Assistant Professor in Urban Forests and Human Health
The Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences at the Vancouver campus of the University of British Columbia (UBC) invites applications for a tenure-stream position at the rank of Assistant Professor in the field of urban forestry with an emphasis on human health and urban green spaces. The successful applicant will play a key role in undergraduate and graduate teaching in the urban forestry program at UBC, including teaching a core course in Urban Forests and Human Health. The successful applicant will also be expected to develop an internationally recognized research program, supervise graduate students and obtain external research funding in the field of urban forestry with an emphasis on human health and well-being.
The UBC Faculty of Forestry (www.forestry.ubc.ca) is one of the world's leading academic institutions in forestry, conducting both national and international research, and providing undergraduate education in six degree programs: Urban Forestry, Forest Science, Natural Resources Conservation, Forest Resources Management, Forest Bioeconomy Sciences and Technology, and Wood Science. The Bachelor of Urban Forestry (BUF) program, which was launched in 2015, embraces an interdisciplinary approach across ecological, socio-cultural, and economic topics in both urban and peri-urban settings. The Faculty will also launch a new Master in Urban Forestry Leadership program. Urban forestry education and research provides opportunities for collaboration with other faculties and departments at UBC, including Population and Public Health, Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Land and Food Systems, Business, Geography, and Community and Regional Planning. The urban forestry program at UBC benefits from its location in Vancouver, a city with the vision to become the world's greenest.
Candidates for this position must have a PhD in urban forestry, public health, epidemiology, environmental psychology, landscape planning, urban ecology, forestry or in a related field, with demonstrated expertise in interconnections among urban forests and human health. Candidates should have a demonstrated track record of teaching and interdisciplinary research in human health and urban green spaces, and experience from the public health discipline. Candidates should demonstrate strong potential for scientific publishing, securing research grants, and working collaboratively. Evidence of high-quality post-secondary teaching is desirable, as is experience with course development.
The successful candidate will be expected to collaborate with other faculty members in urban forestry and across campus, and to contribute to the Faculty's strategic goals and development. The successful candidate will also be expected to engage with policymakers and to translate knowledge to address contemporary challenges in the intersection of urban forestry and human health. Excellent oral and written communication skills are essential, as is a commitment to mentoring, diversity, and inclusion.
Applications should include a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, a statement of research interests and teaching philosophy, copies of three recent publications or commensurate research products that highlight your contribution to the field, and the names and contact information of three people to provide professional references. Applications should be sent in a single PDF file to urban.forestry@ubc.ca.
The deadline for applications is May 15th, 2020. The desired starting date for this position is January 1st, 2021, or as soon as possible thereafter.
Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been under-represented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.