Florida International University’s Department of Biological Sciences and the STEM Transformation Institute is searching for a postdoctoral research associate in biology education research. The successful candidate will work on an NSF-funded project that explores the course structures and instructor behaviors in large active learning STEM courses that inform the classroom appraisals of students with marginalized identities. The goal of the project is to identify course features that contribute to building an inclusive (or exclusive) active learning classroom. This project has both a qualitative and quantitative component and is a collaboration between Dr. Sarah L. Eddy and Drs. Elli Theobald and Scott Freeman at the University of Washington. The successful candidate will lead the qualitative component of the study and work closely with Dr. Eddy. In addition, the successful applicant will be encouraged to develop projects based on their own interests as part of this position.
The Eddy lab (https://myweb.fiu.edu/seddy/people/) focuses on increasing equity in educational outcomes for biology majors and on understanding the impact of relationships for teaching and learning. We are based at Florida International University - a public, urban, Hispanic-serving research institution serving over 55,000 students located in Miami, FL. FIU offers opportunities to interact and collaborate with 20 science education and discipline-based education faculty across multiple STEM fields through the STEM Transformation Institute.
The position requires either a PhD in (a) a STEM field (e.g., Biology, Chemistry, etc.) with a demonstrated interest in education, (b) science education, (c) educational psychology, or (d) other related fields. Candidates are preferred who have experience with qualitative methods, conducting interviews, and scholarly writing. The appointment is for one year with possible renewal for one additional year contingent upon satisfactory performance. Both remote and part time work can be negotiated. Some travel will be required.
The ideal start date is on or around August 1st, 2021 (there is some flexibility here).
Applications for this position should include a:
(1) Cover letter,
(2) Curriculum Vitae with the names and contact information of 3 references,
(3) One-page summary of education research interests, and
(4) One-page statement of your experience and/or practice with diversity and equity.
In your cover letter please include 1-2 paragraphs describing your experience (or, if you haven’t had this experience, your possible approaches to) creating an interview environment where students with marginalized identities feel comfortable sharing both their positive and negative experiences. Please send these materials to Dr. Eddy at seddy@fiu.edu with the email subject Post-doc application: [Your name].
Please feel free to send any questions you might have about this position to Dr. Eddy (seddy@fiu.edu).
Review of applications will begin March 01, 2021 and continue until the position is filled.