Boswell Presidential Chair in Neuroscience and Society

Job Description Summary

Wake Forest University seeks an established, visionary scholar to become the inaugural Boswell Presidential Chair in Neuroscience and Society with a start date of July 1, 2025. This Presidential Chair will join a vibrant community of teacher-scholars and will play an important role in teaching and mentoring undergraduate students in the neuroscience curriculum as well as graduate students from multiple departments.

Job Description:

The Boswell Presidential Chair will have a demonstrated commitment to cross-disciplinary, innovative teaching and research in a neuroscience-related discipline. The ideal candidate will have evidence of high-impact research and a sustained record of scholarly activities at the intersection of neuroscience and society, which may arise in any number of areas, including but not limited to social sciences, biology, the arts, humanities, law, ethics, divinity, politics, and/or economics. The candidate should demonstrate excellence in undergraduate teaching and mentoring. Experience with teaching and mentoring graduate students is highly desirable. We seek candidates who will be thought leaders across disciplines and professions, generating new ideas and promoting research, policies, and practices related to neuroscience that positively impact society. Preference will be given to candidates with evidence of visionary course development, externally-sponsored research or community engagement, and experience in fostering collaboration across the university.

The Presidential Chair will hold a tenured appointment in an appropriate department within the Wake Forest College. Candidates must have earned a terminal degree in their discipline and should have an active academic record commensurate with the rank of Associate or Full professor with tenure within their discipline. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications.

For specific information about the position, contact the following co-chairs of the Search Committee: Erik Johnson, Chair and Professor, Biology Department (johnsoec@wfu.edu) or Kimberley McAllister, Vice Provost, Research, Scholarly Inquiry and Creative Activity (mcallik@wfu.edu). Apply at: hr.wfu.edu/careers and select Faculty Openings under Careers at Wake Forest University.

For full consideration, materials should be submitted by the start of application review on December 6, 2024. Applications should include (i) a cover letter detailing interest in the position (limit 2 pages), (ii) a curriculum vitae (no page limit), (iii) a concise statement of research interests (limit 4 pages), and (iv) a statement of teaching philosophy (limit 2 pages). Research statements should include (but are not limited to) research questions, past accomplishments, short-term and long-term research plans, how your research program fosters inclusivity, and how you have and will enhance collaboration across disciplines. Briefly describe any potential broader societal impacts of your research. Teaching statements should address teaching philosophy, classroom and assessment approaches, and how you will create a learning environment that supports students from a diverse set of backgrounds and experiences. All documents must be compiled as a single PDF file and submitted via hr.wfu.edu/careers. Selected applicants may be asked later to provide references. Inquiries specific to the application process and document submission should be directed to wakejobs@wfu.edu.

PRINCIPAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Presidential Chair will maintain a national or international presence in research, education, practice, scholarship, the arts, and/or policy related to neuroscience. Key responsibilities will include regularly teaching and mentoring undergraduate students in the interdisciplinary neuroscience curriculum; maintaining an active research program; and leading and supporting efforts to foster cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary research at Wake Forest University as well as possibly holding academic or administrative leadership positions related to Neuroscience.

Additional Job Description

Wake Forest University

Wake Forest has considerable expertise across the institution in the interconnectedness of brain health and the workings of the mind, including teacher-scholars in our law school, divinity school and medical school (including the Maya Angelou Center for Health); theater and dance, biology, psychology, computer science, linguistics, and philosophy among other programs in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Graduate School; our cross-school Bioethics center and our neuroscience clinical and basic science departments in health sciences, where neurological, neuropsychiatric, neurodegenerative and behavioral research, neuro-ethics and advanced tools such as super-resolution imaging, computational modeling and machine learning are helping transform Wake Forest into a national neuroscience hub. For more information, please visit https://neuroscience.wfu.edu.

Founded in 1834, Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational institution dedicated to academic excellence in liberal arts, graduate, and professional education. With over 5,400 undergraduates and 3,500 graduate and professional students, the student-faculty ratio is 11:1. Wake Forest is a collegiate university offering a vibrant, intellectual community with a rich cultural life, an impressive array of facilities, and a strong athletics program competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Since its founding, the University has adopted the motto Pro Humanitate, which is exemplified by a deep institutional commitment to public service and engagement with the world. For more information, visit: https://about.wfu.edu/.

Wake Forest University is in Winston-Salem, a beautiful, mid-sized city centrally located in the Piedmont-Triad region of North Carolina. A family-friendly city with high quality schools, a wide selection of restaurants and shops, outdoor recreational activities, and numerous special events, it is known for its vibrant and thriving arts and innovation scenes. Residents enjoy proximity to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains (1.5 hours) and Atlantic beaches (4 hours), a moderate climate with four distinct seasons, and a very reasonable cost of living. Winston-Salem offers many of the amenities of a large city but with the sense of community and quality of life of a small town. For more information, visit: www.visitwinstonsalem.com.

Time Type Requirement

Full time

In order to provide a safe and productive learning and living community, Wake Forest University conducts background investigations for all final faculty candidates being considered for employment.

Wake Forest seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce while promoting an inclusive work environment committed to excellence in the spirit of Pro Humanitate. In adherence with applicable laws and as provided by University policies, the University prohibits discrimination in its employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, disability and veteran status and encourages qualified candidates across all group demographics to apply.