CKTS Postdoctoral Scholar (Implementation) (EXPIRED)

The UCI Center for Knowledge, Technology and Society invites applications for a two-year postdoctoral scholar starting during fall 2022 to assist in the implementation of a John Templeton Foundation funded project “Embedding the Development of Intellectual Character within a University Curriculum.”

There are two core questions addressed by the project: How can the teaching of virtuous intellectual character be integrated into a university level curriculum? What are the educational benefits of doing so? While there has been extensive discussion of the educational benefits of teaching for the intellectual virtues, there hasn't been any systematic implementation of these ideas at university level specifically, much less a serious educational evaluation of their effectiveness at this pedagogical level.

The core project questions will be addressed by developing online interdisciplinary modules devoted to fostering intellectually virtuous character in students. These modules will be embedded within the curriculum at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), so that all UCI undergraduate students can benefit from them regardless of their major. The pedagogical effectiveness of these materials will be evaluated via an educational study. The project will be the first of its kind in terms of leading to a wholesale incorporation of intellectual character development into the heart of an R1 university curriculum, at a highly diverse campus.

The CKTS Postdoctoral Scholar (Implementation) will be appointed in the UCI Humanities Center and affiliated with the Center for Knowledge, Technology and Society, as well as either the Department of Philosophy or the School of Education. The successful candidate will have a PhD in a relevant field (such as education or philosophy), ideally with knowledge and experience that is directly suited to these project activities (such as experience of working on pedagogical initiatives), and be eager to work in a collaborative setting. The postdoctoral fellow assigned to implementation will be mentored throughout by Dr. Duncan Pritchard, co-PI, and will assist him in the day-to-day activities associated with project implementation.

Duties include:

• Working with relevant faculty to develop new module content;
• Setting up and overseeing the filming and editing of module content;
• Integrating supporting educational materials into the modules;
• Running faculty training workshops; and
• Setting up the public (non-UCI specific) version of modules.

This is a two-year (24 month), 100% appointment with an annual salary of at least $55,632 plus UCI benefits. Postdoctoral positions at UCI comply with the University of California union-negotiated postdoctoral contract.

Review of applications begins October 24, 2022 and continues until the position is filled.