University of Colorado Boulder
Open Rank Professor of Environmental Journalism & Director of the Center for Environmental Journalism
Department of Journalism
Job Summary: The Department of Journalism in the College of Media, Communication and Information (CMCI) at the University of Colorado Boulder invites applications for a tenure-track open-rank professor of environmental journalism. The successful candidate will also be appointed as the Faculty Director of the college’s Center for Environmental Journalism (CEJ).
Established in 1992, and one of the world’s preeminent centers of its kind, the CEJ’s goal is to enrich public understanding of environmental issues by elevating the quality, range, and depth of coverage by journalists. The CEJ does this by helping seasoned and emerging journalists enhance their knowledge of the scientific, economic, political, and social aspects of these issues. The CEJ includes oversight of the Ted Scripps Fellowships in Environmental Journalism and the Water Desk.
The successful candidate will be a full-time tenured member of the Department of Journalism and expected to contribute commeasurably to the department, college and university. Roughly 20% of the successful candidate’s appointment will be dedicated to service as the Director of the CEJ. The responsibilities of this position include the supervision of a staff of three people (the CEJ’s Program Manager, and two Water Desk co-directors), and oversight of the CEJ-directed work of the Assistant Director of the CEJ; budget and fund-raising for existing and new programs and initiatives; the Ted Scripps Fellowships in Environmental Journalism; The Water Desk. As part of these responsibilities, the Director oversees the organization of symposia and seminars; planning weekly seminars and regular field trips for the Scripps program; selection, on-boarding and support of Scripps Fellows; planning and administration of all aspects of The Water Desk; planning and administration of new and existing CEJ initiatives, programs and projects.
The successful candidate will identify within the broad field of journalism but specialize in an area that could fit under a very broad definition of environmental or science journalism. We will consider both academics and professionals for this job. If the successful candidate researches environmental journalism, the department strongly prefers someone well-grounded in journalism studies and open to creative interchange with colleagues practicing a variety of qualitative, quantitative and practice-based methodologies while researching and teaching journalism and media through both a social science and humanistic approach. All candidates should also have demonstrated commitment to and experience with inclusive pedagogies and the mentoring of a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate students.
In addition to the service commitments above, the position is responsible for teaching 2 courses each academic year, usually assigned as 1 course per semester, and is expected to commit 40% of their effort to maintaining a strong national and/or international scholarly/creative work profile within their discipline.
Minimum Qualifications
- An MA in journalism or a closely allied field is required at the time of appointment.
- At least one year teaching at the undergraduate level.
Preferred Qualifications
- A PhD in journalism or a closely allied field is preferred.
- An already tenured candidate is strongly preferred. We will, though, consider candidates whose body of scholarly/creative work, teaching experience, and record of service make a clear case that they would receive an award of tenure from the University of Colorado through the University’s requisite hire with tenure processes. Salary is commensurate with experience.
- Three or more years teaching at the undergraduate level is preferred.
- Experience teaching at the graduate level is preferred.
Who We Are: In 2022, the Department of Journalism at the University of Colorado-Boulder celebrates its 100th anniversary as a degree-granting organization within CU Boulder. Faculty members are prominent in both the academic and professional organizations. The Department of Journalism is a vibrant and engaged community of scholars and practitioners who share a commitment to the highest ethical and innovative ways to teach and research about journalism. The Department offers BA and MA degrees in journalism. The Department also offers a PhD degree in journalism studies.
Established in 2015, the College of Media, Communication and Information is at the forefront of the revolution in communication and digital technology. CMCI prides itself on offering students an interdisciplinary education with a focus on innovation and creativity. Our students and faculty from six departments and an independent PhD program think across boundaries, innovate around emerging problems and create culture that transcends convention.
CMCI strives to be a community whose excellence is premised on diversity, equity, access and inclusion. We seek candidates who share this commitment and demonstrate understanding of the experiences of those historically underrepresented in higher education. We welcome applications from minoritized racial and ethnic identities, ciswomen, non-normative genders and sexualities, persons with disabilities, and others who have encountered legacies of marginalization.
The position will begin in August of 2025. To apply, candidates must submit a letter of application, a current CV, a copy of one published article or other representative research, and evidence of teaching success including a statement that details your commitment and experience with issues of diversity, equity and inclusion in the classroom and with mentoring. In addition, candidates should provide the names and contact information (affiliations and e-mail addresses) for three people who will provide letters of recommendation upon request. The deadline for applications is October 31, 2024.
If you have any questions, please contact Department Chair Pat Ferrucci at or search committee chair Tom Yulsman at .
To apply, please follow this link: https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/Professor-of-Environmental-Journalism/59015
