Director, Center for Sustainable Environments Northern Arizona University
NAU’s Center for Sustainable Environments addresses complex issues related to the environment of the Colorado Plateau and the Western United States, combining interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate programs in environmental sciences, policy, and studies with outreach and educational programs addressing the diverse needs of regional and national stakeholders. We seek a leader to guide the Center as it integrates these missions and builds upon NAU’s strengths as a leading interdisciplinary institution addressing critical environmental issues. For more information about the Center for Sustainable Environments, please visit the sites for its two major units, http://home.nau.edu/envsci/ and http://home.nau.edu/environment/.
We seek a leader with proven intellectual and administrative skills who will work with the faculty in contributing academic units, with internal NAU constituents, and with external partners to advance the mission of the new CSE. The Director will complete the integration of the two previously independent units, the Center for Sustainable Environments and the Center for Environmental Sciences and Education. The Director will report to the Dean of the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences and must represent CSE effectively to the university administration, external constituents (including state, federal, tribal and non-governmental organizations), state and national political leadership, and to the public.
This is a fiscal year appointment where the Director is expected to work full time during the academic year and one-third time during the summer. The successful candidate will ideally co-teach two or more interdisciplinary core courses, such that the combined teaching effort is the equivalent of one course per year. The Director will oversee a research program, actively involving students. S/he will be nationally known in her/his field, with proven success in the funding community and an accomplished publication record. Successful program management experience, particularly with respect to interdisciplinary programs, is of equal importance.
The Director will be charged with overseeing a range of activities including
Academics: advising, curricula, and degree program management for graduate degrees in environmental sciences and policy, Quaternary Sciences, and a graduate certificate program in conservation ecology; and undergraduate programs in environmental sciences, environmental studies, and the Grand Canyon semester. We will continue to liaise with other academic units including the academic departments across NAU, the program in Community, Culture and the Environment, the Master of Arts in Sustainable Communities, and the Department of Applied Indigenous Studies.
Outreach: fostering and expanding community outreach as well as developing funds to promote these activities. We wish to build upon current ties to a number of external federal, state, tribal and non- governmental partners.
Campus sustainability: cooperating with the new, and evolving office for campus/community sustainability.
Minimum qualifications include a doctorate in an environmentally- related field; experience in educational, research and outreach activities in environmental sciences, natural sciences, or natural resources appropriate for a tenurable appointment as a full professor.
Preferred qualifications include a recognized record of teaching and research in environment and natural resources; demonstrated leadership experience in the successful development and management of interdisciplinary environmental sciences, natural sciences, or natural resources programs; experience in creating synergy between these programs, other university programs and outside interests; proven ability to develop innovative programs and engage partners and funders in their implementation; and a demonstrable commitment to integrating academics, research excellence, effective outreach, and constructive collaborative engagement of multiple stakeholder interests; and experience with or commitment to working effectively in a culturally diverse environment.
Position will be open until filled with first review of applications to begin on November 1, 2008.
Send a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, transcripts, names and contact information for at least three references, evidence and a sample of scholarship and publications, and evidence of teaching effectiveness (e.g., teaching evaluations or syllabi) to Chair, Director of Center for Sustainable Environments Search Committee, Box 5694, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5694.
