The School of Mathematical & Natural Sciences invites applications for School Director. The School of Mathematical & Natural Sciences is part of the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences (New College) at Arizona State University, (ASU).  The successful candidate in this role will provide inspirational vision, leadership, and management in an innovative interdisciplinary School. Additionally, they will have experience guiding interdisciplinary and collaborative teams, such as those that exist between the mathematical and natural sciences in this School. The successful candidate will steer a dynamic School with rapidly growing undergraduate and Master's degree programs, support and stimulate high-quality research programs and promote an inclusive environment. As all activities at ASU are guided by the ASU Charter, the School Director will provide leadership driven by the principles outlined in this statement. Finally, they will promote a dynamic long-term vision for growth, collegiality, transparent and clear communication, and consensus around shared objectives and demonstrate the ability to envision and pursue new opportunities. We are seeking exceptional candidates who meet the expectations for appointment at the rank of Full Professor, at ASU.

About the School:

The School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences (SMNS), in the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences (https://newcollege.asu.edu/smns) at Arizona State University, is an interdisciplinary mathematical and natural sciences unit that encompasses computing, statistics, mathematics, biology, environmental science and justice, chemistry, pharmacology/toxicology, geology, and physics; it prides itself in interdisciplinary collaborations among these research areas and with fellow New College Schools of Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies, Interdisciplinary Forensics, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. SMNS embraces the ideal of a fully inclusive and welcoming STEM community and seeks candidates who will create a climate that attracts and supports the success of students of all races, nationalities, and genders. We strongly encourage women and underrepresented minorities to apply. Our School is committed to recruiting and retaining students and faculty from groups that have historically been underrepresented in the sciences. We offer undergraduate degrees across the mathematical and natural sciences, and one interdisciplinary M.S. degree in Biological Data Science. Faculty in SMNS have the opportunity to work in a unit that values innovative research and undergraduate and Master’s education equally while being housed in an R1 university. This has created the opportunity for our student population to obtain individual faculty mentorship on the West Valley Campus of ASU, which provides a close-knit residential campus setting.

About the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences:

At ASU’s New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, we take pride in breaking down disciplinary barriers, cultivating an environment where innovative research flourishes. Our faculty are not just educators; they are trailblazers in their fields, consistently expanding the frontiers of knowledge. We invite you to join this dynamic community, where you will lead and engage in pioneering projects that redefine academic excellence. Our interdisciplinary approach offers you unparalleled opportunities for personal and professional growth. By joining our faculty, you’re not just advancing your career; you’re shaping the future of education and research in meaningful ways. You’ll be empowered to innovate and address complex global challenges, all while preparing the next generation of leaders. We are committed to supporting and guiding you throughout your academic journey, ensuring that your contributions are impactful and transformative. For more information visit us at https://newcollege.asu.edu/. New College is located on ASU’s West Valley campus, blending a liberal arts education with 21st-century workforce preparation and a learning hub for students of all ages and backgrounds supporting the rapid growth of its surrounding 14 communities. Integrating modern amenities with the natural beauty of outdoor spaces, the West Valley campus offers over 125 undergraduate and graduate degree programs across business, engineering, education, and the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences. 

About Arizona State University: 

Arizona State University, ranked the No. 1 “Most Innovative School” in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for nine years in succession, has forged the model for a New American University. Year after year, ASU ranks at or near the top of the list in areas that matter. ASU is a comprehensive public research institution, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves. ASU operates on the principles that learning is a personal and original journey for each student; that they thrive on experience and that the process of discovery cannot be bound by traditional academic disciplines. Through innovation and a commitment to accessibility, ASU has drawn pioneering researchers to its faculty even as it expands opportunities for qualified students, attracting some of the highest-quality students from all 50 states and more than 130 nations. To learn more about ASU, visit http://www.asu.edu.

All we do at ASU is guided and inspired by the University Charter, which reads: 

ASU is a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves.

Successful candidates will demonstrate throughout their materials how their teaching, research, and service and leadership style will contribute to the fulfillment of this charter. 

Essential Functions of the Position:

To provide administrative vision, leadership, and management for the school to continue advancing: 

• high-quality research among a rapidly growing community of tenured/tenure track and career track faculty;
• student enrollment, building on multi-year double-digit percent growth; 
• impactful education through undergraduate research and innovative programmatic development and funding; 
• interdisciplinarity within SMNS and New College; 

• collegiality by developing transparent processes and clearly communicating and building; 
• the school’s commitment to the ASU Charter and its goals of inclusion and access;
• consensus around shared objectives; and
• teach courses in relevant areas.

Required Qualifications:

• Doctorate or terminal degree that falls within the School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences or related field.
• A record of success warranting appointment as a full professor with tenure at ASU.

Desired Qualifications: 

• An externally funded program of research in an area of expertise that complements existing strengths and needs of SMNS
• The ability to promote and lead new and existing interdisciplinary collaborations in research and teaching
• Enthusiasm for developing new initiatives, new programs, and/or new curricula
• Evidence of leadership experience in an interdisciplinary program or Center, and/or administrative experience within a School, Department, or College

• Demonstrated commitment to working successfully with students from a wide variety of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, including first-generation college students

• An appropriate record of university and professional service
• Ability and commitment to oversee multi-annual goals and development within the school
• Enthusiasm and commitment to building institutional culture
• Demonstrated ability to fulfill the mission of the ASU Charter

• A record of effective teaching and mentoring.

About ASU West Valley Campus

ASU serves more than 80,000 students in metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, the nation's fifth-largest city. ASU champions intellectual and cultural diversity and welcomes students from all fifty states and more than one hundred nations across the globe.

Connections working at ASU West Valley Campus