Assistant Professor - Physics and/or Astronomy Education Research
Rochester Institute of Technology
Application
Details
Posted: 08-Sep-23
Location: Rochester, New York
Type: Full-time
Salary: Open
Internal Number: 4573350
Assistant Professor - Physics and/or Astronomy Education Research 8235BR College of Science COS School of Physics and Astronomy
Faculty Type (Tenure Status): Tenure-Track Faculty Discipline: Physics Education Research Faculty Rank: Assistant Professor Employment Category: Fulltime Anticipated Start Date: 15-Aug-2024
Detailed Job Description The School of Physics and Astronomy at the Rochester Institute of Technology invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position in physics education research and/or astronomy education research. The position is anticipated to be at the rank of Assistant Professor. The position start date is August 2024. Applicants are expected to have the demonstrated ability, or strong potential, to establish and maintain a vigorous, externally funded research program that incorporates undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to: inclusion and accessibility in physics education, cognition and reasoning, quantum information science education, teacher and TA preparation, institutional transformation, the public understanding of science, informal science education, design/development of experiential research opportunities, computational physics education, and laboratory education.
RIT and the School of Physics and Astronomy celebrate and respect diversity in all forms, including race, religion, gender, ethnicity, veterans, people with varied abilities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Women, people of color, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and members from other historically marginalized identities are particularly encouraged to apply. RIT seeks candidates with demonstrated experience teaching and working with individuals from diverse backgrounds to contribute to the University's mission, vision, and core values of Student Centeredness; Professional Development and Scholarship; Integrity and Ethics; Respect, Diversity and Pluralism; Innovation and Flexibility; and Teamwork and Collaboration. Select to view links to RIT's core values, honor code, and diversity.
The successful candidate will contribute to RIT's Science & Mathematics Education Research Collaborative (SMERC) a group of faculty, postdocs and graduate students from physics, life sciences, chemistry, and mathematics. SMERC hosts an annual NSF REU in discipline-based education research, as well as a seminar series and weekly journal club. Additional collaboration opportunities in engineering education, computing education, and deaf-education/accessibility (with RIT's National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID)) are encouraged through RIT's Center for Advancing STEM Teaching Learning & Evaluation (CASTLE).
Successful candidates must have a demonstrated strong commitment to excellence in teaching and research mentoring, as the educational experience of our students is of utmost priority at RIT. Individuals are expected to be eager and able to teach and develop courses across all levels of our physics undergraduate and graduate programs, including graduate courses related to physics education research. A plan to integrate and mentor undergraduate and graduate students at all levels must be part of the candidate's research program.
Applicants must have a Ph.D. in physics or a closely related field, and have postdoctoral experience. Candidates must have strong communication skills and demonstrate an overall commitment to the educational, research, and teaching mission of the School of Physics and Astronomy.
Department/College Description The School of Physics and Astronomy consists of 38 fulltime faculty, 9 postdocs, 180 undergraduate physics majors, and 70 graduate students. The School offers a BS and MS program in Physics, a PhD/MS program in Astrophysical Sciences and Technology, and our new PhD program in Physics is being launched in Fall 2024. Faculty in the school currently also contribute to graduate programs in Materials Science & Engineering, Microsystems Engineering, Sustainability, Imaging Science, Mathematical Modeling, and Applied & Computational Mathematics. The College of Science leads six of RITs nine major research centers, namely, the Center for Advanced Teaching Learning & Evaluation, the Center for Computational Relativity & Gravitation, the NanoPower Research Laboratory, the Laboratory for Multiwavelength Astrophysics, the Center for Detectors, and the Digital Imaging & Remote Sensing Laboratory. Currently, RIT has identified five Signature Research Areas, and the College of Science leads three of them, i.e., the Future Photon Initiative, Frontiers in Gravitational Wave Astrophysics, and Unmanned Aerial Systems. College of Science faculty also collaborate with the Center for Human-aware AI and the Computational Linguistics and Speech Processing Lab.
A PhD in physics or a closely related field Post-doctoral experience
Demonstrated commitment to research and excellence in teaching at all levels of the curriculum
Ability to establish and maintain a vigorous program in physics and/or astronomy education research
Demonstrated ability, or strong potential, to obtain external research funding
A commitment to the educational and teaching mission of the School of Physics and Astronomy A commitment to including graduate and undergraduate students in research
Strong communication skills
Ability to contribute in meaningful ways to RITs continuing commitment to cultural diversity, pluralism, and individual differences
Required Minimum Education Level PhD
Required Application Documents Cover Letter, Curriculum Vitae or Resume, List of References, Research Statement, Statement of Diversity Contribution, Statement of Teaching Philosophy
How To Apply Apply online at http://careers.rit.edu/faculty. Search: 8235BR. Please submit your application, curriculum vitae and cover letter, and upload the following:
Statement of research goals and plans for securing external funding (not to exceed 3MB-4 pages)
Teaching philosophy statement (not to exceed 3 MB-4 pages)
Statement about contributions to diversity and inclusion, including philosophy and/or approach to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment (not to exceed 3MB-4 pages)
List of three current professional references, along with their contact information
Successful candidates must be committed to working with diverse student and community populations. Candidates must include a statement about their contributions to diversity and a description of any previous activities mentoring members of historically excluded racial, gender, or other identities.
Candidates should arrange to have their three references send letters of support directly to Chair, Physics/Astronomy Education Faculty Search Committee, RIT School of Physics & Astronomy. These letters must be submitted to ttaphyssrch@rit.edu and must be in PDF format. Inquiries regarding the position may also be sent electronically to ttaphyssrch@rit.edu.
To receive full consideration, all application materials should be received by Friday November 3, 2023.
RIT does not discriminate. RIT is an equal opportunity employer that promotes and values diversity, pluralism, and inclusion. For more information or inquiries, please visit RIT/TitleIX or the U.S. Department of Education at ED.Gov.
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Founded in 1829, Rochester Institute of Technology is a diverse and collaborative community of engaged, socially conscious, and intellectually curious minds. Through creativity and innovation, and an intentional blending of technology, the arts and design, we provide exceptional individuals with a wide range of academic opportunities, including a leading research program and an internationally recognized education for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Beyond our main campus in Rochester, New York, RIT has international campuses in China, Croatia, Dubai, and Kosovo. And with more than 19,000 students and more than 125,000 graduates from all 50 states and over 100 nations, RIT is driving progress in industries and communities around the world. Find out more at www.rit.edu .