The Department of Psychology at Xavier University of Louisiana invites applicants for a tenure-track assistant professor of Neuroscience for the 2024-2025 academic year. The ideal candidate will have a Ph.D. in Neuroscience (or equivalent), specific specialization within Computational/Network Neuroscience. The specific area of research is open, theoretical neural network modeling, modeling typical and atypical brain development, modeling neural connectivity of cognitive abilities, or identifying neural correlates of clinical symptomologies are encouraged. Xavier University of Louisiana utilizes a cloud-based service for faculty researchers in need of high performance computing. The Department of Psychology offers all levels of undergraduate instruction for two majors (Psychological Science and Psychology Premedical) and one interdisciplinary program (Neuroscience).
Successful candidates will be able to teach courses in the research sequence, cover existing courses related to their area of expertise, contribute to the expansion of the neuroscience program via the development of new courses, and be willing to teach core courses that fall within their area of expertise. Ideal candidates will focus on high quality teaching, maintain an active research program that involves students, and participate in service related to the department, college, and university. Ability and willingness to work collegially within a 4 -4 teaching load is essential. Interested candidates should demonstrate a commitment to excellence by providing leadership in teaching, research, or service toward building an equitable and diverse scholarly environment.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Teach undergraduate research sequence in-person;
Supervise, mentor, and advise undergraduate students;
Assist with providing leadership and counsel for the student organizations in the department;
Develop and sustain independent research agenda;
Contribute to the growth of the program;
Participate in service activities for the department, university, and community; and
Participate in on-campus department, division, college, and university meetings and assemblies, as well as university convocations and graduation.
Minimum Qualifications:
Ph.D. in Neuroscience or related area; (degree must be conferred by the start of the appointment)
Committed to teaching 4-4 teaching load in person;
Write and speak English proficiently;
Demonstrate a strong potential for excellence in teaching and mentoring undergraduate students;
Demonstrate a strong potential for developing an independent and externally funded research project involving undergraduate students;
Demonstrate commitment to working successfully with a diverse student population; and
Commitment to the mission of Xavier University of Louisiana.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience teaching undergraduate neuroscience, psychology courses, and computer science courses;
Experience teaching neuroscience to a diverse student body and knowledge of effective strategies (e.g. culturally responsive or inclusive pedagogy, awareness of issues that may affect the success of minoritized students) supporting underrepresented groups;
Experience in mentoring and advising HBCU students leading to readiness for graduate school and the workforce;
Awareness of pedagogical best practices and ongoing commitment to developing and maintaining knowledge in this area;
Ability to develop community connections for student experiences (e.g. Fieldwork Practicum sites).
Xavier University of Louisiana, founded by St. Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in 1925, is Catholic and historically Black. The ultimate purpose of the University is to contribute to the promotion of a more just and humane society by preparing its students to assume roles of leadership and service in a global society. The only historically Black, Catholic university in the United States, XULA is a private, liberal-arts based, co-educational institution offering 40 undergraduate majors, 5 master’s degree programs and a doctor of pharmacy program. More than one-half of its 3,100 students are from Louisiana, but it draws students from nearly all fifty states and 35 countries. Xavier is recognized as a national leader in the sciences and the liberal arts: • #1 in the nation in the number of African American graduates who go on to complete medical school (AAMC data 2019). • Among the nation’s top four colleges of pharmacy in graduating African Americans with Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D) degrees. (2018) • #1 in the nation in awarding bachelor's degrees to African American students in the biological and biomedical sciences, the physical sciences, and physics. ...(2018) • #3 in the nation in the number of African American graduates who go on to earn a Ph.D. in science and engineering disciplines. (2018) • The Department of Physics is #1 in the nation for awarding African Americans baccalaureate degrees in physics and the physical sciences, according to the American Institute of Physics. (2018) Xavier is consistently ranked by the American Chemical Society as one of the top 25 universities in the nation. • The 2020 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges named Xavier among its 300 “best and most interesting” four-year colleges and universities. • Xavier was also singled out as one of the nation’s 385 best institutions for undergraduate education by The Princeton Review in the 2020 edition of its annual “The Best 385 Colleges”. • College Consensus, a unique college ratings website that aggregates publisher rankings and student reviews, ranks Xavier as the nation’s #3 Historically Black Colleges and Universities) (2019). It also ranks Xavier as #3 among all Louisiana colleges. • College Factual ranks both Xavier’s biology and chemistry programs as program as No. 1 in Louisiana. (2019) • Your 2018 Guide to College Transfer lists Xavier as one of only 90 colleges and universities nationwide profiled as “transfer friendly” in this guide to the college transfer process by the Kaplan Educational Foundation. • The Student Loan Report ranks #Xavier 12 out of 800 Private schools who left graduates with the least amount of private student loan debt, a form of financial aid known for higher interest rates and less forgiving repayment programs. (2018) • Zippia.com named Xavier's Psychology Program as #1 in Louisiana. (2018) • Learn.org ranks Xavier Among the Top 50 STEM schools in the U.S. (2019) • The Edvocate ranks Xavier as the nation’s No. 3 Catholic University. (2019) • Zippia.com rates Xavier #1 in Louisiana in its 2019 report, “Best College in Each State for Getting a Job”.