Position Summary:

The College of Arts and Sciences invites applications for the inaugural DiNovo-Deak Endowed Chair of Plant Science and Food Security. This inaugural endowed chair will have the opportunity to conduct impactful work on the application of plant or crop science and to join an active and diverse research landscape at the University of Dayton to increase food security in regions of the world with the greatest need. This inaugural endowed chair is a tenured position at the Associate Professor or Professor rank within the Department of Biology beginning January 16, 2025.If this opportunity interests you, apply today.

The fundamental goal of the DiNovo-Deak Endowed Chair of Plant Science and Food Security is to make advancements in applied plant or crop science that can increase global food security by improving the resilience or yield of crops utilized in at-risk regions of the world. Global population growth and climate change expose hundreds of millions of people to hunger and food insecurity, particularly in developing countries. Plant science and specifically crop science play a critical role in addressing a wide range of related challenges associated with this complex issue, including crop resilience and yield, crop diversification, as well as drought and salinity tolerance. Through teaching, applied research and practical implementation, this endowed chair will focus on improving food security for the world's most vulnerable populations through plant or crop science and other fields as needed to improve the likelihood of success.

The DiNovo-Deak Chair of Plant Science and Food Security will test and implement their research by working directly with subsistence farmers in an impoverished region of the world with the specific goal of improving crop yield and quality in real-world applications that can be repeated and shared with other subsistence farmers. This chair will have a research agenda embedded in the community they serve to build trust, collaboration, and to amplify their impact.

Campus Resources/Collaborations

The DiNovo-Deak Endowed Chair will join an active and diverse research landscape at the University of Dayton with multiple communities for potential interactions. The Department of Biology includes colleagues with research programs in microbiology, plant biology, and ecology. Across the University, the Science and Engineering Catalyst Center supports faculty collaborations in multiple research themes, including environmental research. The Hanley Sustainability Institute brings together faculty advancing sustainability in broad terms, including food security. The Global and Intercultural Affairs and the Human Rights Center both have interdisciplinary programmatic collaborations with international partners committed to social justice. The University of Dayton Research Institute, a sponsored research arm of the University encompasses multiple fields of science and engineering, conducting ~$170 million in sponsored research annually.

University of Dayton
UD enrolls approx. 12,000 students, including 8,225 full-time undergraduates. UD is one of the nation's largest Catholic universities, and the largest private university in Ohio. Embedded in the dynamic city of Dayton, OH, and grounded in its Catholic, Marianist tradition, UD provides education to develop the whole student and is committed to experiential learning. The University of Dayton is nationally recognized among the top 2 percent of all AASHE STARS-rated schools and is the only Midwestern educational institution in the top 20 of Sierra Club's Cool Schools for Sustainability. The University recently completed a strategic visioning process, whereby it strives to be a University that advances the common good. See This is our UD

City of Dayton
The Dayton metro area has a population of about 850,000 and is a diverse community with a renewed downtown, a set of historic neighborhoods, and a highly favorable cost of living. Dayton is noted for its long history of innovation and invention, and has a vibrant and growing business environment. It is also home to corporations such as CareSource, LexisNexis, Reynolds & Reynolds, and to the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The Dayton area is a great place to live.

Responsibilities
Advance academic discourse on applied plant or crop science and international food security on campus, nationally and internationally such as organizing conferences, symposia, institutes, or seminars.

Build partnerships with other experts in the field, community stakeholders, and end users to make advancements in applied plant or crop science that can increase global food security.

Conduct and publish high quality research on plant science and food security
Teach one course each semester (or two courses each academic year), on balance, in
the College.

Maintain an active research agenda on campus and at a field site where people's access to food is otherwise limited or imperiled.

Mentor undergraduate and graduate students in research and fieldwork.
Obtain consistent extramural funding to support scholarship and research, student projects and community engaged learning and service in plant science and food security.

Work collaboratively across campus since food security research, teaching, and application is inherently interdisciplinary.

At the University of Dayton, we value our inclusive climate because we know that diversity in experiences and perspectives is vital to advancing innovation, critical thinking, solving complex problems, and creating an inclusive academic community. We translate these values into action by seeking individuals who have experience and expertise working with diverse students, colleagues and constituencies. Because we seek a workforce with a wide range of perspectives and experiences, we encourage all candidates to apply.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A Ph.D. or international equivalent in Biology, Plant Science, or related discipline
• Record of:
  • a research program capable of engaging scientific questions in the area of food security in at-risk areas of the world
  • successful mentoring of students in a university setting
  • successful experience fostering collaborative or interdisciplinary work
  • excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service
  • acquiring sustained extramural research funding.
• Articulated commitment to inclusive excellence in teaching at the undergraduate or graduate level
• An established field research program to address food insecurity
• Articulated ability to support the University of Dayton's commitment to the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion
• Effective written communication skills
• In addition to the above requirements, appointment at the rank of Professor requires a record of teaching, scholarship, and service commensurate with the criteria for promotion to the rank of Professor in the College of Arts and Science at the University of Dayton.

Preferred Qualifications:

While not everyone may meet all preferred qualifications, the ideal candidate will bring many of the following:

• Sustained record of a research program actively addressing scientific questions in the area of food security in at-risk areas of the world.
• Successful experience in one or more of the following:
  • inclusive excellence in teaching at the undergraduate and graduate level.
  • fostering collaborative or interdisciplinary work
  • working collaboratively with socially and culturally diverse constituencies.
  • working synergistically with an international network of collaborators, including international organizations, in the areas of food security
  • undergraduate and graduate curriculum development
  • developing experiential learning opportunities related to a candidate's research interests.
• Expressed willingness to engage with the Catholic and Marianist values of the University of Dayton including educating the whole person and a commitment of social justice, inclusive excellence and service to the community, university and profession
• Effective interpersonal communication skills
• Effective oral communication skills
• Effective classroom management skills

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Applicants should submit:

• a letter of interest that addresses how their record meets the required and any preferred qualifications,
• a curriculum vitae,
• a statement of research focus that is no more than three pages,
• a statement of teaching interest and philosophy of no more than two pages,
• a one page statement of commitment to the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion and how these principles inform your work, and
• contact information for three professional references who will be contacted later in the process.

Posting closes at 11:55 PM EDT on August 15, 2024.

Closing Statement:

The University of Dayton is a top tier, Catholic research university with offerings from the undergraduate to the doctoral levels. Founded in 1850 by the Society of Mary, the University is a diverse community committed to advancing the common good through intellectual curiosity, academic rigor, community engagement and local, national and global partnerships. Guided by the Marianist educational philosophy, we educate the whole person and link learning and scholarship with leadership and service.

Informed by its Catholic and Marianist mission, the University is committed to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Informed by this commitment, we seek to increase diversity, achieve equitable outcomes, and model inclusion across our campus community. As an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer, we will not discriminate against minorities, women, protected veterans, individuals with disabilities, or on the basis of age, race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity.

The University is also pleased to provide support for spouses of prospective and newly hired faculty through its dual career program. While we cannot guarantee placement, we serve as an effective resource and support system for your spouse. Information can be found at https://udayton.edu/hr/dual-career-resources.php