Job Summary

The Water School at FGCU ([ Link removed ] - Click here to apply to Juliet C. Sproul Chair for Southwest Florida Habitat Restoration and Management, Eminent Scholar, Pr is hiring 9 faculty for Fall 2023 across a range of disciplines related to water and the environment. The Water School is an interdisciplinary enterprise that brings together faculty from five colleges and schools representing 15 departments to focus on the environmental, economic, and human dimensions of coastal resilience, ecosystem integrity, health and wellbeing, and restoration and remediation.

This appointment as the Juliet C. Sproul Chair for Southwest Florida Habitat Restoration and Management will be made at the rank of Professor and Eminent Scholar in the Department of Ecology and Environmental Studies.

The Water School encourages nominations for and applications from highly qualified individuals with research and teaching interests in Habitat Restoration and Management. The Eminent Scholar in Habitat Restoration and Management will have demonstrated excellence in education, research, and service in tropical systems and ecology including exotic vegetation, habitat restoration, and ecosystem conservation. They will teach undergraduate and graduate courses and will have the opportunity to develop new courses, build a productive program of research that involves students, participate on university committees, and perform other duties as assigned. They will conduct scholarship that addresses pressing environmental issues of Southwest Florida's upland and wetland ecosystems.

Areas of expertise might include wetland ecology; plant ecology at population, community or ecosystem levels; tropical ecology; restoration ecology; conservation impacts of invasive species; global change including land use or climate change; ecosystem management; and modeling of ecosystem services. Research approaches might include development of best management practices for wildland-urban interfaces, connecting regional socioeconomics to restoration and management decisions, assessing the efficacy of restoration efforts within the context of Everglades restoration, innovating ecological engineering solutions to nutrient, hydrologic, or climate change related issues, etc. The Eminent Scholar will be expected to collaborate with faculty members within The Water School and work with regional land managers and decision-makers, community stakeholders, and restoration practitioners to advance recommendations for resource conservation or restoration.

The successful candidate will be expected to develop a strong research program, disseminating their research findings to the region and the academic community as appropriate, and to acquire external support for their research. Because this appointment will be made at the rank of Professor and Eminent Scholar, the successful candidate will have a demonstrated record of collaboration with other scholars and especially of the mentorship of junior faculty. Primary responsibilities will be at The Water School's Kapnick Center for Research and Education (www.fgcu.edu/thewaterschool/centers/ewrp/kapnickcenter) located on the campus of the Naples Botanical Garden (www.naplesgarden.org/), with some teaching responsibilities on the main campus

FGCU is dedicated to quality education, research, and service. Faculty are expected to be excellent teachers who are responsive to changing professional needs, to be committed to innovative delivery of instruction that results in improved student learning, to produce high-quality peer reviewed scholarship, and to serve the university and the local community, as appropriate.

With an enrollment of nearly 16,000 students, FGCU has a main campus of 800 acres with LEED-certified buildings and 400 acres of protected habitat. The university's award-winning initiatives in education, energy production, research, and sustainable practices make us one of the nation's greenest campuses. FGCU is located in beautiful Southwest Florida, known for its beaches, resorts, nature preserves, and outdoor recreation. Located between the cities of Fort Myers and Naples, FGCU is just two hours by car from the major cities of St. Petersburg, Tampa, and Miami, and 15 minutes from the Southwest Florida International Airport. The region is surrounded by water-important estuaries to the north, Lake Okeechobee to the east, the Florida Everglades and Florida Bay to the south, and the Gulf of Mexico to the west-providing an unparalleled setting to study all facets of water and environmental issues.

FGCU launched The Water School on World Water Day in 2019, sending a message that the University and the State of Florida were making a significant investment in water and the environment in Southwest Florida. By bringing together faculty and staff from across the university, The Water School is addressing pressing issues of regional concern by developing sustainable solutions to ensure that future generations inherit a Southwest Florida that is full of opportunity and is renowned for its quality of life.

Florida Gulf Coast University is committed to establishing and maintaining an inclusive working and learning environment in which students, faculty, administrators, staff, curriculum, social activities, governance, and all other aspects of the campus life reflect a diverse, multi-cultural, and international worldview.

At FGCU, we collectively stand against any individual or group that practices any form of racism, discrimination, intolerance, hate expressions, or disrespect. We are committed to preparing students to understand, live among, appreciate, and work in an inherently diverse country and world made up of people with different ethnic and racial backgrounds, religious beliefs, abilities, ages, gender identities, sexual orientations, socio-economic status, cultural traditions, family statuses, and military backgrounds. FGCU strives to hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it makes our University stronger. The University community recognizes the importance of a diverse and inclusive institution and holds these ideals as paramount for the current and future success of the institution.

We seek colleagues who promote and embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion. We encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds to apply for this position as we believe that our University will grow and move forward through a commitment of equality for all.

Because of its interdisciplinary structure and its connections with other colleges across campus, The Water School presents a good opportunity for professional couples looking for a new academic home.

Job Description

Typical duties may include but are not limited to:

* Develop and teach assigned courses: prepare syllabi and instruction materials, coordinate lectures, evaluate students and maintain highest possible standards of classroom instruction.
* Develop and maintain an independent and productive research program that also involves students.
* Mentor students, as appropriate, in research.
* Actively work with local communities, as appropriate, to engage them in issues related to climate policy.
* Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Additional Job Description

Required Qualifications:

* Ph.D. in Conservation Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Geography, Natural Resources, Biogeochemistry, or related discipline from a regionally accredited institution or equivalent accreditation.
* Experience with effective teaching and mentorship with demonstrated commitment for using your scholarly achievements to give students the most stimulating and current education in fields of expertise related to tropical systems and ecology.
* Experience with mentoring of junior faculty.
* Experience with effective science communication with a vast array of stakeholders such as non-profit, government and non-government organizations, land management organizations, and natural resource managers.
* Demonstrated development of a network of research collaborators and past experience creating linkages and relationships with local communities/organizations to assist in the development of best practice solutions to water/wetland related environmental issues.
* Evidence of scholarly expertise and an international reputation related to the job description with a wide publication record in scholarly journals.
* Must meet university criteria for appointment at the rank of Professor with a demonstrated record of achievement in academic teaching, scholarship, and service.

Preferred Qualifications

* Preferred candidates are those whose teaching and research experience and interests align with the programs and mission of The Water School.
* Interdisciplinary teaching and research perspective with well-established research agenda and productivity in the field of tropical ecology and conversation.
* Record of contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion through teaching, research, service or other activities.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

* Familiarity with and use of diverse and innovative teaching approaches to engage students and ensure student learning.
* Demonstrated development and use of skills appropriate to the discipline.
* Ability to conduct independent research and involve undergraduate and graduate students in research; ability to mentor student research with their learning and training in mind.
* Ability to contribute effectively and collegially to a positive, dynamic, civil, and inclusive learning and working environment.
* Ability to thrive in an interdisciplinary team with diverse colleagues and stakeholders.
* Ability to develop collaborative opportunities and capacity building with community partners including the Naples Botanical Garden.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Appointment will be made on a 9-month multi-year appointment basis available August 2023.

Because applications and materials are subject to public review and retention under Florida's Public Records Law, please DO NOT send examples of your project/scholarship unless requested to do so. Therefore, all submitted materials including articles, disks, slides, books, etc., become the property of FGCU and CANNOT BE RETURNED. As applicable, finalists will be notified of the need to submit specific additional materials. Such materials will become the property of FGCU.

Under Florida's Public Records law, applications will be available for public review upon request.

Required Application Materials:

* Unofficial Transcripts
* Statement of Teaching Philosophy
* Curriculum Vitae
* Cover Letter
* Statement of Research
* Five (5) Professional References- Your list of references must include at least one non-academic stakeholder collaborator, one academic colleague and/or supervisor, and one student that you have advised.

The position is listed as "open until filled", however applications received by November 27, 2022 will receive priority consideration.

Salary commensurate with education and experience.