Assistant Professor - Environmental Education & Outreach

The successful candidate will be required to create and maintain an applied research and evaluation agenda investigating a wide range of impacts of diverse EE-related programs and experiences, examining the factors that lead to successful participant outcomes for diverse audiences (e.g., environmental literacy, ocean literacy), and building the capacity of practitioners to enhance their work. Preference will be given to candidates who demonstrate their ability to integrate social science research, program evaluation, community outreach & extension, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Please note we are not seeking applications that specialize solely in K-12 curriculum development or outdoor recreation.

This position carries a teaching load of three courses per semester. The candidate will be expected to teach Environmental Education, Environmental Interpretation in Protected Areas, Citizen Science, and either Introduction to Environmental Sciences or Global Environmental Issues. The successful candidate will work with the department to create a new undergraduate EE concentration for EVS majors, an EE minor, and bolster our EVS master’s degree concentration in EE and our dual M.A.T. (middle grades Science teaching)/M.S. (environmental studies) programs.

The selected candidate will be required to actively engage in departmental meetings, committees, and other acts of service to the department, college, university, and their profession. Community engagement through research/evaluation, education, or practice, particularly with a local or regional focus, is encouraged.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements
Candidates must have a doctoral degree, or equivalent, by the start of the Fall 2024 semester in Environmental Education, Environmental Studies, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Management, Sustainability Education, or a closely related field. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to generate externally funded research, publish in peer-reviewed scientific journals, and present at conferences/symposia. Candidates must also maintain a strong commitment to teaching applied undergraduate and graduate courses in targeted disciplinary areas (e.g., lab, field, real-world projects, case work), mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, and working in an interdisciplinary academic context.

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills & Experience
Prior experience in an environmental education-related capacity (e.g., environmental educator, park interpreter) and teaching at the university level is preferred. Ability to mentor undergraduate and graduate students in an academic setting preferred. Preference for candidates with a focus on program evaluation and research with diverse environmental education-related programs, audiences, and participant outcomes. Experience with other forms of public engagement (e.g., citizen science or community science) is preferred. Experience with Institutional Review Boards preferred. Willingness to engage in departmental, college, university, and professional service.

Primary Function of Organizational Unit
The Department of Environmental Sciences focuses upon the relationship between the social, physical, chemical, and biological aspects that influence both natural and built environments. The Department offers an interdisciplinary curriculum, drawing upon the resources of many related fields to provide the rigorous analyses necessary to understand environmental problems and formulate environmentally-sound solutions. Our curriculum inspires students to become active, informed, and engaged environmental stewards.

College/School Information
The College of Science and Engineering offers a variety of programs leading to Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees, as well as Doctor of Philosophy degrees in applied coastal and ocean sciences; pharmaceutical chemistry; integrative, comparative, and marine biology; and psychology degrees. The college also offers combined bachelor’s/master’s degree programs in information technology/computer science and information systems, computer science/computer science and information systems, and B.S. in mathematics/M.S. in mathematics. To implement its academic programs, the college provides instruction and research opportunities in the natural and behavioral sciences, information technology, data science, computer science, mathematics, pre-engineering, and engineering. The eight academic departments in the college provide courses of study in each of these areas, in addition to interdepartmental programs in information technology, cybersecurity, and digital arts. A 2+2 in engineering; and 3+2 programs in computer science and electrical or computer engineering; and physics and electrical engineering, are also offered in the college. Post-baccalaureate certificate programs in environmental studies, applied statistics, and geographic information science are also available.

CSE students work with distinguished faculty and scientists, use cutting edge technology, and conduct impactful research. Faculty-directed research projects empower CSE students to apply what they learn inside the classroom and laboratory to real-world situations and prepares them for a variety of careers or advanced study.

University Information
The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state’s coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching, mentoring, research and service. Widely acknowledged for its world-class faculty and staff and continuously recognized at a national level for scholarly excellence and affordability, UNCW offers a powerful academic experience that stimulates creative inquiry and critical thinking and a community rich in diversity, inclusion and global perspectives.

A public institution with nearly 18,000 students, UNCW offers a full range of baccalaureate- and graduate-level programs, as well as doctoral degrees in educational leadership, marine biology, nursing practice and psychology; and many distance learning options, including clinical research, an accelerated RN-to-BSN program, an Executive M.B.A. program structured for working professionals, and the nation’s only bachelor’s degree program focused on coastal engineering.

The university’s efforts to advance research and scholarly activities have earned UNCW the elevated designation of “Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity” institution (R2 University) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

UNCW has been part of the University of North Carolina System since 1969.

Please apply online at https://jobs.uncw.edu/postings/30068

Special Notes to Applicants
Prior to the official appointment to the university, the candidate(s) selected for hire must be able to demonstrate eligibility to teach assigned courses by successfully meeting the credentialing requirements based on official transcripts and other documentation as required.

Applications must be received by 11:59pm on November 30, 2023 (the job closing date). To apply, please complete the online application process available at https://jobs.uncw.edu/ and attach the following materials as Adobe PDF documents including:

1. Cover Letter – letter of interest
2. Curriculum Vita
3. Teaching Philosophy
4. Statement of Research Interests
5. Two writing samples (peer reviewed preferred)

If needed, applicants may upload additional materials under the ‘Other’ category.

Letters of application without the requested components will not meet the application requirements.

Please direct questions concerning the search to Dr. B. Troy Frensley, Chair of the Environmental Education & Outreach Search Committee, at frensleyb@uncw.edu. For questions regarding the online application process, contact Ms. Suzanne Mullins at mullinss@uncw.edu

EEO Statement
At the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW), our culture reflects our values of inclusion, diversity, globalization, ethics and integrity and innovation and we are committed to providing equality of educational and employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, sex (such as gender, gender identity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, military service member status, genetic information, or relationship to other university constituents – except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications or where marital status is a statutorily established eligibility criterion for State funded employee benefit programs. UNCW believes that embracing the unique contributions of our faculty, staff and students is critical to our success and paramount in being recognized for our global mindset.

Eligibility for Employment
Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. UNC Wilmington participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.