Eligibility:
We seek applications from candidates with expertise in a scholarly field in the humanities, history, linguistics, or the arts; expertise in computing and in the use of computers in scholarship; and a distinguished record of teaching in higher education. Experience in literary and/or linguistic computing and knowledge of related statistical methods and natural language processing techniques are desirable. Prior administrative experience is desirable. Applicants must have completed all requirements for receipt of a PhD in a field in the humanities, history, linguistics, or the arts prior to the start of the appointment.
Description:
In 2018, the University of Chicago launched a new one-year M.A. program in Digital Studies of Language, Culture, and History (http://digitalstudies.uchicago.edu). A related undergraduate minor and a combined B.A./M.A. program make use of the same courses, some of which are taught by lecturers while others are taught by tenure-track faculty from several different departments across the humanities. The courses are also open to Ph.D. students. The Digital Studies curriculum is tailored for students of the humanities and humanistic social sciences who wish to acquire computational skills but have little or no background in computing and mathematics.
Reporting to the chair of the Digital Studies faculty board, the Senior Lecturer and Academic Director of Digital Studies will have a leading role in building the Digital Studies program. His or her responsibilities will include teaching five quarter-length courses per year (normally, two in Autumn, two in Winter, and one in Spring). These may include introductory courses on computer programming and statistics as well as courses on data management, data analysis, data publication via the Web, and natural language processing. These courses are intended to teach students how to make effective use of software tools and techniques relevant to scholarship in the humanities, with emphasis on textual, visual, and sonic data related to human language, culture, and history.
In addition to teaching five courses, the Senior Lecturer will serve as a co-adviser (together with a faculty adviser) of M.A. students’ thesis projects and will perform administrative and supervisory tasks related to the Digital Studies programs. Thesis advising will carry over into the summer because students have the option of completing their theses in the summer. Administrative and supervisory duties will include:
- Hiring, supervising, and reviewing the performance of part-time lecturers who teach courses in the Digital Studies program
- Coordinating M.A. student orientation activities in the fall
- Student advising and adviser management
- Attending quarterly meetings of the Digital Studies faculty board to give advice and information concerning the program
- Obtaining pedagogical resources and computational tools for the Digital Studies courses and student thesis projects
- Researching and collecting information concerning best practices in digital humanities teaching and research
- Serving as a liaison with the staff of the University’s Research Computing Center, Library, and Information Technology Services to facilitate the provision of technical support and training for students and faculty in the Digital Studies program.
Apply:
To apply for this position, please upload requested materials to the University of Chicago's Academic Recruitment website. Applicants must submit a current curriculum vitae, a cover letter discussing your interest and qualifications for the position, contact information for three references, titles and descriptions of courses you have taught in the past, and one or more relevant sample syllabi that include assignments and readings.
