Hill Chair of Excellence in Science, Technology, and Medical Writing

Job Description

Full Professor/Professor of Practice in Journalism and Media - Fall 2026
 
Location Knoxville, TN
Position Type UTK Tenure Track Faculty
Position URL apply.interfolio.com/169989
 
Position Description
Julia G. and Alfred G. Hill Chair of Excellence in Science, Technology, and Medical Writing
School of Journalism & Media, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Full-time
The School of Journalism & Media, housed within the College of Communication and Information, is seeking the next Julia G. and Alfred G. Hill Chair of Excellence in Science, Technology, and Medical Writing to begin August 1, 2026. The position can be configured as a tenure-track or non-tenure-track position, based on the applicant’s background. The ideal tenure-track candidate exhibits a strong record of academic research and instruction in science, technology, environment and/or medicine. An ideal non-tenure-track candidate may be a journalist/communicator of high stature with a record of publication in the areas of science, technology, environment and/or medicine. In both cases, we seek an expert who will be an active writer, researcher, and teacher, while serving as a public ambassador for science, technology, environment and/or medical writing and reporting, translating complex issues to the general public for their well-being, appreciation, and enjoyment. 
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
-Teaching undergraduate and/or graduate-level courses in science, technology, environment and/or medical writing and reporting.
-Conducting research and writing.
-Public outreach, educational, and engagement activities that, consistent with the public land-grant mission, translate scientific, technological, environmental and/or medical findings and knowledge to a lay audience to enhance public awareness, understanding, and well-being.
-Conducting outreach activities to journalists and other media professionals serving the people of Tennessee and beyond, offering training in science, technology, environment and/or medical reporting and writing, and serving as a liaison between the state’s media and the professional scientific community.
-Performing service to the school, college, university, and discipline.
The School of Journalism and Media
Housed in the College of Communication and Information, the School of Journalism and Media includes 20 full-time faculty members who engage in quantitative and qualitative research as well as creative activity, with the goal of advancing knowledge in journalism and media and educating and equipping the next generation of communication professionals. The school offers coursework at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. In partnership with The Media Center, students have opportunities for vast hands-on experience in film and documentary work (Land Grant Films), video production (Lumos Media), public radio (NPR member station WUOT-FM), news publication (Beacon), college radio (WUTK-FM), student-led television station TVC, and Ablaze magazine. The School serves more than 450 undergraduate majors and 20 master’s and doctoral students. Visit the websites for the College and School for more information.
The College of Communication and Information
The College of Communication and Information (CCI) consists of four schools: Advertising and Public Relations, Communication Studies, Information Sciences, and Journalism and Media. CCI has approximately 1,800 undergraduate majors (across five undergraduate majors in advertising, public relations, communication studies, information sciences, and journalism and media) and approximately 500 graduate students (including a College-wide M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in communication & information and an M.S. degree in information sciences). The College’s Research & Innovation Center (RIC) provides a wide array of support services for CCI faculty interested in pursuing sponsored research. The Center involves dozens of researchers across various disciplines and agencies to focus the array of talent in CCI, the University of Tennessee, the nearby Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Great Smoky Mountains National Park (40 minutes away), and other research institutions in the pursuit and conduct of sponsored research. College-wide research facilities include: the Adam Brown Social Media Command Center, the Scripps Convergence Lab, a User Experience Lab, and a Message Effects/Focus Group Lab.
The University of Tennessee and Knoxville
 The University of Tennessee is the state of Tennessee’s flagship university and its only public Carnegie Research 1 institution. As a land-grant university and as Volunteers, serving the state and nation is key to its mission. UT enrolls approximately 30,000 students at its Knoxville campus. Demographically, 24% of all students identify as non-white, 24% identify as first-generation students, and 29% are Pell-eligible. The University culture is guided by adherence to core values that define the Volunteer spirit and include seeking knowledge, leading with innovation and integrity, advancing diversity and inclusion, engaging locally and globally, and embracing responsible stewardship of resources.
Nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, Knoxville has a metropolitan statistical area population of more than 850,000 people. This moderate-sized city has a vibrant nightlife that includes numerous theaters and museums, a great music scene, a symphony orchestra and an opera company, world-class restaurants, many cultural festivals, and a downtown market square. Surrounded by 8 lakes and the Tennessee River, the Knoxville area boasts wonderful year-round water activities, including boating, fishing, and swimming that make for scenic and breathtaking views of the area. Knoxville is also home to many leading corporations, including Warner Brothers/Discovery, Regal Cinemas, Bush Brothers & Company, Tennessee Valley Authority, Ruby Tuesday, Pilot Flying J, and Arconic. It also has several prominent advertising/public relations firms and is the fifth largest video production center in the United States.
The Knoxville campus of the University of Tennessee is seeking candidates who have the ability to contribute in meaningful ways to the diversity and intercultural goals of the University.
Qualifications
 
The School of Journalism & Media seeks a colleague with expertise in science, technology, and/or medical writing and reporting and a contemporary understanding of the issues in this realm. The ability to teach in one or more of the following areas is strongly desired: science, technology, environment and/or medical writing/reporting.
Required Qualifications:
Tenure-track Position
Ph.D. in a relevant field at time of appointment
Strong, active and established publication record
Evidence of publication in science, technology, environment and/or medical topics
Enthusiasm for and a desire to engage with the public for the dissemination of knowledge
Non-Tenure-Track Position
Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field at time of appointment
Strong, active and established publication record in science, technology, environment and/or medical topics
Demonstrated success in the field of journalism/communication, as related to science, technology, environment and/or medicine
Enthusiasm for and a desire to engage with the public for the dissemination of knowledge
Preferred Qualifications:
Record of securing external funding
Teaching experience in higher education
Experience in engaging with the public for the dissemination of knowledge. Specifically, demonstration of engaged scholarship with community partners.
§  Candidates for (Tenure-Track) Professor should be nationally or internationally recognized researchers with active and distinctive research agendas. A record of or potential for obtaining external funding is also desirable.
§  Candidates for (Non-Tenure-Track) Professor of Practice should have an outstanding national and/or international record of professional success in science, technology, environment or medical writing and/or reporting and the potential to succeed as a non-tenure-track faculty member at a state flagship campus such as University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Application Instructions
 
To apply, please submit a letter of application, curriculum vita or resume, and the names and contact information of at least three references on Interfolio. In your letter of application include whether you want to be considered as a candidate for Professor or Professor of Practice.  Additionally, if you have classroom experience, you may send teaching evaluations. Please email jem@utk.edu with any questions, using the subject line: Hill Chair position.
Review of applications begins September 8, 2025, and continues until the position is filled.
This institution is using Interfolio's Faculty Search to conduct this search. Applicants to this position receive a free Dossier account and can send all application materials, including confidential letters of recommendation, free of charge.
Apply now!
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
 
All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admission without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the university.
Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at Equal Opportunity and Accessibility, 1840 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to eoa@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-2498. Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, and national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), the ADA (disability), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Investigation and Resolution, 216 Business Incubator Building, E J. Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to investigations@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-0717.

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