IHP Criteria

2023 IHP - Environment Initiative-specific Criteria

All 2023 Institutional Hiring Plan (IHP) proposals must follow the IHP process and use the IHP template located here. In addition to the criteria outlined on the IHP page, proposals that are tied to the Environment Initiative must describe how the search will contribute to the development and success of that specific initiative, referring to the appropriate initiative-specific criteria outlined below.

IHP proposals related to the Environment Initiative (EI) will be most successful when they (1) build from and advance the EI Guiding Principles; (2) connect directly with one or more Research Clusters and demonstrate coordination with research active faculty in the area; (3) relate to emerging curricular needs through EI’s curricular planning; (4) address the connection to professional outcomes for students.

A percentage of teaching and service for an approved hire linked to the Environment Initiative will be assigned to that Initiative. Thus, the school or college proposing the hire should expect a teaching and service contribution net of the teaching and service assigned to the Initiative.

Units are encouraged to reach out to the EI Executive Director to consult and collaborate in the design of IHP proposals and make connections to faculty in the research cluster areas.

Environment Initiative Guiding Principles

With the urgency created by the impact of climate change and a fundamental commitment to environmental justice, we strive to be:

  • Transdisciplinary and innovative in building integrated opportunities for teaching, research, and community engagement centered around climate solutions, environment, and sustainability-related topics;
  • Policy-relevant, data-driven, and evidence-based by doing applied work that translates to decision-makers in government, industry and communities;
  • Rooted and focused on issue of equity and environmental justice in which we add and amplify voices to the conversation, including work directly with or within diverse communities, including Indigenous, Black, Latinx, LGBTQ+, and other communities;
  • Responsive to the needs of local communities, tribal nations, the state, the eco-region and beyond; and
  • Tied to direct student outcomes, experiential learning offerings, and new ways of thinking about professional pathways for a changing world.

Environment Initiative Research Nodes

As our work has developed over the last year, we have identified research nodes that are differentiated in terms of timing so that there will be multiple waves of development.  As units prepare proposals, they should coordinate with active faculty in the relevant research nodes to see where the intellectual energy, research agenda and work plan has progressed and to see where important linkages and collaborations may exist. During this year's IHP, we are seeking proposals that contribute to the nodes in the first wave,  which are as follows:

  • Hazards Resilience
  • Energy and Decarbonization 
  • Ecology, Systems, and the Designed Environment
  • Natural Climate Solutions, Restoration, and Biodiversity 

In the future, there may be IHP criteria that include additional research nodes from a second wave. The EI hopes to continue to attract faculty who will work in teaching and scholarship in a wide and innovative variety of design/research methods at all scales and across disciplines. The EI is interested in positions to support faculty who will engage communities within and outside of the institution in their research and teaching, and whose scholarship is enriched by their lived experiences.

IHP Evaluation Criteria

To advance the mission of the Environment Initiative, we are seeking to hire scholars:

  • whose research and teaching reflect the Guiding Principles above.
  • whose work integrates issues of environmental and social justice through lived experience, community engagement, and/or scholarship.
  • whose research, teaching, service and lived experience evidence substantive commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  • whose work relates to one or more research clusters listed above.
  • who seek to build bridges and span boundaries who demonstrate potential for fruitful collaborations, for building relationships, and for working successfully across disciplines, cultures, and communities.
  • who are interested in problem-centered methodologies and research models. 
  • who are committed to mentoring the next generation of environmental leaders through teaching and professional development.