Positions Available:

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY; DEPARTMENT HEAD

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY; EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGIST

Department Head - The Department of Biology at Western Kentucky University invites nominations and applications for the position of Head of the Department of Biology. The successful candidate will provide enabling leadership and vision for an active, collegial department with an established record of excellence in undergraduate education, a growing graduate program, and an active multidisciplinary, international research program. The successful candidate will lead by embodying and advocating the guiding principles of the department, including a commitment to excellence in teaching, research and service.

The appointment is to begin July 01, 2009, although a January 02, 2009 start date will be considered. The successful candidate must have a Ph.D. in the life sciences, hold the rank of Full Professor or be eligible for promotion to the rank of Full Professor at the time of appointment and have a demonstrated record of excellence in teaching, research and administration. 

The Department of Biology currently has 24 full-time faculty positions and typically employs eight to ten full-time technicians and postdocs. In addition to the main campus in Bowling Green, we employ instructors at several branch campuses throughout the region. Our student body comprises 600+ undergraduates and approximately 60 M.S. students. Potential applicants may discover more about our department at http://bioweb.wku.edu/headsearch2008/.

Western Kentucky University is a comprehensive university with a vision to become a “leading American university with international reach,” a philosophy embodied by the Department of Biology. WKU is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, a growing city of 60,000+ in a state noted for its high quality of life, modest cost of living, and increasing cultural diversity. With an enrollment of more than 19,000 students in undergraduate and graduate programs, the University has grown 28% in the last ten years and is poised to increase enrollment significantly by 2020.

Interested applicants should submit a letter of interest, a current CV, a statement of philosophy and priorities for teaching, research, service and departmental leadership, and the names and contact information for five references. Review of applications will begin October 10, 2008, and will continue until the position is filled.

Submit applications and nominations to:
Biology Department Head Search
Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd. #11080
Bowling Green, KY  42101-1080

Western Kentucky University is committed to the promotion of stewardship and student engagement. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply including women, minorities, persons with disabilities and disabled veterans. Western Kentucky University is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer.

More about WKU Biology

Evolutionary Biologist

The Department of Biology at Western Kentucky University invites applications for a nine-month, tenure-track appointment as Assistant Professor in Evolutionary Biology. Candidates with expertise in any field of evolutionary biology including population genetics, morphological and molecular evolution, evolution of development and evolution of behavior are encouraged to apply. Ph.D. required, post-doctoral experience preferred.

Additional qualifications include ability to teach and mentor undergraduate and graduate students with a high level of effectiveness, excellence in research, commitment to pursuit of extramural funding and willingness to participate in departmental and university service. Teaching responsibilities will include undergraduate and graduate courses in Evolution and other subjects suitable to the successful candidate's area of expertise. The ability to teach introductory biology or biostatistics is desirable, as is a willingness to participate in campus bioinformatics initiatives.

Submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, separate statements of teaching and research interests, up to three representative reprints and three letters of recommendation. Application materials may be sent as an e-mail attachment in the form of a single PDF file to evolution.search@wku.edu or mailed to Evolutionary Biology Search, Department of Biology, Western Kentucky University, 1906 College Heights Boulevard #11080, Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101-1080.

Review of applications begins November 7, 2008 and will continue until the position is filled. Preferred start date is August 15, 2009. For more detailed information about the department visit http://bioweb.wku.edu. Western Kentucky University is committed to the promotion of stewardship and student engagement. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply including women, minorities, persons with disabilities and disabled veterans. Western Kentucky University is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer.

Who we are: Biology Department: 1906 College Heights Blvd., #11080 Bowling Green, Ky. 42101-1080. Phone; (270) 745-3696; Fax; (270) 745-6856.

Interim Department Head: Dr. Ken Crawford - Please email us at: biology@wku.edu.

The Department of Biology is comprised of 28 faculty and academic professionals, approximately 60 full-time M. S. students and 600 undergraduate majors. The department is home to the Center for Biodiversity Studies, BISC (Informatics) Center and Biotechnology Center, integral parts of Western's Applied Research and Technology Program (ARTP). In 1998, the ARTP was recognized as a Program of Distinction by the state Council on Postsecondary Education. The Department of Biology has cooperative research agreements in place with the National Park Service, NSF, USDA, EPA, and participates in the NIH-sponsored Kentucky Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network/INBRE and SKyTeach.

The department owns or manages over 700 acres of land to establish the Western Kentucky University Upper Green River Biological Preserve. In addition, the department owns a 43 acre farm on the outskirts of Bowling Green (approximately 20 min. from campus). Both of these properties are used for class field trips and research activities by members of the department.

The Biology Department has moved its research labs and some teaching labs into the newly constructed, $20-million, Complex for Engineering and Biological Sciences and the currently under construction, New Snell Hall will provide modern classroom and instructional lab space.

WKU Biology Google maps.

Western Kentucky University is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, a city with a population of 50,000, and located approximately 110 miles south of Louisville and 65 miles north of Nashville, Tennessee. U.S. Highway 31-W and Interstate 65 intersect with U.S. Highways 68 and 231 at Bowling Green, and the Cumberland and William H. Natcher parkways provide additional easy highway access to Bowling Green. WKU has an undergraduate population of over 18,000 students and is the fastest growing university in the commonwealth.

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