Full Professor and Director, Center for Climate Change Communication

Department: Col of Humanities and Soc Science

Classification: 9-month Instructional Faculty

Job Category: Instructional Faculty

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: N/A - I/R Faculty

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

About the Department:

Mason’s Communication Department has a diverse and collegial faculty committed to excellence, innovation, community and public service, inclusion, and social equity. All department faculty participate in the life of our campus community, including career fairs, faculty functions, recruiting sessions and other events. Located just 15 miles from Washington, D.C., we offer a broad undergraduate program; five minor programs; a vibrant MA program including strategic, health, and science communication specialties; and a highly ranked PhD program emphasizing health, risk, strategic, and science communication, and media and culture. The department also offers a graduate certificate in science communication. We serve a diverse population of undergraduate and graduate students who bring a wide variety of cultures and backgrounds to our classrooms. Additionally, the department supports several co-curricular activities, including debate, forensics, Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), Society for Professional Journalists (SPJ), and a comprehensive student media program.

The research life of the department includes both undergraduate and graduate research, and is reflected in the activities and outreach of its faculty, including those of the Center for Climate Change Communication, the Communication, Health, and Relational Media (CHARM) research lab, the Center for Media and Public Affairs, the Center for Health and Risk Communication, the Character Assassination and Reputation Politics (CARP) research lab, and the Pop Culture Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access Studies (IDEAs) Lab. For more information on the Department of Communication at George Mason University, visit communication.gmu.edu.

About the Center:

The mission of George Mason University's Center for Climate Change Communication (Mason 4C) is to develop and apply social science insights to help society make informed decisions that will stabilize the earth’s life-sustaining climate and prevent further harm from climate change. An academic “think-and-do tank,” Mason 4C conducts cutting-edge climate communication research and develops public engagement programs that support communities of practice of trusted communicators in communities across America. For more information about the center, see the Mason 4C website (https://www.climatechangecommunication.org) and this recent overview: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17524032.2024.2304571.

About the Position:

The Department of Communication at George Mason University seeks to fill the position of Director of the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication. This is a full-time 9-month tenured faculty appointment at the Full Professor level in the Department of Communication. The additional assignment of 4C Director is a 12-month position that includes summer responsibilities. Our university has a strong institutional commitment to achieving excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff and strongly encourages candidates who will enrich Mason’s academic and culturally inclusive environment to apply.

About the Position:

Working in close collaboration with a range of internal stakeholders (including the leadership of the Department of Communication and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, other Mason climate-related centers [e.g., Virginia Climate Center] and institutes [e.g., Institute for Sustainable Earth], and Mason 4C faculty, program directors, staff, and students) and external stakeholders (including funders, partner organizations, government agencies, civil society organizations, and policymakers), the Director leads the Center’s strategic research and programming initiatives and ensures the necessary resources are in place to advance the Center’s mission to the fullest extent possible.

The Director advances the Center’s mission and the Department of Communication’s educational responsibilities by:
●Establishing the Center’s research and communication programming priorities;
●Being ultimately responsible for all Center activities and operations;
●Leading the collaboration between the Center and internal and external stakeholders, including the Center’s Advisory Council;
●Leading Center development and fundraising activities and ensuring that Center fiscal resources are utilized strategically and in compliance with university and sponsor regulations;
●Supervising the Center’s faculty, Associate Director, and program leads;
●Overseeing all core functions of the Center including marketing and communication activities, program management and reporting to program sponsors, administrative infrastructure including IT and financial management support systems, and financial operations and human resource requirements; and
●Building and sustaining community and engagement among Center faculty, staff, students, and collaborators.

Responsibilities:

Center Leadership and Management 

• Program development, strategic oversight, and operational supervision for Mason 4C communication programs. This includes Climate Matters, Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, republicEn, and other initiatives;
• Supervises 4C faculty and staff;
• Acquires and manages partnerships with external organizations in academic, government, and the civil and private sectors;
• Oversight of all Mason 4C development, fundraising, marketing, and communication activities;
• Financial oversight for all 4C activities;
• Participates in media interviews to represent the work of the Center; and
• Engages with the Mason 4C Advisory Council. 

Research 

• Writes grant proposals to support 4C research;
• Conducts disciplinary (communication) and interdisciplinary (climate change) research with Mason faculty, students, and colleagues beyond Mason; and
• Publishes research in journals, monographs, and books, including self-published Mason 4C polling reports and research briefs. 

Teaching and Mentoring

• Teaches graduate courses in climate & sustainability communication and other undergraduate courses;
• Serves as faculty advisor for doctoral and master’s students;
• Serves on comprehensive examination committees for doctoral students;
• Chairs or serves on doctoral dissertation committees for students;
• Mentors Mason 4C post-doctoral fellows; and
• The typical teaching load for tenure-line faculty is (2/2) with the potential for adjustment based on other responsibilities.

Service

• Serves on standing and ad hoc committees for the Department of Communication, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the university;
• Conducts peer reviews for relevant journals, funding agencies, and APT committees at other universities; and
• Advises government agencies, civic organizations, professional societies, and other organizations seeking to enhance their climate communication initiatives (e.g., National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine). 

Required Qualifications:

• Terminal degree in a related field;
• A doctoral degree in communication or a related field;
• Progressively responsible leadership and management experience including proven effectiveness in conducting strategic communication research and public communication programs to advance important societal goals;
• A track record of supervisory, administrative experience, and fundraising effectiveness to support applied research and/or strategic communication initiatives;
• Must be eligible for appointment with tenure at the rank of full professor; 
• A strong understanding of climate change including its causes, impacts, and risk management options to interact effectively on a peer basis with senior internal and external stakeholders, community members, scientists and policymakers from science to society; and
• Capacity for long-term strategic planning to advance the center's mission and goals.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with supervising grants or research center, and collaborative work; and
• Ability to secure external grants.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Full Professor and Director, Center for Climate Change Communication at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a Letter of Intent which includes a vision statement for 4C and a complete Curriculum Vitae for review.

Posting Open Date: October 24, 2024

For Full Consideration, Apply by:  January 5, 2025

Open Until Filled:  Yes