The School of Applied Sciences and Arts (SASA), part of the College of Integrative Sciences and Arts (CISA) at Arizona State University, invites applications for one Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow position in the area of Complex Adaptive Systems, with an anticipated start in August 2025. The Fellow will conduct research in Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS), with potential expertise in applied mathematics, biology, ecology and environmental science, urban sustainability, public health, or computational modeling, and will work closely with a faculty mentor in SASA. The Fellow will engage in interdisciplinary research collaborations, contributing to projects that address critical issues such as climate resilience, urban sustainability, and public health. The Fellow’s activities will include producing relevant scholarly products, contributions to grant proposals, participation in SASA seminars, limited teaching, and mentoring students. The Fellow will bring life experiences and expertise that promote inclusive representation in the applied sciences and mathematics.

The School of Applied Sciences and Arts (SASA) delivers science and liberal arts courses to students from all majors at the Polytechnic and Downtown campuses. Over 170 faculty serve over 4,400 majors in career-focused applied-learning programs, ranging from undergraduate applied biology majors in pre-vet, pre-dental, and horticulture programs to majors in interdisciplinary studies, the history of science, technology, and innovation, and STS (science, technology, and society). Our students also pursue graduate work in Applied Biology, Liberal Studies, Narrative Studies, and Integrative Social Sciences. SASA is the proud home of one of the nation’s first degrees in Military and Veterans Studies, and we are committed to the robust support of veteran and military-affiliated students through our Office for Veteran and Military Academic Engagement (OVMAE). As a Hispanic Serving Institution aligned with ASU’s charter to serve our local community, we are also the proud home of the newly established Latinx Oral History Lab. SASA is a partner in advancing knowledge and technology while promoting a sustainable future for the culture, animals, people, land, and environment of the East Valley and beyond.

The Fellow will benefit from SASA’s strong foundation in interdisciplinary research, particularly within the Polytechnic Sciences and Mathematics (PSM) unit, which has a well-established and well-funded research program. Additionally, the Fellow will receive support from the School of Complex Adaptive Systems (SCAS) and the Center for Social Dynamics and Complexity (CSDC), providing resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities. Through robust mentorship and a supportive, inclusive environment, the Fellow will be equipped to make significant contributions to SASA’s research agenda, advancing both theoretical understanding and practical solutions to some of society’s most pressing challenges.

The postdoctoral scholars selected will join the 5th cohort of postdoctoral scholars at ASU as part of the Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship Program with a start date of August 2025. The goal of the program is to support the career development of outstanding Ph.D. recipients from underrepresented populations with great potential for advancing the ASU Charter. After successful completion of the program, scholars will have an opportunity to transition to a tenure track appointment at ASU.

The program seeks applicants whose professional preparedness, experience, and accomplishments are informed by experiences working with and within groups historically underrepresented or underserved in higher education in the United States. Where pools of qualified applicants are strong, priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate, through prior actions and achievements, intentional and actioned commitment to inclusive excellence. Examples of such contributions are research, teaching, mentorship, service or creative activity focused on empowering underserved populations that increases equitable access and inclusion in fields where historically excluded populations are underrepresented.

The School of Applied Sciences and Arts (SASA) has committed to providing individualized mentorship and career development to ensure each candidate is well prepared to succeed in a future tenure track appointment. Career development and community building will also occur through programmatic support through the Office of Inclusive Excellence in partnership with the ASU Graduate College’s Postdoctoral Affairs Office. Scholars will have the opportunity to engage with previous cohort members and their own cohort for professional development opportunities but also social/networking events and activities to ensure scholars have the best experience at ASU and develop a strong sense of belonging and engagement.

ASU's College of Integrative Sciences and Arts is home to innovative faculty members who are guided by educational access, student success, applied learning, interdisciplinary inquiry, and research. CISA has over 8,200 students in all levels of degree programs and 235 full-time faculty members. We understand that there are many paths to achieving a university education, and we build undergraduate and graduate degree programs and pathways that are flexible and relevant for a rapidly changing world. CISA is committed to ASU’s Charter of inclusive excellence, where all faculty, staff, and students can thrive.

About Arizona State University

Arizona State University, ranked the No. 1 “Most Innovative School” in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for nine years in succession, has forged the model for a New American University. Year after year, ASU ranks at or near the top of the list in areas that matter. ASU is a comprehensive public research institution, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves. ASU operates on the principles that learning is a personal and original journey for each student; that they thrive on experience and that the process of discovery cannot be bound by traditional academic disciplines. Through innovation and a commitment to accessibility, ASU has drawn pioneering researchers to its faculty even as it expands opportunities for qualified students, attracting some of the highest- quality students from all 50 states and more than 130 nations.

To learn more about ASU and the College of Integrative Sciences and Arts, visit http://about.asu.edu/ and http://cisa.asu.edu.

Successful candidates will engage in scholarly research and may be asked to perform duties common to academic personnel including grant writing and limited but focused teaching and service in order to devote as much time to developing scholarship and a strong research path.

Required Qualifications:

• PhD in applied mathematics, biology, ecology and environmental science, urban sustainability, public health, computational modeling, or a closely related area in complex adaptive systems by August 10, 2025.
• Demonstrated potential for excellence in research and teaching.
• Experiences of interdisciplinary collaborations.

Desired Qualifications:

• A documented research record in the candidate’s area related to complex adaptive systems.
• Demonstrated record for interdisciplinary and integrative collaborations.
• Evidence of activities consistent with the ASU Charter and Design Aspirations

This position is located at Arizona State University at the Polytechnic campus. All postdoctoral fellowship positions are funded for two years on an annual contract basis and include relocation cost in addition to yearly professional development funds to support scholar research, conference attendance and other professional development activities. Options for an additional one or two years of funding or a transition to a tenure track position may be offered, depending on the fellow’s progress, training needs, and department funding capacity. The scholar will complete a document of expectations with their unit to help guide their work and monitor progress for both the scholar and their units. Transition to faculty tenure track appointments will require a process of review within the designated tenure home unit.

To apply, candidates must submit the following materials electronically to Interfolio:

1. Letter of interest that addresses how you meet the required and desired qualifications (up to 3 pages)
2. Current curriculum vitae
3. Personal statement addressing the candidate’s research program (up to 2 pages)
4. Statement of teaching experience and philosophy (1 page)
5. Information for three references (name, organization, position title, e-mail, phone number)

The initial application deadline is 5:00pm AZ time, December 15, 2024. Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for a reserve pool. Applications in the reserve pool may then be reviewed in the order in which they were received until the position is filled. If you have position-related questions, please contact Dr. Yun Kang at yun.kang@asu.edu. For application process-related questions, please contact Amie Olson at Amie.Olson@asu.edu.

Official transcripts are required prior to employment.