INTRODUCTION

The Department of Human Development and Family Sciences (HDFS) at the University of Connecticut invites applications for an Assistant Professor (tenure-track) position in the area of aging/gerontology. Examples of areas of specialization may include but are not limited to: healthy aging, caregiving and families, intergenerational relationships, chronic illness including heart disease, cancer, and dementia, diversity and culture, intersectionality, intergenerational programming (e.g., preschools situated in senior centers), lifelong learning, elder care, elder and family law, and elder justice. 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 diverse individuals and families over their lifespan. The Department has 33 full-time faculty from diverse disciplinary backgrounds. The Department includes staff, 40 graduate students, over 500 undergraduate majors, and over 150 undergraduate minors. The Department also has an undergraduate minor in gerontology. HDFS is 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. Faculty have opportunities for connections to other centers and institutes across the University, including the Center on Aging, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy (InCHIP), the Human Rights Institute, and the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health. 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 aging/gerontology. 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 underrepresented 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, Gerontology, 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 or emerging record of scholarly productivity in the area of aging/gerontology.
• The ability to contribute through research, teaching, and/or public engagement to the diversity and excellence of the Department.
• Effective communication skills (both written and oral).

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Demonstrated history of or potential for external research funding.
• Experience teaching courses relevant to adulthood and aging and/or lifespan development.
• 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, 2023. 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/22501 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., values around diversity, equity, and inclusion; diversity-related experience in teaching, research, and service; 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 on October 1, 2022, and continue until the position is filled. For more information please visit the Department website: Human Development and Family Sciences. For questions about this position, please contact the search committee chair, Dr. Laura Donorfio, laura.donorfio@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.