Associate Professor / Director – Geospatial Information Science and Technology Curricular Program

Employer
Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center
Location
Laramie, WY USA
Starts
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JOB PURPOSE:   

The Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center (WyGISC) at the University of Wyoming invites applications for a Program Director to lead the operation and growth of its recently established interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate academic programs in Geospatial Information Science and Technology (GIST). The successful candidate will possess demonstrated knowledge and experience in the development and application of geospatial methods and technology and will be an accomplished educator who brings enthusiasm and vision that inspires students, scholars, professionals, and collaborative partners to engage in the advancement of the GIST programs and the missions of the Center and University. We welcome candidates who can contribute to an inclusive environment, bring new perspectives on mentoring and educating students from diverse backgrounds, and value collegiality and collaboration.

The GIST Program Director is a WyGISC faculty member at the Associate Professor rank whose faculty appointment includes administrative responsibilities associated with managing WyGISC’s interdisciplinary GIST curricular programs. This is a full-time, 9-month, tenured faculty position with two additional summer months of administrative responsibilities. Teaching responsibilities will be reduced relative to standard tenure-track appointments to balance leadership activities, with courses supporting the undergraduate and both professional and traditional graduate curricula. The position also provides the opportunity to engage in an appropriately balanced level of geospatial-oriented research and scholarship (pedagogical or otherwise) in alignment with the individual’s areas of expertise.  

Established in 1996, the Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center (WyGISC) is an interdisciplinary center at the University of Wyoming (UW) located within the Division of Academic Affairs and directly reporting to the Provost and Executive Vice President. The Center’s mission is to advance the knowledge and application of geographic information science and technology through research, education, and service. WyGISC aspires to be a premier interdisciplinary academic center in geographic information science research and education while strengthening our unique leadership role in service and outreach to the university, state, and region.

In 2020, WyGISC began offering an interdisciplinary suite of undergraduate certificates and graduate GIST credentials including online certificates in geographic information systems, remote sensing, and unmanned aerial systems, as well as an online professional master’s degree in GIST. A thesis-based, on-campus research MS in GIST was added in fall 2021, and a new BS degree in GIST has been approved for on-campus delivery, with a tentative soft launch set for fall 2022.  

WyGISC faculty are actively involved with collaborators across the UW campus and are engaged participants in a wide range of interdisciplinary initiatives including the NSF EPSCoR Program, Program in Ecology, and Wyoming SpaceGrant Consortium. The Center is dedicated to building a pluralistic culture with faculty and staff committed to teaching and working in a diverse environment and strongly encourages women and minority applicants to this position including individuals with disabilities, and veterans.

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:  

Administrative responsibilities include but may not be limited to the following:

  • Grow and manage the GIST curricular offerings for both traditional and distance education.
  • Manage, support, and monitor student recruitment, admissions, selection, and advising processes of a diverse population.
  • Implement marketing strategies for promoting the GIST curricula program, including participation in national conferences.
  • Initiate, supervise, and coordinate student-centered pedagogical strategies, curricular program policies, and processes.
  • Plan and assign the program course schedule to meet student needs, including participating instructors’ teaching workloads.  
  • Coordinate and report program assessment strategies and curriculum reviews
  • Develop and implement collaborative teaching programs with participating academic units across campus.
  • Coordinate outreach activities with peers and internal and external stakeholders, including statewide community colleges and other education organizations.
  • Collaborate with the WyGISC director to align program operations, budget, and resources with Center and University priorities.

Faculty responsibilities include teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in classroom or web-based settings, mentoring students, carrying out research, and service at a level balancing administrative duties and career advancement requirements.

 

REMOTE WORK ELIGIBILITY:

This position provides vital support to campus customers and requires the successful candidate to be available to work on campus.

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  

  • Earned doctorate degree in geography, geographic information science, cartography, remote sensing, or a related spatially oriented discipline
  • A record of teaching, research, and service, and/or creative activity that merits tenure and appointment at the rank of Associate Professor
  • A leadership vision for growing academic and professional programs
  • Potential for managing innovative academic programs (or other relevant experience)

 

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:  

Demonstrated record of or potential for:

  • Experience managing academic programs (or other relevant experience) in a leading role
  • Skills of a professional educator including planning, instruction, assessment, and reflection
  • Success at applying a collaborative leadership approach to supervision, stakeholder engagement, and/or driving innovative change
  • Ability to assess the quality of academic programs and manage process improvement efforts
  • Establishing external partnerships to support student capstone, internship, or apprenticeship opportunities

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS:  

Complete the online application and upload the following separate documents for a complete application: (1) cover letter, (2) a curriculum vitae, and (3) contact information for four work-related references (to be contacted only for finalists).

  • The candidate’s cover letter should concisely address how professional qualifications align with those outlined for the position and also include: (a) an articulation of teaching philosophy emphasizing personal effectiveness; (b) evidence of cultural competency and contributions to enhancing inclusiveness as well as cultural and intellectual richness in the geospatial sciences; and (c) a vision for the successful future of the WyGISC GIST education program that integrates across traditional, online, and hybrid teaching strategies and aligns with UW’s current strategic priorities  (https://www.uwyo.edu/trustees/_files/docs/2021_board_meetings/2021_may_supplemental/2021_strategic_pillars.pdf).   

Questions about the position may be addressed to search committee co-chair Dr. Chen Xu at cxu3@uwyo.edu. Nominations and expressions of interest will be held in confidence until on-campus interviews are conducted. Application process questions should be addressed to Beth Leonard at bleonar6@uwyo.edu.

This position will remain open until filled. Complete applications received by 01/19/2022 will receive full consideration.

 

HIRING STATEMENT:  

UW is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Educator and Employer. We are committed to a multicultural environment and strongly encourage applications from women, minorities, veterans and persons with disabilities.   

In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation to apply for a position, please call 307-766-2377 or email jobapps@uwyo.edu.

 

ABOUT LARAMIE:

The University of Wyoming is located in Laramie, a town of 30,000 in the heart of the Rocky Mountain West. The state of Wyoming continues to invest in its university, helping to make it a leader in academics, research and outreach. The university has state-of-the-art facilities in many areas and the community provides the advantages of a major university.

Located in a high mountain valley near the Colorado border, Laramie offers both outstanding recreational opportunities and close proximity to Colorado’s Front Range, a bustling group of metropolitan cities including Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins. This beautiful mountain landscape offers outdoor enjoyment in all seasons, with over 300 days of sunshine annually. For more information about the region, please visit http://visitlaramie.org/