The Department of Physics at West Virginia State University invites applications for a full-time tenure-track position, beginning August, 2011. Requirements for the position include a Ph.D. in Physics or near-completion of the doctorate. The Department offers support courses for associate and baccalaureate programs, and is trying to start a program to prepare secondary-school physics teachers. The primary duties are teaching lower division courses in physics and physical science, but research, especially of a type that could involve undergraduate students, is welcomed, and there are on-going grant-funded research projects in the other science departments. The person who fills this position will teach classes meeting the general education requirements of the University and the needs of education majors: astronomy, weather and climate, geology and physical science (physics, chemistry and earth-space science), and is encouraged to develop additional laboratory based classes at this level. In addition, the applicant will participate in teaching physics courses for science majors and pre-professional students, general physics, physics for scientists and engineers, and radiation physics.
Because WVSU is an open-admission institution, offering college education to a broad spectrum of students, few of our students have studied physics in high school. Teaching them can be both challenging and satisfying. Faculty members are expected to be willing to help students learn, i.e., to go beyond merely presenting information.
Applicants must submit a letter of application detailing professional/research interests, teaching philosophy, resume' or curriculum vitae, unofficial transcripts of all college work, and three letters of reference, to Dr. John R. "Jack" Magan, Chairperson of the Department of Physics, 101 Hamblin Hall, West Virginia State University, Institute, WV 25112-1000. Initial indications of interest may be sent via e-mail to jmagan@wvstateu.edu. West Virginia State University is a historically black land-grant institution, which has evolved into a fully accessible, racially diverse, multi-generational masters-granting institution. West Virginia State University is the largest institution of higher education in the Charleston metropolitan area, serving approximately 5,000 students.
