University of Connecticut, Human Development and Family Sciences

Position ID:UConn-HDFS-495577 [#19443, 495577]
Position Title: Assistant Professor, Human Development and Family Sciences & Africana Studies Institute
Position Type:Tenured/Tenure-track faculty
Position Location:Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States [map] sort by distance
Subject Areas: Family Sciences
Human Development & Family Studies
Appl Deadline: finished (2021/09/03, finished 2022/11/05)
Position Description:    

*** this position has been closed and new applications are no longer accepted. ***

INTRODUCTION

The Department of Human Development and Family Sciences (HDFS) and the Africana Studies Institute (ASI) at the University of Connecticut invite applications for a jointly appointed Assistant Professor (tenure-track) position in the area of Black families. Examples of areas of specialization may include but are not limited to: family-based socialization; family communication about systemic and institutional racism and social injustice; transgenerational social activism and/or social trauma; protective and resilience factors that promote wellbeing in the context of the family; family partnerships with schools and communities that aim to address and eliminate discrimination, decrease opportunity gaps, dismantle the school to prison pipeline, or improve outcomes for Black youth; and sociocultural and/or global/transnational patterns of caregiving across the lifespan among families in Africa and the African diaspora. This hire demonstrates UConn's and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The HDFS Department is a highly active center of research, teaching, and public engagement with a strong focus on the well-being and healthy development of individuals and families over their life span. The department has 31 full-time faculty from diverse disciplinary backgrounds. The Department includes staff, over 40 graduate students, over 500 undergraduate majors, and over 150 undergraduate minors. HDFS is also home to the Center for Applied Research in Human Development, the Center for the Study of Culture, Health, and Human Development, the Child Development Laboratories, and the Rohner Center for the Study of Interpersonal Acceptance and Rejection. The Africana Studies Institute has held a singular position in research, teaching, and programming related to Black experiences for more than 30 years. Africana faculty strive to integrate pedagogy, community engagement, and scholarship as one process in knowledge production. As an interdisciplinary unit Africana faculty reside in and across traditional as well as cutting-edge research fields. Among faculty, specializations are healthcare and health disparities, literature, visual culture, the Caribbean, and alternative healing among Black women, children, and mothers. Africana supports the study of African descended populations through competitive funding as well as opportunities to present research and garner feedback and exchange. Faculty have opportunities for connections to other research-intensive centers and institutes across the University, including the Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy (InCHIP), the Human Rights Institute, and the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity. The University of Connecticut is ranked the best public university in New England and among the top 25 public universities in the U.S.

Founded in 1881, UConn is a Land Grant and Sea Grant institution and member of the Space Grant Consortium. It is the state’s flagship institution of higher education and includes a main campus in Storrs, CT, four regional campuses throughout the state, and 13 Schools and Colleges, including a Law School in Hartford, and Medical and Dental Schools at the UConn Health campus in Farmington. The University has approximately 10,000 faculty and staff and 32,000 students, including nearly 24,000 undergraduates and over 8,000 graduate and professional students. UConn is a Carnegie Foundation R1 (highest research activity) institution, among the top 25 public universities in the nation. Through research, teaching, service, and outreach, UConn embraces diversity and cultivates leadership, integrity, and engaged citizenship in its students, faculty, staff, and alumni. UConn promotes the health and well-being of citizens by enhancing the social, economic, cultural, and natural environments of the state and beyond. The University serves as a beacon of academic and research excellence as well as a center for innovation and social service to communities. UConn is a leader in many scholarly, research, and innovation areas. Today, the path forward includes exciting opportunities and notable challenges. Record numbers of undergraduate applications and support for student success have enabled the University to become extraordinarily selective.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

The successful candidate will exhibit a genuine, demonstrated interest in scholarship on Black families. Candidates are expected to contribute to research and scholarship through high-quality publications in top-tier venues, externally funded research, and mentoring of graduate students. In the area of teaching, the successful candidate will share a deep commitment to effective instruction at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Successful candidates will highlight a commitment to equity and be expected to: broaden participation among members of under-represented groups; demonstrate through their research, teaching, and/or public engagement multiple perspectives as the foundation of a rich learning experience; integrate diverse experiences into instructional methods and research tools; and/or provide leadership in developing pedagogical techniques designed to meet the needs of diverse populations and intellectual interests.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 

  • Doctoral degree (or equivalent foreign degree) completed in Human Development and Family Sciences, Africana Studies, Psychology, Sociology, or another relevant discipline by position start date.
  • Teaching experience or demonstrated capacity to teach courses with documentation of a commitment to teaching.
  • A strong record of scholarly productivity in the area of Black families.
  • The ability to contribute through research, teaching, and/or public engagement to the diversity and excellence of the Department and the Institute.
  • Effective communication skills (both written and oral).

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

  • Demonstrated history of or potential for external research funding.
  • Experience teaching courses relevant to Black families, family processes and roles, culture, race, racism and healing, intersectional analysis of Black family experiences, and/or Black communities.
  • Demonstrated experience and commitment to teaching and/or mentoring a diverse student population.
  • Ability to engage productively with faculty across disciplines.

APPOINTMENT TERMS 

This is a full-time, 9-month, tenure track position with an anticipated start date of August 23, 2022. The successful candidate’s academic appointment will be at the Storrs campus.  Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check.

TO APPLY 

Please apply online to Academic Jobs Online https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/19443 and submit the following application materials:

  • A cover letter,
  • Curriculum vitae,
  • Research and scholarship statement (e.g., prior research findings and impact; future research plans);
  • Teaching statement (e.g., teaching experience, mentoring experience, teaching philosophy, courses prepared to teach);
  • Commitment to diversity statement (e.g., your values around diversity, equity, and inclusion; your diversity-related experience in teaching, research, and service; your plans to continue to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion);
  • Writing sample and any supporting materials,
  • Contact information for three (3) letters of reference. References will not be contacted without notification of the candidate.

Review of applications will begin November 1, 2021, and continue until the position is filled. For more information please visit the unit websites: Human Development and Family Sciences and Africana Studies Institute. For questions about this position, please contact the search committee chair, Dr. Kari Adamsons, kari.adamsons@uconn.edu.

At the University of Connecticut, our commitment to excellence is complemented by our commitment to building a culturally diverse community.

This position will be filled subject to budgetary approval.

All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics, which may be found at http://www.ct.gov/ethics/site/default.asp.

The University of Connecticut is committed to building and supporting a multicultural and diverse community of students, faculty and staff. The diversity of students, faculty and staff continues to increase, as does the number of honors students, valedictorians and salutatorians who consistently make UConn their top choice. More than 100 research centers and institutes serve the University’s teaching, research, diversity, and outreach missions, leading to UConn’s ranking as one of the nation’s top research universities. UConn’s faculty and staff are the critical link to fostering and expanding our vibrant, multicultural and diverse University community. As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer, UConn encourages applications from women, veterans, people with disabilities and members of traditionally underrepresented populations.


Application Materials Required:
Submit the following items online at this website to complete your application:
And anything else requested in the position description.

Further Info:
https://hdfs.uconn.edu/
email address
 
Department of Human Development and Family Sciences
348 Mansfield Road, U-1058
Storrs, CT 06269-1058