The Department of Computer Science of the College of Engineering (CoE) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) invites applications for a Department Chair starting Fall 2024.
Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
VCU’s College of Engineering was established in 1996 as a public-private partnership to address the need for engineering innovation in a 21st-century economy. Under a new Dean of Engineering, the college is undergoing exceptional transformations, expanding its interdisciplinary research and educational offerings and aiming for excellence in impactful thematic areas of global significance. VCU Engineering’s research collaborations with industry, community, and academic partners regularly yield breakthroughs in pharmaceutical engineering; smart cities, sustainability, and clean energy; materials development; health care, regenerative medicine, rehabilitation, and medical device development; data science and better security for cyber and cyber-physical systems. Its multidisciplinary, entrepreneurial approach to engineering education immerses undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students in meaningful research investigations throughout their studies.
As part of a premier research university in Virginia’s capital city, VCU’s computer science department has bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs and collaborates closely with many VCU schools and departments, including VCU’s MCV (medical) campus. With substantial funding from federal agencies and industry, our faculty have a robust stream of research and are published in top journals and conference proceedings. The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have named VCU a National Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Research. We are also a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education. The Department of Computer Science is headquartered in VCU's state-of-the-art Engineering Research Building, which opened in early 2021. This facility has advanced laboratory space for computer science research. Faculty research specialties include cybersecurity, data science, digital forensics, bioinformatics, cryptography, natural language processing, machine learning, mobile and edge computing, quantum machine learning, robotics, software engineering, and wireless networks. Our five graduate programs, including a doctoral program in computer science, attract top students from across the U.S. and globally. Additional information about the department’s programs and faculty may be found at http://www.egr.vcu.edu/departments/computer/.
VCU Engineering has pioneered several groundbreaking centers, such as the Medicines for All Institute, an international leader in bringing down the cost of pharmaceuticals for underserved populations. The college and VCU’s School of Pharmacy together are home of the Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering and Science and offer the nation’s only Ph.D. program in pharmaceutical engineering.
VCU is a Carnegie-classified very high research activity university and is one of the top 100 universities in the U.S. in federal R&D expenditures. The College of Engineering is in an extensive growth stage, significantly increasing the number of its faculty as student enrollment rises. Embarked on rapid growth, the computer science department has 24 tenure-track, tenured, and term faculty members. Located in Richmond, a vibrant, art-filled and culturally rich capital city, VCU is diverse in backgrounds and experiences, where there is a shared common passion for engineering, education and stewardship for the communities we represent and serve.
Position Responsibilities: Actively work with faculty in the Department and across the University to identify and pursue research, education, and service innovations. Demonstrate leadership in recruiting and retaining high-caliber, diverse faculty. Evaluate faculty and staff performance, and make recommendations for tenure, promotion, reappointment, salary adjustment, and leaves of absence. Facilitate and encourage grants and contracts from extramural sources. Encourage improvement of faculty performance by fostering good teaching and stimulating research, scholarly writing, and creative activity. Lead faculty in essential processes that shape the curriculum and have an impact on the learning of students. Effectively articulate department and college vision to internal and external constituencies. Will further develop collaboration with other departments within the college, industry, and the VCU Medical Campus. The Department is committed to developing and maintaining state-of-the-art facilities and instrumentation supporting its key research and educational mission.
Required qualifications: Candidate must have a doctorate in Computer Science or a related area, with significant experience in computer science. The candidate will demonstrate management and leadership accomplishments in a progression of faculty and administrative roles. The College of Engineering at VCU champions diversity, equity and inclusion in all that we do. Cultivating an ecosystem where differences are celebrated and our faculty, staff, and students have the opportunity to thrive is at the core of how we operate. The successful candidate will demonstrate experience that shows their commitment to fostering such an environment. Candidate must be an internationally recognized scholar with distinguished academic records commensurate with the rank of a tenured professor. Candidates must have a well-developed scholarly/research portfolio with evidence of multi-disciplinary applications and external funding appropriate to complement and expand expertise in the department.
Application Process: Candidates should upload their application including, a cover letter, curriculum vitae, diversity, research and teaching statements, and the names and e-mail addresses of four references at https://vcu.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/2/home/requisition/4317?c=vcu. Reference letters will be requested by the search committee for candidate finalists. Only complete applications will be considered. Review of applications will start on November 1, 2023 and will continue until filled. For additional information, please contact the Chair of the faculty search committee, Rebecca L. Heise, Ph.D., Inez A. Caudill Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, email: rlheise@vcu.edu
