Department/Organization
207301 - Communication Studies
Rank
Associate/Full Professor
Position Summary
The Department of Communication Studies in the College of Communication & Information Sciences at the University of Alabama invites applications for a tenured Associate/Full endowed professorship specializing in interpersonal communication to begin August 16, 2027.
Detailed Position Information
The Robinson Endowed Professor in Interpersonal Communication will contribute to the UA vision as a future-ready flagship by developing leaders and the workforce of the future, advancing research and innovation that address real-world problems, and strengthening communities across Alabama and beyond. More specifically, this position offers elite scholars the resources necessary to develop innovative theoretical/methodological approaches to meaningfully address communication challenges within personal, social, or public contexts. The Robinson Professor will have access to multiple college research labs, work with an award-winning community of multi-disciplinary peers, and lead graduate students to magnify the insights of interpersonal communication scholarship.
The department embraces the full power of communication by studying theory, method, and practice in the areas of interpersonal communication, rhetoric and political discourse, communication and culture, and organizational leadership. We are committed to cultivating responsible, informed, and civically minded students who will be future leaders in their communities and workplaces.
We seek a distinguished scholar with an established record of excellence in research, intellectual leadership, and graduate student mentorship. Expertise in interpersonal communication may include, but are not limited to, the following contexts:
• Small group/team communication
• Technology-mediated relationships
• Political identity and conflict
• Intercultural communication and collaboration
• Family communication
• Trust, deception, and authenticity
• Health communication
Tenured faculty teaching assignments may include undergraduate, master's-level, as well as contributions or course assignments within the interdisciplinary doctoral program. The Robinson Family endowment provides this position with funds to accelerate research and professional development, including a reduced teaching load and/or summer research support.
Minimum Qualifications
• A PhD in Communication or a closely related field.
• Strong expertise in the area of interpersonal communication.
• National reputation as a leading interpersonal communication scholar.
Preferred Qualifications
• Demonstrable expertise with external funding. • Evidence of effective graduate student mentorship. • Successful design and delivery of relevant courses. • Adept at interdisciplinary collaboration.
Instructions and Required Materials for Application
To apply, provide the following: 1. Cover letter highlighting connection to the position with explicit discussion of program of research, excellence in mentorship and teaching, and potential for extramural funding. 2. Curriculum vitae. 3. Names and contact information for three references who will be contacted during the campus interview phase of this search. The search committee will begin reviewing applications on December 1, 2027 and review of applications will continue until the position is filled. Questions regarding the search should be directed to the search chair, Dr. Robin Boylorn (rboylorn@ua.edu)
About the Division/College/School
The College of Communication & Information Sciences has four academic units, approximately 110 full-time faculty members, and serves approximately 3,500 students across bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs, including approximately 95 students in the college-wide Ph.D. program. The college’s Institute for Communication & Information Research (ICIR) is a premier research institute dedicated to addressing societal and cultural issues related to communication and information research. The ICIR collaborates with businesses, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, foundations, and other entities to produce high-impact research that informs and improves our evolving communication and information landscape. The College is also home to the Public Opinion Lab, equipped with the Sprinklr data warehouse and custom data collection and management resources; a biometrics lab outfitted with state-of-the-art iMotions software and associated hardware; and the near-term development of an interactive VR/theater lab, among others. The college is also home to the Holle Center for Communication Arts, whose mission is guided by a commitment to advance narrative justice through innovative and arts-informed research, community engagement, and creative co-operation. The college also maintains the 40,000 square-foot Digital Media Center, which is home to Alabama Public Radio and WVUA 23, a full-power commercial television station serving a top-50 television market.
About the Department of Communication Studies
The department consists of 26 full-time faculty members dedicated to furthering the education of nearly 1,000 undergraduate majors and minors, and over 100 online and on-campus graduate students. Our department is also home to a renowned forensics program and a cutting-edge Speaking Studio. The department actively participates in the college’s interdisciplinary PhD program.
The department is a collaborative environment that values the communication discipline’s rich heritage of methodological diversity. Our team is committed to creating belonging through valuing diverse viewpoints and cultures. For more information, visit our website at https://comstudies.ua.edu.
About the University
The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, named one of Travel + Leisure’s 25 Best College Towns and Cities in the U.S. As one of the nation’s premier universities, UA offers bachelor’s, master's and doctoral degrees in nearly 200 fields of study. With more than 1,400 acres of tree-lined academic core campus and over 300 state-of-the art facilities, UA has been ranked among the most beautiful and most impressive college campuses in the South, in the state of Alabama and in the nation.
In Fall 2023, the Capstone set a new enrollment record with more than 39,000 students, including more than 8,200 in the freshman class. The current enrollment includes students from every county in Alabama, every state in the nation and 92 countries around the world. More than 1,100 National Merit Scholars are currently enrolled, making UA one of the largest enrolling institutions of the scholars in the country.
UA was recently recognized as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. students for the seventh time in nine years, as well as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Scholars for the first time. UA is one of only 12 universities in the nation to receive both honors.
For reasons like this, the University made Forbes list of America’s Top Colleges for 2023 and Time magazine’s list of Top 50 Best Colleges for Future Leaders. It also made Princeton Review’s list of Top Value Colleges.
UA is also designated among the top doctoral research universities in the United States in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. One of the fastest growing major research institutions in the nation, UA saw a 21% increase in sponsored awards in the 2023 fiscal year.
Since 2015, UA has invested over $1.1 billion in the physical campus, adding more than 2.55 million gross square feet of space, over 150 new research-intensive faculty, signature research areas (e.g., “The Alabama Research Institutes”), and a growing number of partnerships with industry and with state and federal agencies.
The University employs nearly 2,100 faculty and over 4,500 staff, with 52 UA researchers included in the National Academy of Inventors. An additional 40 current faculty have received the NSF CAREER Award, the nation’s most prestigious recognition of top performing young scientists in disciplines ranging from nanoscience and engineering to biological sciences.
Background Investigation and EEO Statement
Background Investigation Statement: Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.
Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment or volunteer status without regard to any legally protected basis and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. More information is available in the EEOC’s Know Your Rights: Workplace (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf) discrimination is illegal poster.
The University of Alabama affirms its longstanding commitment to institutional neutrality, free speech, and academic freedom.
