Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowships

Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowships

Sustainable Engineering and Adaptive, Resilient Infrastructure Systems

Arizona State University

The School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment (SEBE) of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University (ASU) invites applications for up to two Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship positions focused on the reengineering of infrastructure systems in the face of rapid technological, social, and environmental change to meet critical needs of the 21st century and beyond. As an institution, ASU is committed to use-inspired research that can catalyze social change and sustainable futures through deep engagement with its local community.  ASU’s commitment is epitomized in the Charter which states that ASU takes fundamental responsibility for the economic, social and overall health of the local and global community. Existing expertise in SEBE covers all aspects of the natural and built environments, including but not limited to energy futures, transportation, structures and construction, water and air quality, and human health.   

For these fellowships, SEBE is particularly interested in recruiting scholars who are focused on the design of resilient and adaptive infrastructure systems, with an emphasis on empowering and advancing communities that have historically been under-represented in infrastructure-related higher education and research.  Scholars will be expected to have the knowledge and experience necessary to address infrastructure and sustainability questions relevant to issues of disparity faced by Black communities and by communities of Color more broadly. SEBE is committed to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, and is actively developing and participating in programs, policies, and partnerships which enhance access, and confront and address learning disparities. The Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship Program was launched in Fall 2020 to contribute to a national agenda for social justice, which seeks to challenge the status quo by breaking down barriers and building new policies and practices that move communities toward a more just, equitable, and inclusive society.

Primary job duties will include:

• Advancing research and developing a research agenda appropriate for a tenure-track academic position. This includes publishing peer-reviewed articles, presenting research at national and international conferences, and pursuing research funding.
• Pursuing teaching and/or other educational opportunities such as co-teaching, delivery of seminars, or other creative mentoring activities.

SEBE is committed to providing individualized, postdoc-centric mentorship and career development to ensure each candidate is well prepared to succeed in a future tenure track appointment. Once hired, postdoctoral fellows will develop a postdoctoral career development plan with their mentoring team, which will be comprised of a primary mentor and senior faculty members drawn from diverse backgrounds.

The SEBE postdoctoral scholars will join a cohort of 10-15 other postdoctoral scholars as part of the ASU’s Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. The goal of the program is to support the career development of outstanding PhD graduates who demonstrate a strong potential for advancing the ASU Charter in a future tenure-track appointment at ASU. All postdoctoral fellowship positions are for an initial one-year appointment. An additional year of post-doctoral fellowship funding and a transition to a tenure-track position after one or two years may be offered, depending on each fellow’s mentoring needs and progress. Prospective tenure-track faculty appointments will require review and approval of the designated unit and college that will serve as the tenure home of the candidate. The fellowship program seeks applicants whose professional preparedness, experience, and accomplishments are informed by experiences working with and within groups historically underrepresented in STEM fields in the United States.

Qualifications and Characteristics

Required qualifications

• Doctoral degree in civil engineering, environmental engineering, construction engineering, sustainable engineering, or construction management and technology, or a closely related field by the start date
• Demonstrated potential to achieve national or international recognition in research
• Demonstrated evidence of a research agenda committed to advancing principles of the ASU Charter, including diversity, access, and inclusion
• Effective verbal and written communication skills 

Desired qualifications

• Evidence of the potential ability to publish academic research
• Evidence of the potential ability to pursue and secure research funding
• Alignment of the candidate’s research agenda with the mission of the School
• Evidence of the potential ability to work in transdisciplinary or collaborative teams

About Arizona State University

ASU is a large, comprehensive, research university and for nearly two decades, has transformed into the “New American University,” one dedicated to the simultaneous pursuit of excellence, broad access to quality education, and meaningful societal impact. Through its Charter and Design Aspirations, the institution centers inclusion and access as values that drive the enterprise; adopts inter- and transdisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning as ways to address society’s greatest challenges; and develops innovative partnerships to produce master learners across the lifespan. To learn more about ASU, visit https://www.asu.edu.

Applications and Inquiries

Applications must be submitted via Interfolio at https://facultypositions.asu.edu/ and should include:

• curriculum vitae
• letter of interest describing how the applicant meets the qualifications noted above
• statement addressing how the candidate’s past and/or potential contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion will advance ASU’s Charter (limited to two pages)
• research statement that articulates a scholarly research agenda (limited to two pages)
• contact information, including email addresses, for a minimum of three references.

Application deadline is November 15, 2021. Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for a reserve pool, which may then be reviewed in the order in which they were received until the position is filled. Inquiries about the positions should be directed to Professor Matthew Fraser at mpfraser@asu.edu.  

A background check is required for employment. ASU is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor and an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. (See https://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd401.html  and https://www.asu.edu/titleIX/).

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