Deputy Director, School for the Future of Innovation in Society (Job #12731)

Arizona State University’s School for the Future of Innovation in Society (SFIS) seeks a tenured associate or full professor to serve as its deputy director. We seek a dynamic leader who will work closely with SFIS founding director Professor David Guston, SFIS leadership, and leaders from across the university in designing and implementing academic initiatives at the heart of the School’s activities.

SFIS (sfis.asu.edu) is among the newest elements of ASU’s approach to building a “New American University” (http://newamericanuniversity.asu.edu/). The School takes a radically interdisciplinary and problem-oriented approach to questions of innovation-in-society, socio-technological systems, anticipation and futures, and similar areas of inquiry. It enlists the efforts of roughly fifty faculty members (tenured and tenure track, teaching, and research) from nearly 40 different PhD disciplines and a half-dozen non-PhD preparations; about one-quarter of its faculty are shared with other academic units.

The School currently hosts undergraduate degrees (BS and BA) in innovation in society, long-standing graduate programs (PhD in Human and Social Dimensions of Science and Technology, Master of Science and Technology Policy, and MS in Global Technology and Development [face to face and online]), and a new PhD in Innovation in Global Development. It also offers several certificates and has an ambitious agenda to build its enrollment through both expansion of current programs and the introduction of new ones. SFIS is also deeply committed to contributing to university-wide programmatic developments, e.g., the Mesa City Center Initiative around digital futures and the Global Futures Initiative. With its motto, “the future is for everyone,” the School is committed in its intellectual approach to diversity and inclusion.

SFIS has an externally funded research portfolio of approximately $5 million. The School provides robust opportunities for intellectual fusion, use-inspired research, and global engagement via ongoing projects and centers, particularly the Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes (CSPO; www.cspo.org) - consistently ranked one of the top science and technology policy think tanks in the world – and the emerging Institute for the Future of Innovation in Society (ifis.asu.edu), with ten core research centers and nearly two dozen allied centers a focal point of interdisciplinary research at ASU.

The successful candidate will be one who embraces the ideas behind ASU’s self-conception as a New American University and the mission articulated in ASU’s Charter. Their time as deputy director will primarily be spent developing and leading important School initiatives, including advancing new degree and continuing/professional education programs – both in person and online – and expanding enrollment in the school. The deputy director will also represent the School at both internal university functions and in external ones. Details of the portfolio will depend on the specific talents and interests of the individual. The successful candidate will teach one course per year and be expected to maintain an active research/creative program.

Required: PhD or doctoral equivalent or terminal degree in an appropriate field.  Experience in conceiving, initiating, and implementing academic programs and working in a broad interdisciplinary environment. Ability to learn quickly on the job and to adapt to dynamic environments. Must be tenured in current position and successful in an expedited tenure review process at ASU or able to be tenured through pre-hire expedited review process based on the current standards of SFIS and ASU.

Desired:  Experience engaging with stakeholders inside and outside the university, including public and private sectors. Experience of or demonstrated potential for successful leadership within an academic or research setting. Skills in teaching and mentoring students and early career researchers.

To apply, please submit: 1) a detailed cover letter that includes a description of the applicant's administrative experience and research and teaching interests (limited to 4 pages); 2) a current Curriculum Vitae; and 3) the names, email addresses and telephone numbers of three references. All materials should be submitted as a single PDF document to sfis@asu.edu. Review of applications will begin Friday March 8, 2019 and, if not filled, a review will occur every Friday thereafter until the search is closed. A background check is required for employment.

Arizona State University is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor and an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer committed to excellence through diversity (see ASU’s Prohibition Against Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation policy at http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd401.html). All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law (see ASU’s Title IX policy at https://www.asu.edu/titleIX/). Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.