The University of Alabama

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Advertising and Artificial Intelligence

The Department of Advertising and Public Relations, housed in the College of Communication and Information Sciences (C&IS) at The University of Alabama, invites applications for a nine-month tenure-track faculty appointment at the rank of assistant professor in advertising with a focus on artificial intelligence beginning in August 2025. The ideal candidate will have expertise in AI-driven innovations in advertising, computational advertising, programmatic advertising, and/or ad effectiveness in AI advertising. Candidates with additional expertise in Machine Learning, Artificial Neural Networks, Supervised and Unsupervised Learning, and/or Deep Learning and their applications within the domains of advertising and/or digital marketing are of particular interest. Applicants should demonstrate evidence of or potential for publishing an impactful research stream within the advertising discipline. Additionally, the ability to teach courses in AI research methods, analysis and insights, social and digital media, channel planning, advanced digital marketing, emerging technologies in A+PR, and media strategy and analytics would be preferred.

About the Department of Advertising & Public Relations

The Department of Advertising & Public Relations houses a growing community of faculty, staff, and students with various research and professional interests. The department faculty engage in a variety of successful cross-campus collaborations and leadership roles, including directorships in multiple communication-oriented labs and the Institute for Communication & Information Research within the college’s Office for Research, Scholarship, & Creative Activity.

The advertising and public relations undergraduate programs are ACEJMC-accredited. Advertising majors have four options: a general major or a concentration in brand management, advertising creative, or integrated channel planning. Public Relations majors have the option of a general or digital communication concentration. The graduate program awards a Master of Arts in advertising and public relations. The two-year residential program offers an individualized track and more specialized advertising, creative, and media strategy concentrations. The graduate program also provides distance-learning concentrations in digital communication and marketing communication management.

The Department is home to the award-winning Minerva advertising portfolio program and the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations. It has been listed by PRWeek magazine as one of the top five programs in the country and APR teams have been recognized in national student competitions including the American Advertising Federation’s National Student Advertising Competition and the Washington Media Scholars Foundation Case Competition. Students gain extensive practical experience before graduation through multiple outlets, including work with the student-run Capstone Agency and industry clients such as NASCAR, the Country Music Association, McLaren Automotive, Twitch, and Tervis.

About the College of Communication & Information Sciences

The College of Communication & Information Sciences has four academic units, approximately 110 full-time faculty members, and serves approximately 3,500 students across bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs, including approximately 95 students in the college-wide Ph.D. program. The college’s Institute for Communication & Information Research (ICIR) is a premier research institute dedicated to addressing societal and cultural issues related to communication and information research. The ICIR collaborates with businesses, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, foundations, and other entities to produce high-impact research that informs and improves our evolving communication and information landscape. The College is also home to the Public Opinion Lab, equipped with the Sprinklr data warehouse and custom data collection and management resources; a biometrics lab outfitted with state-of-the-art iMotions software and associated hardware; and the near-term development of an interactive VR/theater lab, among others. The college is also home to the Holle Center for Communication Arts, whose mission is guided by a commitment to advance narrative justice through innovative and arts-informed research, community engagement, and creative co-operation. The college also maintains the 40,000 square-foot Digital Media Center, which is home to Alabama Public Radio and WVUA 23, a full-power commercial television station serving a top-50 television market.

About the University of Alabama

Located in Tuscaloosa, the University of Alabama is the state’s flagship public university and offers a full course of academic programs and social life to its over 40,000 students. The university maintains several research institutes that unite researchers from various disciplines, including faculty in the Department of Advertising & Public Relations, to address pertinent societal issues. These include the Alabama Cyber Institute, Alabama Life Research Institute, Alabama Materials Institute, Alabama Transportation Institute, and Alabama Water Institute, among others. As the state’s flagship university and a sea-grant and space-grant institution, the University of Alabama and its students and faculty address challenges at the cutting edge of scientific inquiry while also driving economic growth and serving the societal needs of the state, regional, national, and global community. The university is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

About Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The city of Tuscaloosa has a diverse metropolitan population of more than 100,000 and offers an excellent quality of life and various multicultural resources and opportunities. The walkable downtown offers many cultural and outdoor activities, a wide variety of local restaurants spanning a broad range of cuisines, monthly art walks, a 7,470-seat outdoor amphitheater, and a very reasonable cost of living. Tuscaloosa is a morning’s drive from the Smoky Mountains, Gulf Coast beaches, New Orleans, Nashville, Memphis, and Atlanta.

To apply, go to http://careers.ua.edu/cw/en-us/job/524219  and provide the following:

• Cover letter highlighting how your research, teaching, and service/leadership have prepared you to contribute to the development of a larger agenda for advancing advertising and artificial intelligence
• CV
• Names and contact information for three references
• Evidence of teaching effectiveness

Review of applications will begin September 15, 2024, and applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Questions regarding the search should be directed to the search chair, Dr. Nancy Brinson at .

The University of Alabama is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Women and individuals from historically underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Doctorate in Advertising, Mass Communication, Communication Marketing, or closely related field completed by start date of appointment. ABDs will be considered.
• Scholarly activity in advertising or AI-focused journals, university presses, or other publication outlets consistent with departmental expectations for the rank of assistant professor.
• Record of teaching effectiveness, including courses in advertising, public relations, digital media,  and/or other communication-related fields.

Preferred Qualifications (considered after all minimum qualifications are met):

• Evidence of or potential for attracting extramural funding.
• Potential for and interest in leading multidisciplinary research and/or grant teams.
• Professional experience involving the application of AI in advertising or public relations.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity of thought, experiences and backgrounds.