Lecturer in Geographic Information Science

Lecturer in Geographic Information Science

The Department of Geography, Society, and Environment at the University of Minnesota invites applications for a full-time, 12-month, non-tenure track position at the rank of Lecturer with expertise in Geographic Information Science (GISc) to begin teaching in spring semester 2022. We are committed to attracting candidates from historically underrepresented groups knowing that diversity enriches the academic experience and provides a knowledge base for innovation.

We seek a dedicated educator in Geographic Information Science (GISc). We welcome applications from individuals working in any part of the field. We are especially interested in receiving applications from educators who complement our strengths in geovisualization and cartography; spatial analysis and modeling; and cyberinfrastructure and high performance computing; and who are interested in interfacing with one or more of our the department's thematic areas of population and health; urban analysis; science, technology and society; Black and Latinx geographies; and human-environment dynamics, biogeography, and climate. In addition to North America, the department also has area foci including Africa, Europe, Latin America, the Islamic world, and East Asia.

The primary role of this Lecturer position is to provide high-quality GISc instruction with an emphasis on problem-based learning and active learning. The ideal candidate will help provide vision and leadership for the professional Masters of GISc program, the first such program in the country. The candidate will contribute to the undergraduate GIS programs, and will have an opportunity to develop curricular materials demonstrating how GIS and GISc can support diversity, equity, and inclusion in society.

This is a teaching intensive position but includes expectations for professional outreach and service including serving as Associate Director of the GeoCommons, our new collaborative teaching and learning space, and helping coordinate programming and activities for the GeoCommons. The candidate will establish relationships with individuals working in GIS in the public, private, non-profit, and governmental sectors in the state of Minnesota such as through the Minnesota GIS/LIS Consortium, and advise graduate and undergraduate students.

Responsibilities

80% Teaching

• Provide high-quality instruction in GISc and GISc-related courses. This will include existing courses such as ArcGIS I, ArcGIS II, Principles of Cartography, and Advanced Cartography and Geovisualization as well as newly developed courses.
• Maintain and update current course content and, if needed, develop new courses to meet programmatic needs and improve student success given new evolutions in geospatial data and technologies.
• Create an inclusive learning environment for a population of students with diverse backgrounds and professional/personal interests.
• Dependent upon course size, may supervise teaching assistants.
• Continue growth within the profession, keep current with the field, and broaden knowledge and expertise through activities such as reading primary literature, attending workshops/presentations at local and national meetings, and participating in GISc related activities such as the MN GIS/LIS Consortium. It is expected that these efforts will enhance the Lecturer's own teaching and will also benefit the wider GISc community through interaction between the Lecturer and colleagues.

20% Service and Professional Outreach

• Provide service through participation in governance of GES, CLA, and/or the University through membership in committees and leadership in professional organizations.
• Develop research, teaching, and public engagement related programming and activities for the GeoCommons including diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in student-focused experiences and associated active learning modules that integrate geospatial technologies, and spatial thinking into in-class and out-of-class experiences.
• Collaborate with U-Spatial and other units to strengthen GISc across the university including, for example, participating in the Esri Innovation Program (EIP) and coordinating licenses for GIS products
• Provide guidance in instruction and course development to GES colleagues.
• Advise students regarding both coursework and broader academic or career goals.

Requirements

Required Qualifications. At the time of appointment, the candidate must:

• demonstrate a commitment to supporting diverse and inclusive communities;
• possess a Masters or PhD in GIScience, geography, or a related field;
• have a record of teaching and student advising appropriate to career stage;
• demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively with students, practitioners, and the public;
• be proficient with geospatial tools, including ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, and other commercial and open source products in teaching and research settings; and
• be proficient with programming languages (e.g., SQL, Python, JavaScript, R).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with spatial databases and/or enterprise GIS environments (e.g., PostGIS, ArcGIS Server).
• Experience with cloud computing environments (e.g., AWS, Azure).
• Strong interest in linking undergraduate and graduate research to classroom experiences so as to promote student engagement in research.
• Interest and ability to conduct pedagogical research.
• Interest and ability to cooperate with colleagues to develop grant proposals to advance funding for instruction and scholarship of teaching and learning.

How To Apply

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https://hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/341847

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https://hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/int/341847

Screening of applications will begin on October 1, 2021, and continue until the position is filled. To be considered for this position, you must apply online through the hiring system. After filling out the application, please upload a cover letter, CV, a diversity and teaching statement, and a sample syllabus, lab and/or course activity. Please be advised: those applicants who are selected for further consideration will be asked for three professional letters of reference on short notice in mid-October.

Candidates will be evaluated according to

• overall quality of their credentials as a scholar-educator;
• relevance of their teaching record to the department's curricular priorities;
• evidence of commitment to teaching and skills as a teacher;
• demonstrated evidence of commitment to diversity and inclusion in teaching (to be described in a separate diversity and teaching statement);
• an example lab, course activity, or syllabus that explores GIS, data science and issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion;
• and strength of recommendations.

For questions about the application process, please contact the department administrator, Glen Powell, at powel160@umn.edu. For questions about the position, contact Professor Eric Shook at eshook@umn.edu

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-UOHR (8647).
The Chronicle of Higher Education. Keywords: Lecturer, Location: Minneapolis, MN - 55455