Assistant/Associate/Full Professor
Journalism
Position Overview
The William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas (KU) is seeking a talented and engaged scholar to join us as we explore the intersections of misinformation, cybersecurity, and media. This hiring opportunity is created as part of KU’s Research Rising aimed at building high-profile, interdisciplinary, multi-investigator projects competitive for significant federal funding opportunities and achieving national preeminence in several particularly significant subjects of inquiry. The School has a state-of-the-art experimental research laboratory which includes physiology data collection, eye tracking and facial emotion recognition. The School is also home to the Center for Digital Inclusion, as well as the Center for Excellence in Health Communication to Underserved Populations. Candidates should have the ability to work in an interdisciplinary, diverse, and collaborative environment. Applicants should have research productivity and teaching expertise in one or more of the following areas: misinformation, trust and safety in online communities, information security, computational social science, data journalism, information norms and practices, social media analytics, and communication technology. If you’re looking for colleagues who share your excitement about working with students, who anticipate future media developments, and who are eager to create new ways to understand and engage audiences, then KU is eager to meet you.
This is a full-time, tenure-track/tenured position to begin August 18, 2024. Appointment may be at the Assistant, Associate, or Full professor level. Appointment at a particular level will be based on an applicant’s research/creative portfolio and teaching record. Successful applicants will have a Ph.D. degree in journalism, mass communication, information science, or a related field. Applicants should have academic credentials and research portfolio that would support appointment as a tenure-track or tenured faculty member.
In a continuing effort to enrich its academic environment and provide equal educational and employment opportunities, the university actively encourages applications from members of underrepresented groups in higher education. KU’s vision is to be an exceptional learning community that lifts each other and advances society. The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the U.S. by the time of appointment.
The University of Kansas is the state’s flagship university, an R-1 institution and one of just 66 invited members of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU). Our university consistently earns high rankings for academics and recognition as a premier research university (engaging in $275 million of externally funded research annually). At KU we make it our mission to educate leaders, build healthy communities, and make discoveries that change the world. We aspire to be an exceptional learning community that lifts each other and advances society. KU’s strategic plan Jayhawks Rising is focused on objectives to accomplish this vision through three mission-based priorities of student success, healthy and vibrant communities, research, and discovery. KU’s research residential campus is in the center of a vibrant and culturally-rich community, a quintessential college town. Visitors, students and new employees from outside the area enjoy discovering the many wonders of Lawrence, including a thriving downtown, diverse local and regional events, area lakes, vibrant arts and music scenes, and an indelible history. Lawrence is located 45 minutes west of Kansas City and 30 minutes east of Topeka, the state capital. Along with the music, arts, culture and sports experiences offered at KU and in Lawrence, the short drive to Kansas City provides quick access to historic jazz clubs, museums, world-class music and theatre venues, and professional sports teams.
Job Description
40% Teaching:
- Teach courses and developing curriculum in undergraduate and graduate program, in-person and virtually, based upon needs of the School
- Mentor undergraduate and graduate students
- Hold regular office hours
40% Research:
- Demonstrate sustained productivity through publications, sponsored projects/grants, papers and presentations for national and international academic and professional audiences, or sustained creative work recognized at the national or/and international level
20% Service:
- Participate in the regular academic activities of the School, including committee assignments and major School functions
- Provide general service to the School and University
- Serve on and chair graduate committees
- Professional service in academic, professional and/or media organizations
Required Qualifications
Evaluation of the following requirements will be made through (1) descriptions of research/creative work and teaching in letter of application, (2) record of accomplishments and productivity included in CV and (3) information provided from three professional references.
For appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor:
- A terminal degree in journalism, mass communication, information science, or a related field. If ABD, terminal degree must be achieved within six months of employment start date.
- Demonstrated (or high potential for) teaching excellence in a university setting including the ability to develop and teach online courses.
- Demonstrated (or high potential for) research and/or creative success as shown through publications, portfolio, awards, research grants, or working papers.
For appointment at the rank of Associate or Professor with tenure:
- A terminal degree in journalism, mass communication, information science, or a related field.
- Record of productive teaching excellence in a university setting including the ability to develop and teach online courses.
- Demonstrated excellence in research and/or sustained creative works as shown through publications, portfolio, awards, research grants, or working papers that have either enabled the candidate to be successfully promoted to Associate Professor or Full Professor at a research-oriented university of a similar or higher research profile as the University of Kansas or meet the expectations in professional experience for qualification.
Contact Information to Applicants
Hyunjin Seo, PhD
hseo@ku.edu
Additional Candidate Instruction
To apply and for more information, go to
employment.ku.edu/academic/26125BR. A complete application will include:
(1) a cover letter describing your research, teaching experience and philosophy (2) a Curriculum Vitae (3) evidence of teaching effectiveness (4) a list of three professional references (5) the answer to the following question about diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
In addition to the materials above, learning about each applicant's contribution and engagement in areas of diversity is an important part of KU's mission. As such, applicants will be presented the following question at the time of application, each response must be within 4,000 characters or less.
- Describe your experiences working with people from diverse backgrounds, and explain how those experiences reflect your commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Initial review of applications will begin October 1, 2023 and will continue until a pool of qualified applicants is obtained.
