Assistant/Associate Professor in in the College of Education- Language and Literacy Studies

Description

The University of Texas at Austin , Department of Curriculum and Instruction  is seeking a faculty member in the Language and Literacy Studies (LLS) program at the Assistant or Associate Professor level, beginning in Fall 2023. The mission of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction is to advance the knowledge and the practice of teaching and learning. We address the educational needs of a rapidly changing global society in democratic and socially just ways. Our teaching and research are rooted in a variety of academic disciplines. We value innovation and build upon the strengths of cultural and linguistic diversity. We are committed to an intellectually diverse and inclusive working and learning environment and are seeking candidates whose research, teaching, and service have prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and excellence.

Home to the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, the College of Education is ranked among the top public colleges of education in the country, promotes the shared values of equity, excellence, innovation, empowerment, community-focus, and endeavors to bridge research and practice. We view inclusiveness and excellence as interconnected in the work of our faculty. The College of Education values candidates who have experience working with diverse and underserved populations and who show a demonstrated commitment to improving access and conditions in educational and health settings for children, adults, families, schools, and communities.

As a leading college of education in Texas and beyond, we are agents of change committed to transforming education and health research, practice, and policy to ensure the thriving of children, families, schools, and communities. In our efforts to align our college to address the most pressing challenges in the fields of education and health, we have launched a new strategic vision known as Reimagine Education (see https://education.utexas.edu/about/office-dean/reimagine-education ). In advancing this effort, we have organized our academic and research aspirations around three Signature Impact Areas: Advancing Equity and Eliminating Disparities in Health and Education, Attending to Place and Context, and Thriving through Transitions. 

Position Description

The LLS program seeks a dynamic candidate who has experience in public education and expertise in literacy education, especially candidates whose research, teaching, and service have prepared them to contribute to our commitments to diversity, inclusivity, and excellence. LLS program faculty include Denise Dávila, Tracey T. Flores, Grace MyHyun Kim, Beth Maloch, Allison Skerrett, and Melissa Mosley Wetzel.  

Applicants are expected to have or show potential for a track record of research excellence, including a strong record of refereed publications and a history of extramural funding and/or potential to obtain extramural funding. Applicants should also have a strong commitment to teaching and mentoring, including a strong commitment to field-based teacher education, with a focus on enhancing equity and inclusion in the field and in practice.

Responsibilities 

●   Establish, conduct, and publish scholarly research, and seek external funding in the area of literacy education. 

●   Teach reading methods; reading assessment and development and literacy courses in the early childhood/elementary-level teacher education program (EC-6).  

●   Teach graduate-level reading and literacy courses. 

●   Advise and recruit LLS program master’s and doctoral students. 

●   Provide leadership and service at the national, state, and local level related to literacy education.

• Demonstrate a strong commitment to teaching and mentoring with a focus on enhancing equity and inclusion across the university and EC-6 educational settings.

The University of Texas at Austin is the flagship state-university of Texas. It prioritizes equity, values and supports interdisciplinary research, and provides outstanding opportunities for collaboration across units and with world-renowned faculty. As a venue for research, Texas is one of the most diverse states in the country with an increasingly culturally pluralistic population, with students in the K-12 system and in general. Austin, Texas is an exciting, welcoming, and inclusive city with the reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World.       

The position is supported by a competitive start-up package, compensation appropriate to rank and experience, and access to state-of-the-art core facilities. Hiring is contingent upon funding. 

The College of Education views inclusiveness and excellence as interconnected in the work of faculty. Candidates from groups underrepresented in higher education faculty and those with experience working in culturally and linguistically diverse settings are strongly encouraged to apply.

To learn more about the University’s commitment to diversity, please visit the University of Texas at Austin’s Division of Diversity and Community Engagement

Qualifications

Required Qualifications of All Candidates 

●   An earned doctoral degree in literacy education or related field;

●   Three or more years of early childhood (EC) and/or elementary US school teaching experience (EC – 6); 

●   Potential for scholarly excellence in the fields of literacy education research; 

●   Research interests that attend to issues of equity and include, but are not limited to, reading, biliteracy, and early literacy (EC-Gr. 6);

●   Record of teaching reading methods courses and other literacy education courses for undergraduate students;

●   Experience in working with children, families, and/or communities of diverse racial, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds;

●   High potential for securing extramural research funding; and 

●   Capacity to teach and mentor undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds and advance the College of Education’s mission of equity and excellence.

Additional Required Qualifications for the Position of Associate Professor

●  Experience mentoring undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds;

●  Record of scholarly excellence and leadership in the fields of literacy education research; 

●  Record of chairing dissertation committees and guiding doctoral research projects;

●  Record of teaching graduate courses in reading and literacy;

●  Record of pursuing/securing extramural research funding;

●  Record of leadership in national professional literacy and education organizations;

●  Record of leadership at department, college, and university levels;

●  Record of advancing equity and excellence in education, as defined by the mission of the College of Education at the University of Texas at Austin.