Connectionists: Tenure-track Assistant Professor position in the Brain and Cognition PhD Specialization at Utah State University

Fri Oct 7 14:26:28 EDT 2022

The Psychology Department at Utah State University seeks candidates for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in the Brain and Cognition PhD Specialization<https://psychology.usu.edu/graduate/brain-cognition>. Candidates with backgrounds in Cognitive Neuroscience, Computational Neuroscience, Computational Neuropsychiatry, Neuropsychology, and Developmental Psychology are especially encouraged to apply.

We are particularly interested in candidates with research programs focused on dementia and related processes to synergize with the newly launched Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Research Center. However, we encourage applications from all qualified candidates with research interests broadly related to cognitive neuroscience.

Located on the main campus in Logan, Utah, this is a 1 FTE, 9-month academic year position. Review of applications will begin November 28, 2022, and will continue until the position is filled. The anticipated start date for the position is August 1, 2023. This position is not eligible for remote work.

If you have questions about the position, please contact the search committee chair, Dr. Kerry Jordan, at Kerry.Jordan at usu.edu<mailto:Kerry.Jordan at usu.edu>.

Responsibilities

  *   Conduct and disseminate research (e.g., establish a research program, publish in peer-reviewed journals).
  *   Actively pursue external funding to support a flourishing research program.
  *   Teach graduate and undergraduate classes within areas of expertise and specialization or department needs.
  *   Mentor graduate students within the brain & cognition specialization and/or interdepartmental neuroscience PhD program (e.g., chair thesis and dissertation committees, direct a research lab that involves graduate students, and support students in progressing toward graduation).
  *   Advance equity, diversity, and inclusion in research, teaching, and mentoring activities.
  *   Contribute service to the department, college, university, and profession.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

  1.  Earned doctoral degree in an area related to our Brain and Cognition specialization. ABD will be considered if a clear plan for completion exists.
  2.  Have a research program broadly related to cognition and neuroscience.
  3.  Show evidence of ability to effectively conduct and disseminate research that has the potential to lead to external funding.
  4.  Show evidence of ability to teach and mentor students effectively.
  5.  Show commitment to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion in research, teaching, and mentoring.
  6.  Show effective oral, written, and interpersonal skills.

Preferred Qualifications

  1.  Have a research program in cognitive neuroscience/computational neuropsychiatry/related disciplines.
  2.  Have interest in conducting research on dementia, aging, and related processes in collaboration with USU’s Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Research Center.
  3.  Show evidence of ability to teach graduate coursework on quantitative methods (e.g., Bayesian statistics, psychometrics, structural equation modeling, longitudinal analyses).
  4.  Show evidence of experience with grant-funded research.

Required Documents

Along with the online application, please attach:

  1.  Current curriculum vita (CV) to be uploaded in the Candidate Profile
  2.  Materials evidencing research potential and productivity (i.e., up to 3 publications) to be uploaded in the Candidate Profile under Documents 1-10
  3.  Materials evidencing teaching/mentorship potential and effectiveness (e.g., student course evaluations, publications authored by students you have mentored) to be uploaded in the Candidate Profile under Documents 1-10
  4.  Names and Contact information for at least three professional references who are familiar with the candidates research and/or teaching and mentoring to be entered in the Candidate Profile
  5.  Cover Letter highlighting fit with minimum and preferred qualifications (approx. 1–2 single-spaced pages) to be typed/pasted at the end of your application under "Cover Letter"
  6.  Teaching and mentorship statement describing philosopjy, accomplishments, and future teaching/mentoring agenda (approximately 1 single-spaced page) to be typed/pasted at the end of your application under "Teaching Philosophy"
  7.  Research statement describing interests, accomplishments, and future research agenda; (approx. 1–2 single-spaced pages) to be typed/pasted at the end of your application under "Research Statement"

All application materials must be provided through the USU Jobs site

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Advertised Salary
Commensurate with education and experience, plus excellent benefits.
ADA

Employees typically work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes.

College/Department Highlights

Department Highlights

The Psychology Department is located within the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services. The Department consists of over 30 faculty representing diverse areas of psychology. Faculty enjoy collaborative relationships with others in the Department as well as other departments in the College (e.g., Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Human Development & Families Studies) and across campus (e.g., Biology, Biological Engineering, Sociology). In addition to the Brain & Cognition PhD specialization, the Department contributes to a multi-department PhD in Neuroscience and offers PhD specializations in other areas of psychology: Combined Clinical/Counseling, Behavior Analysis, and School Psychology. The Department also offers an undergraduate major (BS) in Psychology and a distance-learning master's degree (MEd) in Professional School Counseling. More information about the Psychology Department is available via the website<https://psychology.usu.edu/>.

Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Research Center Highlights

The Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Research Center (ADRC) is located within the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services. The center was established in July 2022 with ongoing funding from the state of Utah. Its main purpose is to support research in Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias across a wide spectrum, including prevention, intervention, and treatment, and through basic and applied sciences, including the study of caregiving. The center’s mission also includes generating supportive services for this population and training a dementia-competent workforce.  The center supports collaborations across departments, and across institutions in Utah, and includes faculty in Psychology, Human Development and Family Studies, Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Biological Engineering, and others. Research support includes funding for pilot studies, graduate research assistants, workshops and conferences, materials and equipment, and grant mentorship, and efforts are underway to establish a research registry of participants with dementia, and their caregivers, as well as older adults without dementia. The center facilitates efforts to utilize the large NIH-funded epidemiological datasets housed at USU for secondary analyses: the Cache County Study of Memory and Aging, and the ancillary Dementia Progression Study, which includes caregivers. Center efforts are also underway to establish relationships with university Extension, to integrate research and service in rural areas. For questions about the center, contact the Director: Dr. Beth Fauth (beth.fauth at usu.edu<mailto:beth.fauth at usu.edu>).

College Highlights

The Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services<https://cehs.usu.edu/> is home to eight academic departments and is committed to providing the best learning opportunities and educational research in the state of Utah. Our programs are strengthened by an on-campus elementary laboratory school and five stand-alone centers, including the Sorenson Legacy Foundation Center for Clinical Excellence<https://cehs.usu.edu/scce/>. The college offers clinical services to the community across the human lifespan and provides students with real-world service and research opportunities.

University Highlights

Utah State University (USU) was founded in 1888 and is Utah’s land-grant and space-grant university. USU is one of only 146 research institutions in the U.S. classified as R1 “very high research activity” by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. As one of the two premier research institutions in Utah, USU provides a high-quality education at an affordable price. With its main campus in Logan, the university serves approximately 27,500 students, including 24,255 undergraduates and 3,171 graduate students. USU Online has served students from all 50 states and 55 countries for 25 years.

USU’s statewide system features three residential campuses, 30 total campus locations, and 23 Extension education centers. The university employees 903 full-time faculty members, 124 executive administrators, and 1,649 full-time support staff. USU offers 115 undergraduate majors, as well as 91 master’s and 42 doctoral degrees. Learn more<https://www.usu.edu/about/fast-facts/> about USU.

A core characteristic of USU is engagement with communities and people in economic development, improvements to quality of life, and human capital. Through the practical application of knowledge, the University and its faculty engage and share expertise with the state, nation, and world, preserving the historical land-grant tradition of partnering with communities to address critical societal issues in the interest of the public good.

The USU main campus is located in beautiful Logan, Utah<https://www.loganutah.org/>, a city of about 50,000 situated in a picturesque mountain valley about 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. Outstanding recreational opportunities abound in the nearby mountains and proximate region.

USU is sensitive to the needs of dual career couples and provides a Dual Career Assistance program<https://www.usu.edu/provost/faculty-recruitment/dual-career-assistance> to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment.

USU endeavors to provide reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access in all aspects of employment to qualified persons with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, please contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Human Resource office at 435-797-0122 or submit a request at hr at usu.edu.

USU Land Acknowledgment

Please visit our website to learn about Utah State’s land acknowledgment<https://www.usu.edu/president/initiatives/land-acknowledgment/> of the eight tribes of Utah.

Notice of Non-discrimination

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

Executive Director of the Office of Equity Matthew Pinner, discrimination at usu.edu<mailto:discrimination at usu.edu>, Distance Education Rm. 401, 435-797-1266

Title IX Coordinator Hilary Renshaw, titleix at usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 404, 435-797-1266

Mailing address: 5100 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit https://equity.usu.edu/, or contact:

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 800-421-3481, OCR at ed.gov<mailto:OCR at ed.gov>

U.S. Department of Education, Denver Regional Office, 303-844-5695, OCR.Denver at ed.gov<mailto:OCR.Denver at ed.gov>

Dr. Christopher M. Warren
Department of Psychology, EDUC490
Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services
2810 Old Main Hill
Utah State University
Logan, UT 84322
chris.warren at usu.edu
cell: 435-265-5704

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