Michigan State: Professor, Guyer Seevers Endowed Chair

Position Summary

The Department of Community Sustainability (CSUS) in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) at Michigan State University invites applications for the Guyer-Seevers Endowed Chair in Natural Resources Conservation, a tenure system position at the level of full professor. This position is named after three people who devoted their careers to natural resources conservation: the late Dr. Gordon Guyer, the late Mrs. Norma Guyer, and Dr. Gary L. Seevers. We seek a colleague with a clear vision of establishing an integrated program of research, Extension and teaching who embraces the Department’s core value of community engagement.

We seek candidates who address conservation at the intersections of different spaces, including the physical connectedness of different types of natural resources across the landscape and the overlay of social and political organization at multiple scales. Such a candidate would have the ability to work across boundaries. They would have particular insight on both the importance and challenges of bringing together stakeholders across jurisdictions to tackle landscape-level conservation challenges such as water, climate, biodiversity and environmental justice.

Minimum Requirements

The successful candidate will:

• Hold a disciplinary or interdisciplinary PhD in an area related to natural resources, sustainability, the environment, or other relevant fields.

• Have a strong grounding and interest in current literature relating to sustainability issues and problem-solving.

• Have a strong track record of:

• • Research that integrates Extension and/or engagement with various groups or publics resulting in peer-reviewed publications.

• • External funding to support research and Extension/outreach.

• • Collaborative interdisciplinary inquiry that supports natural resources conservation.

• • Commitment to on-the-ground, community-centered, problem solving.

• • Scholarly teaching.

desired Requirements

• Strong knowledge of the natural, social, economic, cultural, and political systems of the Great Lakes region.

• Working relationships with national and/or regional conservation agencies and organizations that operate in the Great Lakes region.

• A history of collaboration with diverse stakeholders, including: natural resources agencies, nonprofits, higher education, Tribal organizations, policymakers, and community groups.

responsibilities:

The Guyer-Seevers Chair will be expected to build a nationally prominent, globally relevant program of scholarship with an emphasis on natural resources conservation issues in Michigan and the Great Lakes Region, supporting the Department’s focus on sustainability. The position assignment will be 40% research, 30% Extension/outreach, and 30% teaching.

The Chair will:

• Develop and maintain an active record of high-quality publications and competitive grants.

• Design and deliver high-quality classroom instruction.

• Collaborate with stakeholders on initiatives designed to address critical natural resources issues.

• Cultivate leadership in organizational and civic environments.

• Promote an ethic of sustainability in natural resources policy making and management.

• Influence the development of future natural resources conservation practitioners and academicians.

• Administer the Guyer Public Policy Internship endowed scholarship program.

application process:

For consideration, submit your application online at http://careers.msu.edu to job number 932021. Upload the following required documents:

1. Letter of interest that includes qualifications for the position addressing research and Extension and/or engagement, highlighting how your experiences align with the position (up to 4 pages);

2. Current curriculum vitae;

3. Statement of leadership and community engagement philosophy that highlights your experience and alignment with our desired qualifications (up to 2 pages);

4. Statement of how you will contribute to our diversity, equity and inclusion goals (1-2 pages);

5. Teaching philosophy (1 page); and

6. Contact information for three professional references.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.