Position Description

INTRODUCTION

The Department of Geography at the University of Connecticut, invites applications for an Assistant Professor-in-Residence (APiR) in Geographic Information Science (GIScience) starting in January 2023. This is a renewable (dependent on funding and performance), 9-month, non-tenure track faculty position on the Storrs campus that will contribute to our GIScience curriculum, which includes general education geo-technology, introductory and graduate-level GIS, spatial analysis, and other GIS courses. 

The Department of Geography has twelve faculty and offers both BA and BS in Geography and GIS, two minors (Geography and GIS), and four graduate programs (Ph.D., M.A. and M.S., and GIS certificate).  The overarching goal of both our undergraduate and graduate programs is to train the next generation of students to serve society and be critical spatial thinkers, using geographic theories and approaches to tackle some of the most challenging problems and questions facing the discipline and society.  

The vision of our department is to lead the interdisciplinary investigation of many critical social and natural challenges and problems of the 21st century tied to regional, landscape, and environmental changes through a spatiotemporal lens. We emphasize geospatial concepts and lead the development of geography, geoscience, and GIS programs to attract outstanding undergraduate & graduate students and faculty. 

We have excellent faculty with diverse transdisciplinary interests and connections. Our faculty’s research focuses on four cluster areas: GIS, spatial analysis of social issues, earth-environment interactions, and human dimensions of climate change. These four clusters emphasize the importance of space, place, humans, and the environment in addressing important research issues across natural and social sciences and the humanities. 

We seek a colleague with abilities and interests in teaching a range of courses from the introductory to advanced undergraduate levels as well as graduate courses within our GIS certificate, master’s, and doctoral programs.  A typical rotation of courses includes an introductory section of GIS at the undergraduate or graduate levels every semester (GEOG 1010, GEOG 2500, and 5500) and a mix of other courses drawn from our GIS major plan of study (https://geography.uconn.edu/undergrad/giscience/), our certificate program (https://giscertificate.uconn.edu/), or developed by the person hired.   

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. 

The Department of Geography is poised to expand further as the University consolidates its position as the best public university in New England and one of the top 20 public universities nationwide. The Department is seeking to build on its core strengths of spatial analysis of social issues, geographic information science and systems, earth system science, and human-environment dynamics. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 

• Ph.D. in geography or a closely related field by the start date of employment.  
• Expertise in GIScience and/or applied GIS.
• An outstanding record of and commitment to effective teaching.
• Experience that demonstrates the effective integration of technology into instruction.
• A demonstrated ability to contribute to the diversity and excellence of the learning experience. 
• Commitment to inclusive teaching with a diverse student population.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Experience teaching various levels of GIS courses for both undergraduate and graduate curriculum such as: exploratory data analysis and visualization, spatial programming (e.g., Python for GIS), spatial analysis; and network analysis. 
• Experience with recruiting and advising majors. 

APPOINTMENT TERMS 

This is a renewable (dependent on funding and performance), 9-month, non-tenure track faculty position on the Storrs campus.

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/22297 and submit the following application materials: 

• A letter of application, 
• A complete curriculum vitae, 
• A teaching statement that highlights evidence of teaching excellence, 
• A diversity statement outlining efforts and plans for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (including broadening participation, integrating multicultural experiences in instruction and research and pedagogical techniques to meet the needs of diverse learning styles), 
• Three letters of reference. 

Screening of applicants will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. 

For more information regarding the Department of Geography please visit the Department website at www.geography.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 community. As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer, UConn encourages applications from women, veterans, people with disabilities, and members of traditionally underrepresented populations.