College of Education, Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Youth and Community Studies in Cultural Studies in Education

The University of Texas at Austin , College of Education , Department of Curriculum & Instruction is seeking a faculty member in Youth and Community Studies (YCS) in Cultural Studies in Education (CSE) at the Assistant Professor level, with an emphasis on youth development within Latinx communities. The faculty member will join a group of tenure-track assistant professors in the College who address research and academic programs focused on reducing education and/or health disparities among Latino/a children, families, and communities. Our department has robust undergraduate and graduate programs and is ranked seventh in Curriculum & Instruction departments by U.S. News & World Report. We are committed to an intellectually diverse, welcoming, and engaging working and learning environment and are seeking candidates whose research, teaching and service have prepared them to contribute to our commitment to serving students from across Texas, the country, and world, including those who have been historically underrepresented in higher education.

The successful candidate for this position will have a strong potential for research excellence focused broadly on the interplay between the education system and broader youth programs and service systems (e.g., child welfare, juvenile justice, health, after-school programs, community mentoring programs) with an emphasis on social systems transformation to support positive youth development within Latinx communities. We are particularly interested in scholars pursuing research impact in the following exemplar areas: The relationship of social systems to schools, focusing on eliminating intersectional disparities in outcomes for students, families, and communities; community-school partnerships to support thriving in communities; Justice-oriented educational practices in school; learning and teaching in out-of-school and community contexts; and youth experiences, cultures, and networks, among other areas.

The successful candidate will have a strong record of (or potential for) securing external grants to support their program of research, at the level necessary to ensure the impact of their work. In addition, the successful candidate will be an excellent mentor and will demonstrate a strong commitment to teaching in YCS and CSE as well as in related areas (e.g., sociocultural foundations in education; schooling and society; restorative practices in education; social systems, equity, and education; critical cultural youth studies; education in out-of-school and community contexts; youth participatory action research designs).

Youth and Community Studies (YCS) is an undergraduate degree program with a core of courses related to education and equity; these College of Education majors are prepared for working with learners of all ages, often in community settings. Students pursuing this degree can enter a track of educational leadership and policy, early childhood, special populations, coaching, or youth and social services. An undergraduate degree option leading to certification for secondary English language arts and social studies teachers (UT Urban Teachers) also is included in this degree plan. Through this hire, we are working to strengthen our existing undergraduate program in Youth and Community Studies to create a more programmatic and theoretical focus on how to leverage social systems to support positive youth development, and to better align our program with career opportunities in social service, non-profit, school, and research settings (see teaching areas under “qualifications” below).

As described, the position is interdisciplinary but anchored within the graduate Cultural Studies in Education (CSE) Program. CSE focuses on social, cultural, philosophical, and historical issues in education. The program addresses social and cultural theory, and it includes existing faculty strengths in qualitative methods including narrative, theoretical, and ethnographic approaches for the study of education. The graduate program considers Cultural Studies in Education in a range of contexts, from the funds of knowledge of family and community settings to the social, cultural, political, economic, and contested struggles of public urban schooling. CSE faculty and students recognize the power of alternative ways of knowing, being and doing within educational spaces. Students in this program explore the fundamental importance of racial, ethnic, gender, and LGBTQIA2s identities in and outside of formal education contexts.

The College of Education, ranked among the top public colleges of education in the country, has a longstanding commitment to the shared values of equity, excellence, innovation, empowerment, community-focus, and endeavors to bridge research and practice. We view creating a welcoming, engaged campus community as interconnected with academic excellence in the work of our faculty. The college has experienced a rapid expansion of interest in its academic programs over the past five years. More than half of our admitted students identify as Latina/o and more than 30% are first-generation college students. Our students are joined by a diverse and world class faculty who are among the nation’s leading experts in their respective fields.

As a leading college of education in Texas and beyond, we are agents of change committed to transforming education and health research, practice, and policy to ensure the thriving of children, families, schools, and communities. In our efforts to align our college to address the most pressing challenges in the fields of education and health, we launched a strategic vision known as Reimagine Education (see education.utexas.edu/about/college-leadership/deans-office/reimagine-education ). In advancing this effort, we have organized our academic and research aspirations around three Signature Impact Areas: Advancing Equity and Eliminating Disparities in Health and Education, Attending to Place and Context, and Thriving through Transitions.

As a venue for research, Texas is home to more than 10% of the nation’s K-12 student population, more than half who identify as Hispanic. The University of Texas at Austin is the flagship state university of Texas, and one of the few universities in the U.S. that is both a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution. UT Austin values and supports interdisciplinary research and, with the opening of the Dell Medical School, provides outstanding access to opportunities for collaboration with world-renowned medical faculty. Austin, Texas is an exciting, welcoming, and inclusive city with the reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World.

The position is supported by a competitive start-up package, compensation appropriate to rank and experience, expansive laboratory space, and access to state-of-the-art core facilities. Hiring is contingent upon funding.

Applicants should upload the following items to the Interfolio system:

• Cover Letter with contact information
• Full C.V.
• Research Statement that includes research accomplishments and future research direction
• Teaching and Mentoring Statement that describes specific methods used to ensure effective student mentoring and a classroom environment that is welcoming, engaging, and supportive of student learning and success.  
• Up to 3 representative publications
• A list of 3 references with contact information

Review of applications will begin October 15, 2023, and will continue until the position is filled. To ensure full consideration, please provide all requested materials by October 15.

The University of Texas at Austin is an equal opportunity institution that is committed to recruiting, supporting, and fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students. We encourage qualified applicants from underrepresented communities to apply.

Additional information about the Department of Curriculum & Instruction and the CSE program area , please visit our website.

For questions regarding the application process, please contact Jim Maxwell . Questions about the positions can be directed to the chairs of the search committee: Keffrelyn Brown , Noah De Lissovoy , and Luis Urrieta.