The Department of Mathematics at Vanderbilt University invites nominations and applications for the Chair of the Department. The next Chair will be a dynamic, collaborative, forward-thinking leader with an outstanding record of research, teaching, and service. The successful candidate will have an internationally recognized record of research commensurate with that expected for appointment at the rank of Full Professor or Endowed Chair at a major research university. The candidate will exhibit both depth in their research specialty and breadth of appreciation for all fields and areas of mathematics. We invite applications from scholars in any field of mathematics.

Vanderbilt is making significant investments across its ten schools and colleges to advance research and discovery, teaching, and service. As department Chair, the successful candidate will have opportunities shape the direction of these investments. The department anticipates making several strategic hires over the next five years with the goal of significantly elevating the standing of Vanderbilt University’s mathematics department. Stewarding the department into this new phase of growth will require strategic vision, collaborative leadership, and a commitment to shared faculty governance.

About the Department of Mathematics

Ranked in the top fifteen nationally, Vanderbilt University is a private, internationally recognized research university with a diverse student body including over 13,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Vanderbilt University is located close to downtown Nashville, Tennessee, the hub for several booming industries, a global community, and “America’s friendliest city” according to Travel + Leisure magazine. The capital also is an international destination for the arts, entrepreneurship, and scientific research, thereby attracting world-renowned scholars to Vanderbilt University and the broader community. Major industries include tourism, printing and publishing, technology manufacturing, music production, higher education, finance, insurance, automobile production and health care management. With a metro population of approximately 1.9 million people, Nashville has been named one of the 15 best U.S. cities for work and family by Fortune, was ranked as the #1 most popular U.S. city for corporate relocations by Expansion Management, and was named by Forbes as one of the 25 cities most likely to have the country's highest job growth over the coming five years.

Since 1875, the Department of Mathematics has solidified its standing as a major player in the nationwide arena of mathematical research and academic scholarship. The department is in the College of Arts and Science, one of ten Vanderbilt colleges and professional schools. The Department of Mathematics is a strong research department of approximately 30 members, including tenure-line faculty and lecturers, and 20 postdocs. The department also has more than 300 undergraduate majors and 25 graduate students. The department is at the epicenter of interdisciplinary research across the university’s various institutes and centers. General information about the department is available at https://as.vanderbilt.edu/math/.

Position Qualifications

An earned doctorate degree in mathematics or a closely related field and a scholarly record deserving appointment as tenured professor at Vanderbilt University
Recognized leadership with a distinguished national and international reputation for research and education
Ability to work productively across departments, schools, and institutions to support interdisciplinary collaboration
Experience mentoring faculty at all ranks
Excellent communication skills both within and outside the area of scholarly discipline - Strong commitment to diversity and inclusion at all levels among faculty, students, and staff, along with measurable and sustained impact on the diversity and inclusiveness of organizations they have led or been part of
An understanding of extramural funding opportunities and challenges in mathematics and the natural sciences generally
Leadership and administrative experience within a complex research environment or in national/international organizations connected to their respective field
Prior experience as a department Chair is not required

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Vanderbilt University

At Vanderbilt University, we are intentional about and assume accountability for fostering advancement and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, and staff. Our commitment to diversity makes us who we are. We have created a community that celebrates differences and lets individuality thrive. As part of this commitment, we actively value diversity in our workplace and learning environments as we seek to take advantage of the rich backgrounds and abilities of everyone. The diverse voices of Vanderbilt represent an invaluable resource for the University in its efforts to fulfill its mission and strive to be an example of excellence in higher education. Vanderbilt University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply.

Spencer Stuart, a global executive search and leadership advisory firm, has been retained by Vanderbilt University to help identify and recruit the new Chair. All inquiries, nominations, and applications (CVs and letters of interest) should be sent electronically and in confidence to VandyMathChair@SpencerStuart.com.

Vanderbilt University, Department of Mathematics