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AY2024-2025 51823 Endowed Associate/Full Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Executive Director for Research Innovation in the Center for Digital and Human-Augmented Manufacturing.
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Position Number: 4570690
Location: Dallas, TX
Position Type: Engineering - Mechanical

AY2024-2025 51823 Endowed Associate/Full Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Executive Director for Research Innovation in the Center for Digital and Human-Augmented Manufacturing.
Mechanical Engineering Department

Location: Dallas, TX
Open Date: Jul 31, 2023

Description:
The Lyle School of Engineering at Southern Methodist University (SMU), led by the newly-appointed visionary Mary and Richard Templeton Dean Nader Jalili, seeks qualified candidates for tenured and tenure-track faculty positions at the Associate and Full Professor levels to lead its multiple centers and institutes. Minimum qualifications for each of these positions must include an earned Ph.D. in the appropriate or a closely related discipline, with experience commensurate with the rank of associate or full professor. The departments for the appointment will be determined by the backgrounds and interests of the final candidates in one of Lyle's five departments. Joint appointments either within Lyle or across SMU will also be considered.

The Lyle School of Engineering welcomes applications to bolster its Center for Digital and Human-Augmented Manufacturing-formerly recognized as the Research Center of Advanced Manufacturing (RCAM). We invite accomplished candidates to contribute their expertise, as we shape a visionary path towards Industry 4.0 excellence in the realm of research. The Executive Director will collaborate closely with the other Executive Director to define a forward-looking vision for research innovation, propelling the center into a prominent exemplar of Industry 4.0 within the research landscape. The individual taking this role will leverage a robust foundation in digital and human-augmented manufacturing research. Commanding an understanding of Industry 4.0 capabilities, the extensive proposal experience will be pivotal in shaping the center's trajectory. The proven ability to secure future funding and steer strategic direction will be instrumental in advancing the center's impact.

A Nexus of Innovation and Leveraging a Legacy: Sitting at the convergence of science, engineering, and industrial practice, the center creates a dynamic interface. By offering North Texas companies experimental, computational, and industrial opportunities for material processing and testing, it remains at the forefront of innovation. The Executive Director's role will be integral in enhancing the synergy between industry and academia, weaving together the scholarship and research efforts of SMU Lyle School of Engineering students and faculty. Building upon RCAM's storied research legacy-culminating in over $20 million of governmental funding and industry contracts with 15 major industrial entities-the center embodies a tradition of excellence.

More information about SMU Lyle School of Engineering's ambitious faculty hiring plan is available at https://www.smu.edu/Lyle/Departments/Faculty-Openings. Join us in shaping the future of engineering education and research by exploring a variety of faculty opportunities, including esteemed endowed chairs and professorships, available at both associate and full professor levels.

About the Bobby B. Lyle School of Engineering

For nearly a century, Lyle has been nurturing exceptional engineers who are catalysts for global change. Our commitment to shaping bold leaders who innovate, pioneer, and tackle society's toughest challenges is unwavering. Embedded in our mindset is a culture of ingenuity that resonates through our research and curriculum. With an impressive 9:1 graduate student-to-faculty ratio, coupled with robust scholarship offerings, we are dedicated to fostering meaningful mentorship and breaking engineering stereotypes. Lyle has proudly earned the American Society for Engineering Education's Bronze Award for championing diversity and inclusivity. Our focus extends beyond campus, addressing critical global issues through groundbreaking research. Our five departments-Civil and Environmental Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Operation Research and Engineering Management, and Mechanical Engineering-drive impactful innovations beyond academia's boundaries.

Pioneering Excellence: Lyle's acclaimed centers and institutes include the Darwin Deason Institute for Cyber Security, Hart Center for Engineering Leadership, Caruth Institute for Engineering Education, Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity, and the Hart Institute for Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Notably, the Research Center of Advanced Manufacturing is being evolved into a dynamic new Center for Digital and Human-Augmented Manufacturing.

Unveiling Opportunities: Embarking on an ambitious faculty recruitment campaign, Lyle is experiencing remarkable growth with the creation of over eighteen distinct new faculty positions for the upcoming academic year 2023-24. These encompass six tenure track (TT) roles within the strategic themes of Sustainable Energy and the Environment, AI-Powered Digital Engineering Systems, Quantum Science and Engineering and Data Science. Also featured are the Executive Director of the Hart Center for Leadership, Executive Director for Research Innovation in the Center for Digital and Human-Augmented Manufacturing, Co-Executive Director of the Hart Institute for Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and the Walden and Paula Rhines Endowed Quantum Informatics Professor in Computer Science or Electrical and Computer Engineering. In addition, Lyle is hiring three new Endowed Department Chairs across multiple departments (Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Computer Science) within our Engineering School. Furthermore, five cross-disciplinary renewable contract (non-TT) Assistant and Associate professors round out the offerings.

A New Era Beckons: In a resounding testament to our aspirations, SMU's pursuit of R1 status is bolstered by a recent landmark $20 million gift (https://www.smu.edu/ignited/news/gifts/templeton-lyle-gift-feb-2023) and $15 million investment on Initiative for Digital Innovation in Engineering and Computer Science (https://www.smu.edu/ignited/news/gifts/odonnell-gift-august-2023). These transformative endowments are pivotal in invigorating our research ecosystem, fostering interdisciplinary alliances to position Lyle as an authoritative force in artificial intelligence, human augmentation, digital transformation and innovation. Empowered by the Provost and Dean, the new faculty will be able to redefine engineering education for our swiftly evolving digital landscape, benefiting Dallas and the broader DFW area. Our world-class research facilities are complemented by robust resources in high-performance scientific computing (see https://www.smu.edu/Provost/Data-Science-Institute/HPC).

Lyle's Rich Ecosystem of Innovation and Excellence: Lyle students have the unique opportunity to participate in a range of programs within various Centers and Institutes. These include the distinctive Deason Innovation Gym, which serves as a maker space equipped with tools and space for immersion design projects and competitions, fostering leadership development and innovation. The Hart Center for Engineering Leadership is dedicated to helping students build nontechnical skills essential for leadership in diverse technical fields. The Caruth Institute for Engineering Education focuses on developing innovative methodologies to integrate engineering education into K-12 schools. The Hunter and Stephanie Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity is a hub where technological innovation converges with business expertise to address global poverty challenges. Additionally, students can engage with the Hart Institute for Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, further expanding their horizons in technology-driven innovation and entrepreneurial endeavors. Our students are uniquely able to engage in these enriching opportunities where innovation, leadership, and societal impact intersect.

Inclusive Excellence: We believe that equity and inclusion are essential components of our success as teachers and scholars. We seek colleagues who eagerly embrace SMU's central values of intellectual diversity, academic freedom, and the cultivation off cultural intelligence to teach, lead, and collaborate effectively with our students, colleagues, and stakeholders regardless of their backgrounds.

About SMU

SMU's more than 12,000 diverse, high-achieving students come from all 50 states and over 80 countries to take advantage of the University's small classes, meaningful research opportunities, leadership development, community service, international study and innovative programs.

S.M.U. serves approximately 7,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students through eight degree-granting schools: Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, Cox School of Business, Lyle School of Engineering, Meadows School of the Arts, Simmons School of Education and Human Development, Dedman School of Law, Perkins School of Theology and Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies.

S.M.U. is data driven, and its powerful supercomputing ecosystem - paired with entrepreneurial drive - creates an unrivaled environment for the University to deliver research excellence.

Now in its second century of achievement, S.M.U. is recognized for the ways it supports students, faculty and alumni as they become ethical, enterprising leaders in their professions and communities. S.M.U.'s relationship with Dallas - the dynamic center of one of the nation's fastest-growing regions - offers unique learning, research, social and career opportunities that provide a launch pad for global impact.

S.M.U. is nonsectarian in its teaching and committed to academic freedom and open inquiry.

All applications should be submitted through Interfolio.

Qualifications:
As a visionary leader, the Executive Director must include an earned Ph.D. in Engineering in the appropriate or closely related disipline and must bring a distinguished record in mechanical engineering, ideally holding an endowed associate or full professorship. A comprehensive grasp of digital and human-augmented manufacturing research, coupled with expertise in Industry 4.0 capabilities, underscores the suitability of the Executive Director with extensive experience in securing funding and shaping research directions aligns with our vision for the center's growth.

Application Instructions:
To apply, visit https://apply.interfolio.com/128161

Candidates are required to submit with their application, a cover letter that includes research and teaching statements, a statement of leadership background and philosophy, Curriculum Vitae, and contact information for three professional references. Successful candidates will also present a vision for continued growth and development of the department. Review of applications will begin October 30, 2023. To ensure full consideration for the position, the application must be received by this date. The committee will continue to accept applications until the position is filled and will notify applicants of its employment decisions after the position is filled. Hiring is contingent upon the satisfactory completion of a background check. The start date is August 1, 2024.

Southern Methodist University (SMU) will not discriminate in any employment practice, education program, education activity, or admissions on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status. SMU's commitment to equal opportunity includes nondiscrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. The Executive Director for Access and Equity/Title IX1 Coordinator is designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies, including the prohibition of sex discrimination under Title IX. The Executive Director/Title IX Coordinator may be reached at the Perkins Administration Building, Room 204, 6425 Boaz Lane, Dallas, TX 75205, 214-768-3601, accessequity@smu.edu. Inquiries regarding the application of Title IX may also be directed to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education.