Job Opening: Assistant Professor – Environmental Justice

The Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and the Department of Community & Environmental Sociology at the University of Wisconsin seek an individual with a PhD in sociology or a related social science or humanities field for a tenure track, assistant professor position in environmental justice. Applicants must have completed their degree by summer 2012.

Candidates should be committed to scholarship and undergraduate teaching in the area of environmental justice, with particular focus on environmental health burdens faced by vulnerable communities in domestic or international contexts. Scholars approaching issues of environmental health from a variety of perspectives (food systems, pollution, land use, race and gender studies, etc.) are encouraged to apply. Strong candidates for this position should value and be able to conduct community-based research with underrepresented and/or marginalized populations.

This assistant professor position is shared by the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and the Department of Community & Environmental Sociology in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and carries with it a commitment to the three important functions of resident instruction, research, and outreach, as well as professional and university service as appropriate to faculty rank. It is expected that the appointee will play an active role in the research, teaching and service activities of the both units.

General teaching responsibilities will include core courses in the Nelson Institute and in Community & Environmental Sociology, with an instructional load of three courses per year. The candidate should be willing and qualified to teach the course “Global Environmental Health: An Interdisciplinary Introduction” and, alternately, the introductory course: “Environmental Studies: The Social Perspective.” The two courses will be rotated on a basis to-be-determined. Supervision of graduate and undergraduate research is also expected.

The incumbent is expected to participate in service to the community, state, nation, and profession in a manner consistent with the appointment. Specifically, it is expected that the appointee will play a leadership role in advancing the Nelson Institute’s Community & Environmental Scholars Program (CESP), in which diverse environmental studies students connect with community through direct service, community-based research, personal networking and community organizing experiences. CESP offers students an academic framework for boundary spanning environmental work and develops perspectives on complex issues.

Applications should include curriculum vitae, statement of research and teaching interests, a representative publication or writing sample, and three letters of recommendation. Review of applications will begin on January 15, 2012. Electronic submission of documents is preferred; please include “Environmental Justice Position” in the subject line.

Materials should be sent to:

Professor Jane Collins

c/o Andrew Sellers (admin@nelson.wisc.edu)

Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies

122 Science Hall

550 Park St.

University of Wisconsin

Madison, WI 53706