Visiting Assistant Professor in Biology for Honors and Women's Leadership Programs

This position is for a Visiting Assistant Professor in Biology for the special programs at the George Washington University in Washington, DC. The selected candidate will teach courses for both the Women's Leadership Program and the University Honors Program for the Fall 2024 semester. This is a one-semester appointment, without the possibility of reappointment.

The selected candidate will serve as the primary faculty and Program Coordinator for the Science, Health, & Medicine cohort of approximately 20 students in the WLP. They will teach one section of "Introductory Biology- Cells & Molecules" (4 credits, with lab) for this small class of motivated students. They will also work with the WLP Director and colleagues to integrate co-curricular offerings and activities to enhance the academic experiences of all WLP students through a weekly "Leadership Symposium". This 1 credit course gives students the opportunity to build professional and leadership skills and explore the work of women in STEM.

The selected candidate will teach 2 sections of "Scientific Reasoning and Discovery" (4 credits, with lab). This course engages UHP students in small (15-18 student), hands-on investigations of unique scientific topics, with all sections sharing the goal of increasing scientific literacy. The selected candidate may choose to teach the same topic (Introductory Biology) for both the WLP and the UHP, but is also encouraged to propose for the UHP a course focused on a different topic related to their own interests and expertise that would be appropriate for an audience of capable but primarily non- STEM majoring students. Course topics and descriptions of recent biology related sections have included topics such as "Climate Change Biology." Biotechnology", "Plants and Society," etc.

Teach one section of BISC 1111- Introductory Biology. This is a 4-credit course, taught twice a week, on Tuesday 9:00am-10:50am and Thursday 9:00am-12:50pm. The longer Thursday schedule includes laboratory time. A Graduate Teaching Assistant will be provided to assist with laboratory teaching, study sessions, and grading for 10 hours per week.

Teach two sections of HONR 1033- Scientific Reasoning & Discovery. This is a 4-credit course, taught for 2 hours twice a week with labs integrated into class time. Timing of these sections is flexible, given classroom availability and instructor preference.

Co-teach one section of WLP 1110- Women's Leadership Symposium. This is a 1-credit experiential course taught once weekly, on Thursday from 6:10pm-8:00pm. Most of the class meetings will be arranged jointly with the other WLP cohort faculty, with 2-4 class meetings to be arranged by the instructor to have a scientific or medical focus. No lecture is expected for this course.

Additional responsibilities: Attend the WLP Orientation on August 15 & 16; hold office hours on campus for 3 hours weekly; and attend monthly faculty meetings with WLP.

The instructor will be provided with a private office in the Academic Bldg on GW's Mount Vernon Campus ( MVC) in Washington, D.C., which is easily accessible via campus shuttle from Foggy Bottom. Parking is also available on the MVC. All courses and WLP orientation are held on the MVC.

Minimum Qualifications: Applicants must have experience teaching biology at the undergraduate level and a demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion in the classroom. They must hold a Masters in Biology or a related field.

The Elizabeth J. Somers Women's Leadership Program (WLP) is a selective, living-learning program for first year students to build leadership skills within the context of their discipline and as part of a supportive community. Students enroll in one of 4 WLP cohorts: Globalization, Economics, & Business; International Arts & Culture; Science, Health, & Medicine; or International Politics. Students take foundational courses in their field of study in small classes with their cohort faculty members, as well as a year-long, experiential leadership symposium course.

University Honors Program

Built upon an interdisciplinary experience, the University Honors Program (UHP) is a four-year program which acts like a small liberal-arts college within the greater GW.
First-year UHP students live together and engage in two foundational courses each semester with UHP faculty: "Origins and Evolution of Modern Thought" and "Scientific Reasoning and Discovery."

Diversity, equity, and inclusion ( DEI) are core principles of the WLP and UHP, and we are committed to building and sustaining a community that is supportive and inclusive of all individuals. Strong candidates will have experience and vision regarding teaching and mentorship of students of multiple and diverse backgrounds with attention to structural barriers that limit access to educational opportunities. The university has a strong commitment to achieving diversity among faculty and staff, and we are particularly interested in receiving applications from members of historically marginalized groups. Learn more about our commitment via the GW Statement on Diversity and Inclusion.

To be considered, please submit an online application and upload a CV, cover letter, and a brief (1-2 paragraph) description of the proposed topic for UHP sections (including a description of at least one possible lab), and a recent set of student evaluations (or other teaching evaluations, as appropriate). Review of applications will begin on March 25, 2024 and continue until the position is filled. Only complete applications will be considered. Questions may be directed to Dr. Carly Jordan at cnjordan@gwu.edu.

The George Washington University seeks to attract an active, culturally and academically diverse faculty of the highest caliber. The George Washington University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.