Chemistry Announces Search for Next Department Head

The Department of Chemistry seeks a dynamic and forward-thinking leader for the position of Department Head. The successful candidate will lead the department into an exciting future, with resources and opportunities provided by a new interdisciplinary science building and large investments in automated science, empowering the department to tackle critical problems in sustainability, health and life sciences.

The Department of Chemistry currently includes 24 tenure-track, 5 teaching-track, and 3 research-track faculty members, a graduate program with 76 Ph.D. students, and 96 upperclass undergraduate majors. Our departmental culture values multidisciplinary, collaborative research and teaching that lead to creative solutions to the most urgent societal problems. We exploit our strengths in the core disciplines of chemistry to expand the interfaces with sustainability, biotechnology and materials science. We also have a growing emphasis on the use of data science and automation to accelerate discovery, with the department playing a key role in the development of the University’s $40M Cloud Lab for automated science.

The department seeks candidates who will vigorously promote these areas while identifying new research directions, and working across the Mellon College of Science and the University to enhance collaborations with other disciplines. Working with the Director of Undergraduate Studies and Graduate Program Coordinator, the Department Head will also advance our contributions to the educational mission of the University, including enhancing diversity and better integrating teaching and research activities, while growing the overall program.

The Department of Chemistry is committed to increasing the diversity of its community on a range of intellectual and cultural dimensions, and is part of a College and University that is proactive to include more members of previously under-represented groups. We seek candidates who, through their leadership, research, teaching, and/or service will contribute to the diversity and excellence of our academic community.

Questions about the search may be addressed to either co-chair of the Search Committee: Bruce Armitage (army@cmu.edu) or David Yaron (yaron@cmu.edu). Prospective candidates should submit a cover letter, curriculum vita, publication list, statement of current and future research plans, and statement describing their perspective on diversity, equity and inclusion. These documents, as well as three letters of recommendation from knowledgeable references, should be submitted through the application website (https://apply.interfolio.com/100767).