The Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech), a private Ph.D.-granting research university with world-renowned programs in engineering, computing, architecture, the sciences, humanities and social sciences, psychology, business, law, and design, invites nominations for, and expressions of interest in, the position of Chair of the Biomedical Engineering Department.
Founded in 1890, Illinois Tech was built on the promise to provide access to higher education for students from all different backgrounds and to make a difference in the world through technology-oriented education. This guiding mission and purpose – where students, including those underrepresented in technology, could prepare for meaningful roles in a changing industrial society and achieve professional and economic advancement – remains just as relevant today. As such, diversity and inclusion are part of the day-to-day experience at Illinois Tech and a central component of its culture. Illinois Tech is home to a diverse and global student population, is committed to providing opportunities to enhance the diversity of its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages applicants from all backgrounds to apply for this position, especially those underrepresented in the field.
The Biomedical Engineering (BME) Department is one of six in the Armour College of Engineering and is home to 15 full-time faculty members (including joint appointments) and approximately 140 undergraduate and 40 graduate students. An ABET accredited degree is offered in biomedical engineering, along with graduate degrees at the master’s and doctoral levels. All BME degree programs are designed, and continue to evolve, to produce graduates that join the workforce fully prepared to meet the demands of today’s healthcare ecosystem. The department has significant research programs in cell and tissue engineering, such as bio/microfluid dynamics, cell mechanics, hydrogels and drug delivery, biomaterials, regenerative medicine, biosensors, and organ-on-a-chip; medical imaging, including MRI, cancer diagnosis, molecular imaging, biomarkers, and computational modeling; and neural engineering, for example, neural prosthesis, implant design, and computational neuroscience. Information on faculty, research, and degree programs in the department can be found at https://www.iit.edu/bme. The individual selected for BME department chair will be expected to foster inclusive excellence in research and education, demonstrate a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through their leadership, research, teaching, and service endeavors, and develop and execute a plan, in collaboration with the Dean as well as key college and campus partners, that leads the department to a new level of preeminence in the coming years. The BME Department at Illinois Tech aspires to recruit a department chair that shares its commitment to continue growing the research enterprise in quality, quantity, and interdisciplinarity, leveraging the vast industry base in the greater Chicago area to enhance departmental activities, and promoting a vibrant and inclusive departmental community amongst all constituencies.
Candidates for the position of department chair are expected to merit appointment as full professor and have a sustained record of distinguished research and educational achievements. The position of department chair offers highly competitive compensation and benefits. Applicants should submit a letter of interest outlining their experience and qualifications for the position, including a description of their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; a curriculum vitae; and contact information for five references addressed to Professor Sohail Murad, the Search Committee Chair, at https://iit7.peopleadmin.com/postings/10492. The description of commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion should address specific past and/or potential contributions to the equitable and inclusive delivery of academic instruction and support to students from diverse backgrounds, including, without limitation, individuals of different ages, races and ethnicities, abilities and disabilities, genders, religions, cultures, sexual orientations, and socio-economic conditions, and how you would lead the BME Department in such efforts.
To ensure full consideration, applications should be received by July 31, 2024; however, review of applications will continue until the position has been filled. The expected start date is January 2025, but this is negotiable.
