The President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (PPFP)

College of Liberal Arts

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Welcomes Applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow in Just Environments in the Department of Geography, Environment and Society

The Department of Geography, Environment and Society (GES) at the University of Minnesota invites applications for a President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship in the area of Just Environments. Applications are sought from scholars whose research engages the nexus of society, environment, and justice in any geographical region, including the global South, and which expands, diversifies, or complements department and University expertise in social and environmental justice, critical environmental studies, political ecology, climate justice, decolonial or postcolonial geographies, Indigenous studies, Black studies, Latinx studies, and the political economy of development. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to engage with exciting programs across the university, including the Institute on the Environment (IonE), the Race, Indigeneity, Disability, Gender, and Sexuality (RIDGS) Initiative, the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA), and the Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Global Change (ICGC).

Presidential Postdoctoral Fellows are not required to teach, nor advise students. At the end of the postdoctoral fellowship period, the fellow will be considered by GES for a full-time, tenure-track assistant professor position.

The candidate should hold a background in the social sciences, humanities, or environmental studies. A PhD/doctoral degree in Geography or a closely related field is required by the start date of the appointment. Individuals whose expertise aligns with perspectives that have historically been marginalized, or whose research, practice, teaching, and service contribute to diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education and at the University of Minnesota are encouraged to apply.

GES is a leading comprehensive Geography program comprising 21 research and teaching faculty serving 50 graduate students and teaching over 4000 undergraduate students each year. The department has a world-class reputation for cutting-edge research across the breadth of geographical inquiry.

We strive to support the research and professional growth of postdoctoral fellows. The successful candidate will engage in academic and public debates about just environments and substantively contribute to the intellectual life of the department and University. The postdoctoral fellow is expected to participate in department activities that include attending department meetings and symposia, contributing to positive faculty and student relationships, and building connections across the University that advance the fellow’s research and benefit other faculty members, researchers, students, and communities served by the University.

Mentorship/Selection for GES

The fellow will be matched with a faculty mentor from the GES core or affiliate faculty list. Our department is committed to providing mentoring support to fellows that will allow them to thrive as scholars, teachers, and leaders. The fellow and mentor will meet throughout the year to discuss research trajectories; professional and teaching goals; professional development; grant writing; and work/life balance.

Please feel free to name potential faculty mentors in your research statement. However, in the online PPFP application portal, please enter “Bruce Braun” (braun038@umn.edu) as the acting faculty mentor for your application. In the preliminary application process, the acting faculty mentor will generate automated mentor letters of support for all applicants. After reviewing all applications, the search committee will contact the list of applicants who have been selected for the second phase of the search.

Award Details

The University of Minnesota President's Postdoctoral Fellowships are awarded annually. The award includes a salary dependent on the applicant's field and experience, benefits including health insurance and paid vacation/sick leave, annual support for research and travel, and relocation expenses. Each 1-year appointment may be renewed once, for a total of two years, with the expectation of a tenure-track position at the end of the fellowship, subject to satisfactory performance, departmental review and vote, and college approval.

Required Application Materials

For full consideration, please be sure to include the following materials in your application:

• Thesis abstract – one page
• Research Proposal – 700-1,000 words (not including references and citations) describing the project you would like to work on over the term of your postdoctoral fellowship. In your research proposal, please list faculty mentors you would like to work with. Note that each participating unit has designated an acting faculty mentor to endorse your application when it is submitted via the UC Portal System. Through the selection process, participating units will work closely with applicants to identify an appropriate mentor or mentoring committee to work with during their postdoctoral appointment.
• Education and Background Statement – 500-700 words describing your personal background, contributions to diversity and equal opportunity through your academic career, relevant professional/non-traditional academic experience, and rationale for your postdoc commitment.
• Curriculum vitae
• Sample of work – sample publication or unpublished paper for PhDs, please limit to 35 pages (not including references and citations)
• Name, institutional affiliation, and email addresses of two references

How do I apply and what is the deadline? 

• Apply online via the PPFP website
• Application instructions can be found on the University of California website
• Application questions? Contact ppfp@umn.edu
• Additional information is available here: Applicant FAQs
• Department contact: Professor Bruce Braun (braun038@umn.edu)

Closing Date: November 1, 2024, 11:59 PM.