Sustainability

Associate Professor in Ecological Justice

Associate Professor in Ecological Justice

Deadline to Apply: August 1, 2023

The Department of Psychology and the Environmental Justice Program (EJP) at Georgetown University invite applications for a tenure-track Associate professor to begin in August 2023. We seek a colleague with an earned Ph.D. in Psychology conducting research at the interface of psychology and environmental justice to further our understanding of how environmental issues may affect individual and collective perceptions, decisions, and behaviors. 

Research areas of interest include but are not limited to the disproportionate impact of environmental conditions on underrepresented groups, the mental health impacts of environmental conditions within and between generations, the relationship between the understanding of risks imposed by climate change and behavior, individual and collective behavior in the context of environmental disasters, and the barriers and drivers of actions to sustain and promote environmental justice. 

Candidates will be expected to have an innovative research program as demonstrated by high quality publications and successful external research support or the potential for such, a strong record of teaching, and a keen interest in interdisciplinary environmental work. The successful candidate will be appointed jointly in the EJP and the Psychology Department, with tenure in the Psychology Department. We seek candidates with a collaborative mindset who are interested in fostering a highly creative, interdisciplinary research and teaching environment. As a member of the Psychology and EJP research communities, this position will be invited to contribute to the seminars, working paper series, and other activities of the Psychology Department, EJP and the Earth Commons Institute

In addition to research, the responsibilities of the position include teaching one course per semester and participating in the intellectual life of the department. Participation in the intellectual life of the department will likely include opportunities for advising and mentoring students at all levels, involvement in reading groups and departmental events, and research collaborations with students and faculty. 

The Environmental Justice Program brings together researchers from across the social and natural sciences, and humanities to advance frameworks and solutions for equitable transitions to ecological/environmental sustainability. EJP studies the political and social conditions favoring fair sustainability scenarios based on economic and climate models. The purpose of these models and scenarios is to provide a toolkit to governments, businesses, and communities affected by the ecological crisis to guide mitigation and adaptation action and minimize the impact on marginalized populations.

The Psychology Department is engaged in research addressing both basic psychological processes and social issues that include contextual challenges to human development, the impact of social systems and structures on psychological processes, and more. The department offers an undergraduate major in psychology, an honors program, and a doctoral degree with concentrations in Lifespan Cognitive Neuroscience and in Human Development and Public Policy. 

Georgetown seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce as a reflection of our commitment to service, to maintain the excellence of the University, and to offer our students richly varied disciplines, perspectives, and ways of knowing and learning. The University is interested in candidates who have demonstrated commitment to excellence by providing leadership in teaching, research, and service toward building an equitable and diverse scholarly environment. Women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.

For questions related to this position, please contact: Jennifer Woolard, Professor of Psychology and Search Committee Co-Chair, at jlw47@georgetown.edu