Job Announcement:

Open Rank Professor Position in the Digital Transformation of Education Interdisciplinary Cluster

Position available in Computer Science

As one of the leading land-grant universities in the nation, North Carolina State University is proud to announce its Chancellor’s Faculty Excellence Program, a cluster hire program that marks the first major initiative of the University’s 2011-2020 strategic plan, The Pathway to the Future.  Under this initiative, NC State will hire more than 40 faculty in 12 emerging research areas to promote interdisciplinary scholarship and the development of innovative undergraduate and graduate programs.   

One of the selected areas will expand the NC State University Digital Transformation of Education research cluster, which brings together efforts across multiple colleges that address the potential of information and communication technologies to enhance learning in formal and informal education settings.  This cluster has already filled four positions and we expect to recruit faculty for the following additional position during the 2014-2015 academic year:

Adaptive Game Technologies.  The Department of Computer Science seeks to fill a faculty position in adaptive games technologies, including but not limited to intelligent games, graphics for games, mobile gaming, human computer interaction in games, games analytics and player modeling. The Department is seeking a faculty member with a Ph.D. in computer science or closely related field who will establish a vigorous research and teaching program in the science of computer games, emphasizing applications relevant to the generation or analysis of game play supporting human learning across entertainment and/or serious games contexts.  The successful candidate is expected to be recognized as a leader in the development of new approaches to adaptive game technologies within the broad framework of the digital transformation of education.

The Digital Transformation of Education research cluster invites applications from nationally recognized researchers who are engaged in innovative and transformative scholarship that will further NC State’s position as a leader in research and development on educational innovation.  The successful candidate for each position will be expected to collaborate with the other NC State faculty through such venues as large-scale joint research and outreach projects, speaker series, and teaching initiatives.

While we anticipate hiring at the Associate or Full Professor levels, candidates at the Assistant Professor level with exceptional research records are also encouraged to apply.  Candidates are expected to have the following:

• A Ph.D. in an education, psychology, computer science, or a field closely related to the area of the application;
• Recognition as a leader in the development of new approaches to the relevant area within the broad framework of the digital transformation of education;
• Experience conducting innovative relevant work in a university, private sector, government, or non-profit organization;
• An established track record of success in funded research, publication and other measures of scholarly impact;
• Evidence of an ability to work with interdisciplinary collaborative teams, including collaborations across the university, private, non-profit, government, and education sectors.
• Strong capacity to teach at both undergraduate and graduate levels, including the capacity to mentor doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows.  

About the Digital Transformation of Learning Research Cluster

The collective work of the Cluster addresses issues of foundational research, classroom practices, and district and state policies.  Some examples include the following:  

• The IntelliMedia Group’s work on intelligent learning environments that utilize intelligent game-based learning environments, virtual humans, natural language processing, affective computing, and computational models of interactive narrative.
• The Digital Games Research Center, which focuses on the development of cognitive and computational models of game play, interactive narrative and adaptive game play in learning environments.  Additional work on educational applications of games takes place in the Mobile Gaming Research Lab and the Gains Through Gaming Lab.
• The New Literacies Collaborative at the Friday Institute, which focuses on research and practice reflecting the changing requirements of literacy in the global, digital world.
• The North Carolina K-12 Cloud Computing Infrastructure, in which the Friday Institute is leading the effort to provide robust, cost-effective Internet access, resources, and services to all K-12 schools throughout the state.
• The Digital Learning Collaborative, which supports school districts throughout the State in planning, implementing and evaluating technology-enabled educational innovations.
• The College of Education and Friday Institute’s projects evaluating technology-enabled educational innovations, including 1:1 technology programs, the North Carolina Virtual Public School, the State’s Race to the Top initiatives and many others.
• Research and development projects at the Friday Institute on the potential of technologies to enhance K-12 mathematics and science education.
• The Department of Psychology’s programs in Human Factors and Ergonomics and in Psychology in the Public Interest, which address issues of technology design and social impact.
• The Friday Institute’s recent work developing and researching MOOCs for Educators.

About North Carolina State University

Founded in 1887, NC State University is a land-grant institution distinguished by its exceptional quality of research, teaching, extension, and public service.  It is the largest university in the state, with more than 34,000 students and 8,000 faculty and staff.  NC State is one of two research-extensive institutions in the 17 campus University of North Carolina system.  It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as one of only 31 universities nationwide with both “very high” research activity and notable community engagement.  NC State consistently ranks among the nation’s top public universities and best higher-education values.  Its historic strengths in science and technology are supported by its commitment to excellence in a comprehensive range of fields, and its research strength is complemented by its extensive community engagement. Distinguished faculty include members of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and fellows in a large number of professional associations.

NC State is organized into 10 colleges that offer baccalaureate degrees in more than 110 fields, master’s degrees in over 100 fields, and doctoral degrees in 61.  The University has  more than 60 interdisciplinary research centers across a comprehensive array of disciplines.  The University is ranked seventh in industry-funded research and third in total state and local research among national research universities.  

NC State’s campuses in Raleigh include the Centennial Campus, a visionary academic enterprise and internationally recognized partnership model for university and industry research and collaboration. NC State anchors the Research Triangle region, home to many of the country’s leading Fortune 500 technology, research, and pharmaceutical companies, as well as other fine universities with whom we share uniquely collaborative relationships.

Raleigh and The Community        

National rankings consistently rate Raleigh and its surrounding region among the five best places in the country to live and work, with a highly educated workforce, moderate weather, reasonable cost of living, and a welcoming environment.  The capitol of North Carolina, Raleigh is situated in the Piedmont section of the state, with the Atlantic Ocean two hours to the east and the Blue Ridge Mountains three hours to the west.

Raleigh is the second-largest city in North Carolina, and is part of the Raleigh-Cary metropolitan statistical area (MSA) with an estimated population of 1.18 million. A collaborative, supportive environment for business and innovation and research collaborations with area universities and the Research Triangle Park (RTP) are compelling reasons for relocation to the area.

The NC State University Digital Transformation of Education research cluster has strong working relationships with schools throughout the region, state education and government leaders, and the many technology companies that have large facilities in the Triangle region, including, for example, SAS, IBM, Lenovo, CISCO, Wireless Generation, Epic Games, Electronic Arts and many others. 

 How to Apply

Confidential inquiries and nominations should be directed to Dr. Glenn Kleiman, Search Committee Chair at glenn_kleiman@ncsu.edu.

Applications will be considered upon receipt and each position will remain open until filled.  The anticipated start date for each position is August, 2014, but arrangements can be made for other starting dates.  Applicants should submit the following materials via the associated links below:

• Cover letter;
• Curriculum vitae;
• Research and teaching statement relating your work to that of the Digital Transformation of Education research cluster;
• Names and contact information of four references, including email addresses and phone numbers.  

Adpative Game Technolgies, Department of Computer Science, Assistant, Associate or Full Professor:  http://jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/7260

NC State University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability. In addition, NC State University welcomes all persons without regard to sexual orientation.  We welcome the opportunity to work with candidates to identify suitable employment opportunities for spouses or partners.