Arizona State University (ASU, www.asu.edu) announces an international search to recruit a Director for its School of Life Sciences in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with a concurrent appointment as tenured Professor. The anticipated start date for this position is July 1, 2022. ASU is a dynamic, internationally-recognized institution dedicated to interdisciplinary collaborations, rethinking university education, and integrating excellence in research, teaching, and service. ASU serves more than 150,000 students on five campuses in the Phoenix metropolitan area, one of the fastest growing urban centers in the nation, and globally through ASU Online. It has been ranked first in the US for innovation (about.asu.edu) for each of the last four years.
The School of Life Sciences (SOLS, sols.asu.edu) is a leader in the innovative education, service, and research missions at ASU. The School works to train graduates with the skills to solve real-world problems through experiences that create a desire to learn and through personalized, inclusive instruction to enable all students to succeed. SOLS aims to serve local and global communities by enabling scientific discovery and addressing critical problems at the intersection of the life sciences and society.
SOLS is home to over 100 tenured or tenure-track faculty, 30 instructional faculty, and 120 staff members, who work to educate over 260 doctoral and 90 masters students and 6,700 undergraduate student majors. SOLS is a leader in development of online and on campus personalized, inclusive education through 10 undergraduate majors or concentrations and 15 graduate programs. The School works to develop an inclusive and thriving community that reflects the sociodemographic diversity of our state and nation (sols.asu.edu/about/justice-equity-diversity-inclusion). SOLS plays a central role in the success of university-wide initiatives, including the Biodesign Institute (biodesign.asu.edu) and the Global Futures Laboratory (globalfutures.asu.edu) that bridge and transcend disciplinary boundaries to enable the exploration and discovery of new knowledge while developing solutions to the most challenging issues of our time.
The Director of the School is expected to provide visionary leadership, working to recruit, develop, and retain exceptional faculty and staff; promote excellence in the graduate and undergraduate programs; develop and build interdisciplinary research and teaching initiatives; support and lead efforts for diversity, equity and inclusion; and expand the School's outreach initiatives. The Director's vision is expected to resonate with the design aspirations of the “New American University”, fostering growth and innovation in the School’s research mission, advancing entrepreneurial opportunities, and enhancing relations within and outside the university community.
Minimum Qualifications
- An earned doctorate in biology or a life sciences-related field
- A record of distinguished scholarly research and professional accomplishments that merits appointment as a full professor with tenure.
- Demonstrated record of a major administrative leadership role
- Demonstrated commitment to enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion and cultivating and supporting diverse members of the University community.
Desired Qualifications
- Visionary leadership in a complex, academic environment
- Demonstrated experience with program development in research and education
- Demonstrated commitment to teaching and academic innovation
- Demonstrated commitment to fundraising, grant development, and fostering interactions among multiple stakeholders including private sector, research, and community organizations
- The capacity to engage faculty members across a broad range of disciplines
- Evidence of excellent communication and organizational skills
The College values our cultural and intellectual diversity, and continually strives to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment. We are especially interested in applicants who can strengthen the diversity of the academic community. Salary and start-up funding will be competitive and commensurate with qualifications. Review of applications will begin on October 31, 2021; if not filled, applications will be evaluated every week thereafter until the search is closed. To apply for the Director, School of Life Sciences position, candidates are requested to submit i) a curriculum vitae, ii) a letter of interest that addresses the leadership opportunities in the profile, iii) a statement that addresses how past and/or potential contributions to diversity and inclusion will advance SOLS’s and ASU’s commitment to inclusive excellence, and iv) contact information for four references (to be contacted with candidate’s permission at a later date) to: ASUDirectorSOLS@agbsearch.com by October 23, 2021 for best consideration.
A background check is required for employment.
Arizona State University is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor and an Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. https://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd401.html. https://www.asu.edu/titleIX.
In compliance with federal law, ASU prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and resources. ASU’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at https://www.asu.edu/police/PDFs/ASU-Clery-Report.pdf. You may request a hard copy of the report by contacting the ASU Police Department at 480-965-3456.
