| Deadline | September 01, 2019 |
|---|---|
| Date Posted | July 22, 2019 |
| Type | Non tenure track |
| Salary | Commensurate with experience |
| Employment Type | Full-time |
The Physics Department at the University of Michigan invites applications for a new Lecturer III position to inaugurate the role of Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences (IPLS) Sequence Coordinator, beginning September 1, 2019 or January 1, 2020. Later start dates may be acceptable for qualified candidates. We expect to make an offer prior to January 1, 2020, subject to final approval by the academic unit. Appointment level will be 100%. This is a non-tenure-track, renewable three-year appointment.
Michigan’s Introductory Physics for Life Sciences (IPLS) course sequence was radically transformed during the period from 2006-2012. The sequence places the focus on exploring the physics of life – helping students to understand life as a physical process, both enabled and constrained by the laws of physics. New lab courses were developed in parallel with this, again with a focus on providing life science students with relevant life science oriented laboratory experiences, including biomechanics and scaling laws, electrocardiograms, DNA structure determination, and medical imaging. It is time to revisit the sequence, this time with a focus on equity, inclusion, and widespread student success.
This individual will coordinate the work of an instructional team which includes tenure-track faculty, Lecturer II’s, Graduate Student Instructors, and undergraduate Learning Assistants as they continue to develop and deliver this innovative course sequence to life science students. To kick off this ongoing effort, we will ask the IPLS coordinator to lead the 135/235 team through a three year Foundational Course Initiative process beginning in 2020.
This is a long-term instructional role; the coordinator will also teach two sections of one of these courses each term. We expect our instructors to take a scholarly approach to their teaching, using evidence-based methods and responsibly assessing the impact of innovations introduced to their classes. The standard appointment is for nine months a year, aligned with U-M’s September – May academic schedule. Opportunities to teach in the spring term, for additional compensation, also exist. Salary commensurate with experience.
Applications must include a CV, teaching statement, and relevant teaching evaluations, combined into a single PDF. Questions may be directed to Ana Austin, Physics Department Chief Administrator, at physicsca@umich.edu.
This position is covered under the collective bargaining agreement between the U-M and the Lecturers
Employee Organization, AFL-CIO, which contains and settles all matters with respect to wages, benefits,
hours and other terms and conditions of employment.
Employee Organization, AFL-CIO, which contains and settles all matters with respect to wages, benefits,
hours and other terms and conditions of employment.
Qualifications and Selection Criteria for IPLS Sequence Coordinator
- PhD in Physics – preferably in a sub-field with relations to the life sciences.
- Two or more years of experience leading large introductory physics courses at a major research university.
- Demonstrated experience working in with instructional teams which include faculty, graduate students, undergraduates, and staff.
- Demonstrated experience with and commitment to equitable, inclusive teaching of students who are diverse in background, interests, identity, and goals.
- Experience designing, developing, delivering physics for the life sciences courses is especially desirable.
- Experience with scholarship of teaching and learning and/or physics education research would also be highly valued.
