Citizen Science at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY is seeking instructors for January 2022.  Citizen Science is an innovative program designed to provide opportunities for students in their first year of college to develop their personal science literacy through hands-on, real-world coursework and projects. We ask…

• What does it mean to be scientifically literate? 
• What is the role of citizens when it comes to weighing in on important scientific issues? 
• How can citizens find the scientific information they need in order to meet the challenges they face in their lives and respond to the scientific issues of their day? 
• What are the skills we all need in order to adequately and thoroughly interpret scientific claims, and how can we be sure that the conduct, analysis, and interpretation of science are not unduly influenced by political or other potentially distorting factors?

Inspired by stories from places like Flint, MI, and Hoosick Falls, NY, the 2022 Citizen   Science program will tackle urgent, present-day questions related to water and work to place these conversations within the ‘new world order’ that has resulted from the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Our curriculum explores the properties of water, as well as how these properties influence the contamination (and decontamination) of drinking water. We will consider in what ways social, historical, and political factors are at work even when we think we are engaged in “objective” science. Using laboratory investigations and active classroom discussions during these few intensive January weeks, the focus will be on the creation, analysis, and interpretation of scientific evidence.

The Citizen Science program consists of a common core of coursework plus a lab strand. Each professor is assigned a section of ~20 students and is required to teach both a core and strand class each day to their section. The lab strand dives into a particular area such as Research, Data Analysis, Policy, Public Health, Science Communication or Science Education. Faculty are assigned to teach one of these lab strands based upon their expertise and the needs of the program. Faculty are grouped into cohorts of at least four per strand. For details on the strands offered in 2021 visit http://citizenscience.bard.edu/

Successful candidates will possess or be near completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent in a STEM related discipline and be willing to engage students of all disciplines in a common educational experience. No specific background in the science of water is required.  Prior teaching experience is not a requirement. Candidates with evidence of training in or experience that aligns with the focus of the lab strands will be given special consideration.

All hired faculty will be required to attend mandatory training of approximately 50 hours, scheduled for July 18-23, 2021.  A combination of remote and on-campus training will be provided (as the NY laws allow).   Faculty will be required to arrive on campus for the 2022 Citizen Science program no earlier than January 8, 2022 for pre-program work. The program runs through Friday, January 28, 2022. Travel, food and dormitory housing will be provided for any on-campus training and the entire January session. Faculty will receive a stipend payable at the end of the January session.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.  We will give preference to applications received by May 1, 2021.  Submit completed applications through Interfolio. Please include the following:

• Your current CV
• Three confidential letters of recommendation
• A letter of interest specific to this unique program which gives a sense of your philosophy on teaching and pedagogy as well as your approach to diversity and inclusion.  We particularly invite you to address the four cornerstone questions of the program as represented at the beginning of this document.

All applicants must be authorized to work in the United States, and are responsible for determining their own eligibility. Applications received after May 1, 2021 will be accepted and considered on a rolling basis until all positions are filled.  Bard College is an equal opportunity employer and we welcome applications from those who contribute to our diversity. AA/EOE

Bard College is a private liberal arts institution with approximately 2,000 students, located in New York’s Hudson River Valley. Additional information about the Citizen Science program can be found on our website, http://citizenscience.bard.edu/