The University of Houston seeks applicants for a nine-month, Presidential Frontier Faculty tenure-track assistant professor position effective Fall 2022. The Presidential Frontier Faculty program is a university-wide integrated interdisciplinary hiring campaign that is overseen by central university leadership, and encompasses hiring a large cohort of convergence research faculty to work on health, energy, sustainability and security. The position will be a joint appointment in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (COMD), Department of Health and Human Performance (HHP)), and the College of Medicine (COM), Department of Clinical Sciences. The ideal candidate will have an earned Ph.D. in a field related to neuroscience with a research focus on motor control, motor learning, technology, or biomedical engineering that will complement and expand expertise and research in both departments. Responsibilities include developing and maintaining a funded line of research, teaching graduate and/or undergraduate classes in area of expertise that complements that of the current faculty and directing student research.
Candidates need to create bridges between COMD, HHP, and COM by engaging in activities such as
- Development of assistive technology that improve or compensate for fine motor control for basic actions of daily living and communication as speech, gestures, or control of augmentative and alternative communication devices
- Advance basic science of motor control and motor learning that underlie speech, swallowing, and actions of daily living
- Determine impact of sensory feedback on motor learning or motor control associated with development or disease processes
- Characterize neural control of movement and neurological disorders (dystonias, degenerative diseases) that impact speech, swallowing, or actions of daily living
- Utilize machine learning methods to identify or characterize abnormal motor control and associated outcomes
- Develop telehealth/remote monitoring of functional movements (speech, swallowing), and daily activities (reaching, standing, walking)
The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders has a CAA-accredited program in Speech-Language Pathology (www.class.uh.edu/comd). We value diversity and strive to be a welcoming, inclusive center for research, education, and clinical service. We have approximately 300 undergraduate and 80 graduate students. Degrees offered include: B.A. and B.S. degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders, an M.A. degree in Speech-Language Pathology, and a Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Our on-campus University Speech-Language-Hearing clinic provides services to the greater Houston area that represent diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds, ages, disorders and etiologies.
The Department of Health and Human Performance has multiple undergraduate and master's degree programs with over 2,500 students in these programs. We offer a Ph.D. in Kinesiology with emphasis in the following areas: Motor Behavior, Exercise Physiology, Community Health Promotion, and Sports and Fitness Administration. We currently have 28 students in our Ph.D. program. The philosophy of the Department is one of interdisciplinary collaboration, including formal collaborations with faculty from 9 of the 14 colleges at UH and many coinvestigators from the Texas Medical Center (TMC) and institutions nationwide.
Faculty in both departments use data-intensive methods, imaging, automation processes, materials, and advanced manufacturing principles to innovate and solve real world societal problems, particularly in the areas of movement and communication disorders, improving healthcare accessibility, and developing technology to address the impact of disease.
The College of Medicine is a new, community-based medical school that enrolled its first class of medical students in July 2020. COM’s mission is to improve the health and healthcare of the population of Greater Houston, Texas and beyond, by training a diverse group of physicians who will practice in the primary care and other needed medical specialties in underserved communities; conduct interdisciplinary research to find innovative solutions to problems in health and healthcare; provide excellent, evidence-based high value care to patients and families through interprofessional healthcare teams; and engage and partner with communities with significant health disparities to improve health and healthcare. COM faculty are actively involved in research in a number of areas including population health, value-based care, health promotion and disease prevention, and chronic disease management.
The University of Houston, a Carnegie designated Tier One public research university, is centrally located in the vibrant international city of Houston, Texas. The fourth largest city in the nation, Houston is a dynamic cultural and business center. The University of Houston is located with convenient access to downtown and within four miles of the nationally and internationally recognized Texas Medical Center, with more than 30 medical facilities affording numerous opportunities for collaboration. Each year we educate over 46,000 students and are one of the most culturally diverse campuses in the U.S.
The University of Houston, with one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation, seeks to recruit and retain a diverse community of scholars. We welcome candidates whose experience in teaching, research, or community service has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and excellence.
The University of Houston is responsive to the needs of dual career couples.
Applicants are to apply at jobs.uh.edu posting number FAC001984 under the faculty employment link. The search will continue until the position is filled.
The University of Houston is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Minorities, women, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Additionally, the University of Houston prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.