Category: Green jobs

Position Available: Assistant Professor of Sustainability Studies at RU

Roosevelt University is seeking an Assistant Professor in Sustainability Studies for a tenure-track position beginning 15 August 2013. Applicants should have the ability to teach multiple courses in the Sustainability Studies (SUST) undergraduate curriculum as well as interdisciplinary social and/or natural science seminars to adult learners in the Professional and Liberal Studies (PLS) program. Teaching load is six courses per year. Courses are offered at Roosevelt’s Chicago and Schaumburg campuses as well as online.

Duties: (1) Teaching courses within the SUST major as well as adult general education seminars with the PLS program. (2) Assisting with SUST program development through curriculum enhancement and assessment, service learning project development, community outreach, and online social media writing. (3) Maintaining an active scholarly research program within one’s academic discipline and/or the emerging field of sustainability studies. (4) Advising undergraduate students. (5) Performing departmental, college, university, and professional service.

Roosevelt’s Sustainability Studies program, founded in 2010, is the first of its kind in the Chicago region. Housed within the Evelyn T. Stone College of Professional Studies, it maintains a close relationship with the College’s PLS program, a longstanding leader in educating returning adult students. Roosevelt University was founded in 1945 on the principle that higher education should be available to all academically qualified students. Today, Roosevelt is the fourth most ethnically diverse college in the Midwest (U.S. News and World Report, 2011) and a national leader in preparing students to assume meaningful, purposeful roles in the global community.

Minimum Qualifications: PhD or terminal degree in a sustainability-related discipline (or interdisciplinary field) within the natural or social sciences. Active scholarly research program and the ability to apply research to the classroom and communicate findings to a general audience. Evidence of excellence and versatility in teaching. Ability to teach with technology and in multiple formats (such as hybrid and online courses). Understanding of interdisciplinary teaching and curriculum development.

Highly Desirable Criteria: Expertise in multiple areas within sustainability, especially urban agriculture, energy and climate change, and/or waste and recycling. Experience in service learning initiatives and/or academic program development. Experience with both adult and traditional-age students. Enthusiasm for teaching general education seminars as well as more specialized SUST courses. Experience teaching critical thinking, research, and writing.

To Apply: Visit the Roosevelt HR webpage and click on “Full Time Faculty” to find the SUST Assistant Professor listing. Applicants should provide a letter of interest outlining their teaching experience, research program, and suitability for the position; an up-to-date curriculum vitae; and a list of three to five professional references.

For More Information: Consult the SUST program website for details on the  curriculum, faculty, and degree options for students. Applicants may address questions to the search committee chair and SUST program director, Professor Michael Bryson (mbryson@roosevelt.edu).

Application deadline is 1 December 2012. Position begins on 15 August 2013.

Speak Your Mind on RU’s New Website

Roosevelt has just launched a new media campaign called “Speak Your Mind” that features a highly interactive “microsite” that’s really more like an online discussion course than a typical media ad. In fact, it’s better than a regular course, because it’s designed so that viewers can post comments and engage in dialogue with several RU professors on a range of critical topics of the day, from housing to education to media to biotechnology to the environment to the state of the US economy.

Each of the topics within the site features one of several RU academic departments. The Sustainability Studies program here at RU is, I’m happy to report, one of those featured programs — and yours truly is the discussion monitor on the topic of Green Jobs: the green economy’s present state and future prospects. I encourage folks to visit the site, look around, and post a comment if you are so moved. Those of you who are SUST majors or who have taken a SUST class at RU will likely have very valuable thoughts and questions to contribute! Your participation can help connect RU to the general public in this important social media outreach campaign.