Arrell Chair in Food, Policy & Society – Associate or Full Professor (Geography, Environment & Geomatics)

University of Guelph

The Geography, Environment & Geomatics department at the University of Guelph invites applications for a tenured position at the Associate or Full Professor level.

Funded by the Arrell Family Foundation, this Chair position is intended to recruit an outstanding researcher in Food Studies who will work collaboratively with other Arrell Chairs on campus and will develop an externally funded research program at the University of Guelph to influence food policies, practices, and behaviours locally, nationally and internationally.

It is anticipated that the new hire will have a distribution of effort of 20% teaching, 40% research and 40% service, and that the service component of this job will be directed toward: (1) service to the Arrell Food Institute to help reach its vision, goals and deliver on its programs; and (2) outreach to the non-academic community to raise the University of Guelph’s reputation as “Canada’s Food University”. The anticipated duration of the Chair appointment is 5 years, and thereafter the distribution of effort will revert to the standard 40% teaching, 40% research and 20% service.

The successful applicant will work at the intersection of sustainable food systems, cultural, economic, and/or social practices and processes relating to food geographies; and agricultural, health, labour, and safety regulation policies. In particular, the Arrell Chair in Food, Policy and Society will utilize geographic and/or social science methods to enrich other areas of the University of Guelph’s food research addressing pressing issues of food justice and policy.

The research focus of the Chair must address the above broad themes, and may also include research foci such as: social justice, race and gender in food systems and food transitions; local food systems in relation to industrial production, distribution and governance systems, Indigenous food sovereignty, community food security, the intersection of biodiversity conservation, climate change and food production and consumption, food security and international development, among others.

The Arrell Chair in Food, Policy and Society will join the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics as an experienced interdisciplinary and community-engaged researcher who will lead a research program that attracts a diverse range of graduate students, postdoctoral, community-based, and faculty researchers. As well, the Arrell Chair in Food, Policy & Society will play an important role in advancing the strategic objectives of the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences. We would welcome candidates who use innovative approaches in knowledge mobilization, community engagement, and public scholarship and who can contribute to additional strengths in the department and college.

The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to undergraduate and/or graduate courses in their area(s) of expertise through scholarly teaching and participate in the administration of the Arrell Food Institute. As such, the candidate will also be expected to engage with non-academic stakeholders on a regular basis, including communicating with the media, working with industry / civil society, and brokering relationships in the broad area of food across campus.

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Increase national and international awareness of issues pertaining to the social and policy aspects of food through communication and outreach, including becoming an information resource for media
• Serve as a key resource for expertise and as a primary conduit to experts in areas relevant to issues around food quality at the University of Guelph
• Develop a core research capacity in some aspect of the policy and social aspect of food and assemble collaborating researchers within and external to the University of Guelph to strengthen the University’s capacity to respond to issues related to food
• Contribute to the vision and mission of the Arrell Food Institute, which is “…transforming global food systems and elevating Canada’s place within the global food economy. We are building on University of Guelph’s world-class strengths in all aspects of food research and education and will be the world leader in food and agricultural innovation.” As such, the successful applicant will participate in the governance of the Institute, and be expected to lead on executing its programs.
• Contribute to undergraduate and graduate teaching in their area(s) of expertise

The successful candidate will hold a Ph.D. and a proven track record of scholarly contributions to Geography or related disciplines, at a level commensurate with an appointment at the Associate or Full Professor ranks.  They will have demonstrated a remarkable ability to communicate through diverse platforms, with a broad range of audiences (scholars, industry, government, and the public), and will possess the capacity to draw various actors together to facilitate critical conversions on complex issues. The successful candidate will have an outstanding research portfolio, the ability to lead independent research programs, and a strong record of successes securing research funding and outreach activities. Finally, the successful candidate will have demonstrated strong abilities and achievements in teaching and student‘s mentorship.

The Arrell Chair in Food, Policy and Society will lead and build connections between the University of Guelph and other institutions, consumers, and companies within the agricultural and food systems, with the goal of advancing research, education, awareness and practices in areas relevant to the policy and social aspects of food. The Arrell Chair in Food, Policy and Society must be an outstanding communicator and extremely skilled in external relations.  The candidate must have the ability to motivate and inspire others to participate in advancing opportunities and innovations in food sustainability, and to further strengthen the University’s reputation as ”Canada’s Food University”.

The University of Guelph is the third largest employer in Guelph, a city of approximately 130,000 people, located about an hour drive west of Toronto, Ontario. University of Guelph is a top-ranked comprehensive university in Canada with an enrolment of more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across over 40 academic units. The University is known for its commitment to student learning, innovative research, and collaboration with world-class partners. It is a unique place, with transformative research and teaching and a distinctive campus culture. People who learn and work here are shaped and inspired by a shared purpose: To Improve Life. Reflecting that shared purpose in every experience connected to our university positions us to create positive change, here and around the world. Our University community shares a profound sense of social responsibility, a drive for international development, and an obligation to address global issues.

Application Process
Applications should be submitted by March 29, 2024. Assessment of applications will begin on April 1, 2024 and will continue until the position is filled. Interested applicants should submit the following materials (preferably as a single PDF file): (1) a cover letter detailing their suitability for the Arrell Chair in Food, Policy & Society; (2) a curriculum vitae; (3) a description of the most significant research contributions, as well as record of teaching and mentorship of students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Applications should be sent to the attention of:
Professor Francesco Leri
Associate Dean, Research & Graduate Studies
College of Social and Applied Human Sciences
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON N1G 2W1
Email: csahsdean@uoguelph.ca

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All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

The University recognizes that applicants may have had obligations outside of work that have negatively impacted their record of achievements (e.g., parental, elder care, and/or medical). You are not required to disclose these obligations in the hiring process. If you choose to do so, the University will ensure that these obligations do not negatively impact the assessment of your qualifications for the position.

The University of Guelph resides on the ancestral lands of the Attawandaron people and the treaty lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit and we offer our respect to our Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and Métis neighbours as we strive to strengthen our relationships with them.

At the University of Guelph, fostering a culture of inclusion (https://uoguel.ph/ox2p9) is an institutional imperative. The University invites and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversification of our Institution.

If you require a medical accommodation during the recruitment or selection process, please contact Occupational Health and Wellness at 519-824-4120 x52674.