Position Description

INTRODUCTION

The Department of Statistics at the University of Connecticut (UConn) seeks a tenure-track faculty at the rank of Assistant Professor to join a cluster hire in Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML): Understanding and Addressing Natural and Climate Change-Related Disasters. With hires in Earth Sciences, Economics, Geography, Journalism, and Statistics, the cluster will engage the role of AI/ML in understanding the scientific underpinnings of natural and human-induced environmental risk, human dimensions of hazards and risk mitigation, the economic impacts of these hazards, and meaningful public engagement.

For the Department of Statistics, we seek a colleague who can employ AI/ML to develop and refine models that enhance predictive, inferential, and analytical capabilities in understanding and addressing natural and climate change-related disasters. This position will focus on innovating statistical methodologies that ensure the reliability and robustness of AI/ML models used across various disciplines to predict and mitigate the impacts of environmental hazards and make valid statistical inferences for developing potential solutions and mitigation strategies. This position will not only fortify the statistical rigor of research and strategies developed by the cluster but also ensure that data usage and model implementation adhere to ethical and equitable practices.

This position will involve conducting high-quality research, teaching undergraduate and graduate-level courses, advising students, contributing to the growth of statistics and data science, and securing external funding.

The Department of Statistics at UConn (https://statistics.uconn.edu/) is a highly active center of research, education, and service with regional, national, and international prestige. It is a founding member of the New England Statistical Society, for which it houses the administration. In recent years, the Department has continued to grow and blossom in all aspects. As of Fall 2023, we have 24 full-time faculty members.

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.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• A Ph.D. in statistics or a closely related quantitative discipline.
• Demonstrated research potential in statistics, machine learning, and AI, with a focus on data-driven methods/applications related to natural disasters, climate change, and environmental/public health problems in general.  
• Ability to teach core statistics courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Ability to excel in research, teaching, and public engagement.
• A commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion through research, teaching, and/or service.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Postdoctoral academic, government, or industrial experience in statistics or a closely related quantitative discipline.
• Experience and leadership potential in tackling challenging statistical problems in modern applications.
• Experience with state-of-the-art computational and visualization methods.
• A strong potential for securing external funding.
• Research/teaching interests in interdisciplinary data science and analytics and/or emerging areas of probability/statistics.
• Ability to develop new statistics and AI courses related to large-scale environmental/public health data and analysis of extreme events.
• Demonstrated expertise in data-driven methods/applications on natural disasters, climate change, and/or environmental/public health problems in general. 

APPOINTMENT TERMS

This is a full-time, 9-month, tenure-track position with an anticipated start date of August 23, 2024.  Salary will be competitive, and will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. If an applicant is not a US citizen or permanent resident, tenure can only be granted when a permanent resident card has been received. The successful candidate's academic appointment will be at the Storrs campus. Faculty may also be asked to teach at one of UConn's regional campuses as part of their ordinary load. 

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/26503 and submit the following application materials:

• A cover letter
• Curriculum vitae
• Research Statement
• Teaching Statement
• A transcript
• Commitment to diversity statement
• Sample journal articles or books
• Three letters of reference

Inquiries can be addressed to the Search Committee Chair, Dr. Kun Chen, at kun.chen@uconn.edu. Review of applications will begin immediately. Full consideration will be given to applications completed and received before December 1, 2023. The position will remain open until filled.

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 the 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.

All members of the University of Connecticut are expected to exhibit appreciation of, and contribute to, an inclusive, respectful, and diverse environment for the University community.

The University of Connecticut aspires to create a community built on collaboration and belonging and has actively sought to create an inclusive culture within the workforce.  The success of the University is dependent on the willingness of our diverse employee and student populations to share their rich perspectives and backgrounds in a respectful manner.  This makes it essential for each member of our community to feel secure and welcomed and to thoroughly understand and believe that their ideas are respected by all.  We strongly respect each individual employee’s unique experiences and perspectives and encourage all members of the community to do the same.  All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

 The University of Connecticut is an AA/EEO Employer.