Job at University of Alaska Fairbanks

The University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Anthropology Department invites applications for a tenure track biological anthropologist at the Assistant or Associate Professor level to begin August 2013. Research and geographic areas open, but should complement current faculty. Specializations in human biology or biomedical anthropology are a plus, as is research with applications to the circumpolar North. Candidates should have a record of external funding, be able to teach established courses in biological anthropology (including quantitative methods), and show evidence of research mentorship at the undergraduate and graduate levels.  Ph.D. must be in hand at the time of application.

 The responsibilities of this position support the University of Alaska Fairbanks' tripartite mission of teaching, research and service. Teaching responsibilities include undergraduate and graduate courses in the successful candidate's area of expertise; maintenance of an active research program leading to refereed publications; and university and community service. Our department is a four-field department, supporting BA, BS, MA, and PhD programs in Anthropology; teaching responsibilities include 2 courses per semester and graduate and undergraduate supervision and advising. 

The University of Alaska Fairbanks is the flagship campus and principal research center of the University of Alaska System, and is the nation's northernmost Land, Sea, and Space Grant institution, with over 1,000 teaching and research faculty serving over 11,000 students. UAF has a Carnegie classification of RU/H, and is an international hub for northern research. Fairbanks is the state's second largest city with over 90,000 residents in the greater Fairbanks area. In addition to offering unparalleled opportunities for outdoor recreation, Fairbanks is home to a lively arts and culture scene.

 View a detailed job description and apply on-line at www.uakjobs.com. Position closes December 1, 2012. Posting #0065167. The direct link to the job posting is: www.uakjobs.com/applicants/Central?quickFind=78845. Questions regarding this specific position may be directed to Dr. Ben A. Potter, search committee chair, bapotter@alaska.edu.

 The University of Alaska is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer and educational institution.

JOBS

Lots of jobs posted here and here, but sadly, very few primatologically-oriented anthro jobs so far. Animal/agricultural science  and biology departments might also have something to your liking.


Keep the faith, job-seekers, and start working on your job letter, teaching philosophy, and research statement!

The year that was: Bioanthropology in 2011

I really love the annual "year-in-review" issue American Anthropologist publishes in June. It's a wonderful snapshot of the diversity of events, perspectives, and developments in our field at large. This year's essay on biological anthropology is written by Dr. Kristi Lewton of Harvard University. In Complexity in Biological Anthropology in 2011: Species, Reproduction, and Sociality, Dr. Lewton "demonstrates the natural extension of our scholarly research to modern social networks and illustrates how they may act as a platform by which to increase intradisciplinary engagement and to highlight the complex, wide-reaching, and innovative research that our field contributes to society." It's a fascinating, well-written read.

Track the evolution of our field over the last several years:
2010: Libby Cowgill
2009: Julienne Rutherford
2008: Nick Malone

Reproductive studies postdocs at Cambridge!

Fantastic postdoc opportunities at Cambridge in the social study of reproduction. Applications are invited from individuals who have expertise in the social study of reproduction, reproductive technologies, the history of reproduction, reproductive health, or reproductive biomedicine. Applicants must have received a PhD in Sociology, Social Anthropology or a related discipline by 1 October 2012.

Love Letters: On the joys of intellectual partnerships

I'm in a great mood. As usual, there's too much to do and not enough time/resources to do it all, and there are policies and politics that stand in the way of true intellectual nirvana. I still struggle with time management and procrastination (yes, I'm supposed to be writing a grant. RIGHT. NOW. OMGZ!) and guilt and the missing of the baby when I'm at work and the itch to get back to work when I'm with the baby. Yes, of course, to all of that. But today I've had a series of "high five" emails with various collaborators about various projects and it hit me how much joy those relationships bring me on a professional and personal front. Where would we be if we tried to do it all alone? It takes a village to raise a child (as I totes know firsthand now), but it's equally true that it takes a village to make meaningful work happen. So today I just want to write a love letter to my intellectual village (which is heavily populated by amazing and brilliant women), and encourage you in the comments to do the same!

Thanks Kate Clancy and Katie Hinde! I admired you both individually as friends and scientists before we started on our journey to build a book about building babies, and am so happy this project brought us all together. The Lady Editors are a force to be reckoned with.

Thanks Alison Doubleday! From grad school in Bloomington to faculty meetings in Chicago, we've known each other a long time. I love working with you whether it's on our American Association of Anatomists-funded anatomy workshop at AAPA, teaching in the College of Dentistry, or collecting prom dresses. You are a deeply decent and humane person.

Thanks Victoria DeMartelly! Assistant, researcher, style inspiration, friend: you make my job so much easier and you do it with spirit, grace, a great sense of humor, and fantastic shoes. You went to the Philippines! You collected placentas! You killed cockroaches! You went to the Outpost and Bead Street! And you said the magic words that made me fall in love with you: "Do you want me to put all your articles in EndNote for you?" Yes, yes I do.

Thanks Betsy Abrams! If it weren't for you, I never would have thought about postpartum hemorrhage and evolution. And end up with the cover of American Anthropologist! You inspire me to trade out of my biomedical hat and get anthropological. Plus you knitted a marmoset hat for my baby .

Thanks Robin Nelson! I thank Northwestern and the 2008 election for bringing us together. You are brilliant. Someday can we work on a project together, PLEASE?  The babies can play with toys and you and I can play with ideas. And cookies, of course.

Thanks Suzette Tardif! From mentor to colleague. No words can express how much your encouragement, belief in me, and awesome dance moves have guided my career. Really, I can't ever tell you. But thanks.

Thanks Chris Kuzawa! Our work in the Philippines together continues to be rewarding and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Thanks, Agustin Fuentes, Katie MacKinnon, Michelle Bezanson, Kristi Lewton, Stephanie Meredith, Erin Phelps Riley, Christina Campbell, Lorena Havill, Diane Warren, Jim McKenna and SO MANY MORE! You drink with me at meetings and say brilliant funny things, some of which I understand and others I don't. But you remind me that what we do is a BLAST and that we are lucky to find so many people who just get it. Sometimes during dark times, the thought of seeing you at meetings is what keeps me going.

I'm sure there are many others I'm leaving out of this, and as I think of them I will amend the post. But I just wanted you all to know that I think you're pretty great.

Hugs, kisses, and high fives all around,
Julienne

Anatomy Education and Career Workshop at AAPA

Please attend the Anatomy Education and Career Workshop at AAPA, Saturday 14th, 2-3:30pm.
Snacks for attendees will be provided in addition to some great discussion and advice!
RSVP here.
Many thanks to the American Association of Anatomists for their generous financial support of this workshop!

Rationale and goals of the workshop:
The current scarcity of qualified anatomy instructors for professional programs is well documented. In response to the growing need for anatomy educators, institutions and programs have initiated a number of strategies, including the development of Masters and PhD programs that specialize in anatomy education and the recruitment of qualified educators from a broader range of fields such as biology and biological anthropology. In fact, an increasing number of anatomy educators have a background and degree in biological anthropology. The importance of this relationship for anatomy education is evidenced by the presence of numerous anthropological research talks and poster presentations at the Experimental Biology/AAA annual meetings over the last several years. In a constrained job market, there are also advantages for biological anthropologists with a background in anatomy as they can pursue a wider range of faculty positions. Even so, many undergraduate and graduate students in biological anthropology are not aware that anatomy education is a career path available to them. For those that are aware of this opportunity, many are unsure of the specific requirements for teaching in this context and many are also confused as to how their research interests can be integrated into the environment of a medical, dental or other professional institution. This is unfortunate, because a deep understanding of human gross anatomy and histology provides irreplaceable context for studies of variation and adaptation, reproductive ecology, nutrition, growth and development, genetics, and many more topic areas within biological anthropology


At the AAPA/AAA Anatomy Education and Career workshop the pros and cons of pursuing a career outside of anthropology will be discussed, as will advice to graduate students who are interested in the anatomy pathway.

The ultimate goals of this outreach workshop are twofold:
1) To encourage anthropology students to pursue anatomy education to a) augment their research and b) enhance their opportunities on the job market upon graduation.

2) To encourage faculty to forge connections with anatomy education venues on their campuses for the purpose of opening training and teaching opportunities for their students.

JOIN US!

3rd Annual BANDIT Happy Hour at #AAPA2012

Join us. Be fabulous.