverse community of people with different ethnic and racial backgrounds, religious beliefs, abilities, ages, gender identities, sexual orientations, socio-economic status, cultural traditions, and family statuses.

We seek colleagues who promote and embrace diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. The Water School encourages individuals from diverse backgrounds to apply for these positions because FGCU will thrive and attain excellence only through a commitment to equality.

Job Description

Typical duties may include but are not limited to:

• Develop and teach assigned courses: prepare syllabi and instruction materials, coordinate lectures, e valuate students and maintain highest possible standards of classroom instruction.
• Collaborate with other faculty to develop/revise curriculum.
• Develop and maintain an independent and productive research program that also involves students.
• Mentor undergraduate and graduate students, as appropriate, in research.
• Seek external funding to support research program, including students.
• Demonstrate quality of research through peer-review.
• Stay current with new developments in field of instruction and maintain disciplinary skills through professional development activities appropriate to higher education faculty.
• Actively serve on university committees and participate in institutional meetings.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Additional Job Description

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Environmental Policy, Environmental Studies, Environmental Science, Geography, Meteorology, Sociology or related discipline from a regionally accredited institution or equivalent accreditation, with a record of research publications in scholarly journals.
• Evidence of scholarly expertise related to climate change.
• Must meet university criteria for appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor.
• ABD will be considered if degree is conferred by August 7, 2022. If successful candidate is ABD, appointment will be made at a Lecturer level on a fixed contract.

Preferred Qualifications

• Preferred candidates are those whose teaching and research experience and interests align with the programs and mission of The Water School.
• Teaching experience as instructor of record.
• Post-doctoral experience.
• Strong research agenda with evidence of scholarly expertise in the study of the human dimensions of adaptations to climate change.
• Engagement in scholarship that relates to issues of environmental justice and/or uses a framework of social-ecological systems.
• Record of contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion through teaching, research, service or other activities.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Familiarity with and use of diverse and innovative teaching approaches to engage students and ensure student learning.
• Demonstrated development and use of skills appropriate to the discipline.
• Ability to conduct independent research and involve students in research.
• Ability to mentor students in research with the students’ learning and training in mind.
• Ability to contribute effectively and collegially to a positive, dynamic, civil, and inclusive learning and working environment.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Appointment will be made on a 9-month multi-year appointment basis available August 2022.

Because applications and materials are subject to public review and retention under Florida’s Public Records Law, please DO NOT send examples of your project/scholarship unless requested to do so. Therefore all submitted materials including articles, disks, slides, books, etc., become the property of FGCU and CANNOT BE RETURNED. As applicable, finalists will be notified of the need to submit specific additional materials. Such materials will become the property of FGCU.

Under Florida’s Public Records law, applications will be available for public review upon request.

The position is listed as “open until filled”, however applications received by October 30, 2021 will receive priority consideration.

Salary: $56,000- Negotiable

FGCU is an EOE AA /F/Vet/Disability Employer.