University of Michigan deepens commitment to sustainable food systems

The University of Michigan School of Public Health seeks candidates for the position of Assistant Professor with expertise in the area of sustainable food systems.  The start date for this tenure-track position is September 1, 2012.

The school seeks candidates with expertise in sustainable food systems in relation to the environment, human health and equity. Candidates who focus on economic, racial and ethnic, urban and rural disparities in food distribution, relationships between food systems and environmental health, or their implications for under- or over- nutrition and related health outcomes, are encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will have a primary appointment in one of three departments in the School of Public Health - Environmental Health Science, Epidemiology, or Health Behavior and Health Education, depending on their interests and training. Within each of these departments there exist faculty with active research relevant to sustainable food systems, and other opportunities for collaboration.

This is one of five new positions across the University intended to broaden and deepen the University’s commitment to research and teaching in the area of sustainable food systems. This is a unique and exciting opportunity for scholars in the area of Sustainable Food Systems working in the area of human health and the environment who will engage with a “cluster” of scholars across units at the University of Michigan.

The successful candidate will participate in cross-campus research, and engage in opportunities and other initiatives related to sustainability with other members of the cluster housed in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, the School of Natural Resources and Environment, the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, the Department of Political Science and the Ross School of Business. The scope of this new “cluster” may include the evolutionary or ecological bases of food production systems; the environmental sustainability of food systems; urban, near-urban and rural agriculture, urban renewal through urban greening; the promotion of rural-urban regional economies through the development of local food systems; community engagement in local, sustainable food systems (including access to locally grown and other healthy foods), sustainable food policies, and health; system-wide relationships comprising the agricultural value chain, from planting, through sale, and even preparation of agricultural products, with an emphasis on generating the greatest possible economic, social, and environmental value.

Faculty responsibilities include developing and maintaining an externally funded program of research, graduate teaching and advising, and contributing to the academic mission of the department. The successful candidate must have an earned doctorate in public health or in the social/behavioral sciences.

The University of Michigan is a nondiscriminatory affirmative action employer.  Review of applications will begin December 1, 2011.

The salary for this position is negotiable and commensurate with the candidate's qualifications and experience.  Please send a letter of application, including a statement of current and future research interests, a curriculum vitae, a description of teaching experience, samples of publications, and the names and contact information of three references to the following address:

c/o Denise Fortune
Department of Health Behavior and Health Education
School of Public Health
University of Michigan
1420 Washington Heights
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029