Chair, Population and Public Health Sciences - Associate Professor or Full Professor

Chair, Population and Public Health Sciences

Boonshoft School of Medicine
Wright State University
Dayton, OH

Job Summary

The Chair of the Department of Population & Public Health Sciences (PPHS) serves as the chief academic and administrative leader of the department within the Boonshoft School of Medicine (BSOM) at Wright State University (WSU). The Chair provides innovative and strategic leadership to advance the department's mission in education, research, and community engagement. Responsibilities include overseeing undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs; supporting student success and recruitment; fostering faculty and staff development; and strengthening the department's research profile consistent with an R2 university.

The Chair represents and advocates for the department within the school, university, and broader public health community. They build partnerships with health systems and organizations and promote workforce development to address regional and global health needs. Following the formal affiliation with Premier Health, the Chair provides leadership and coordination in partnership with the Dean of the Boonshoft School of Medicine/Chief Academic Officer to advance shared strategic priorities and ensure alignment with the university's mission and goals.

In addition, the Chair maintains an active program of teaching and scholarship consistent with expectations for department chairs while cultivating a culture of collaboration, shared governance, and academic excellence.

Essential Duties

Leadership & Engagement (35%)

• Serve as the chief administrator of the Department of PPHS, providing comprehensive leadership to advance its mission, vision, and strategic goals.
• Provide strategic and innovative leadership that enhances the department's academic reputation, research profile, and impact on public health locally, nationally, and globally.
• Ensure the integrity, quality, and continuous improvement of all undergraduate, graduate, and professional academic programs in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
• Oversee strategic planning, policy development, and accreditation compliance to align departmental priorities with BSOM and WSU.
• Manage departmental operations, including budgeting, fiscal accountability, staffing, facilities, and resource allocation.
• Foster a departmental culture of collaboration, shared governance, and academic excellence.
• Represent and advocate for the department within BSOM, the university, and local/national communities.
• Build partnerships with health systems, agencies, and public health organizations.
• Advance the department's role in public health workforce development and in meeting regional health needs.

Academic Programs & Student Success (25%)

• Oversee undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, ensuring quality and continuous improvement.
• Provide mentorship and advising to students as appropriate.
• Oversee student recruitment, admissions oversight, and retention initiatives to grow enrollment and support student success.
• Promote interdisciplinary education and experiential learning opportunities (e.g., community-based projects, global health experiences, research practicums).
• Support curriculum development, assessment, and innovative teaching strategies across programs.

Faculty & Staff Development (20%)

• Recruit, mentor, and retain high-quality faculty and staff, supporting excellence in teaching, research, and service.
• Align faculty roles with teaching, research, and service needs.
• Support career development, faculty scholarship, and leadership opportunities.

Research, Scholarship, & Teaching (20%)

• Foster faculty and student research, grant activity, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Maintain engagement in scholarship consistent with expectations for department chairs at an R2 university, supporting the department's overall research mission.
• Teach courses at the undergraduate and/or graduate level as appropriate.
• Serve as a role model for excellence in instruction.

Minimum Qualifications

• Doctoral degree or equivalent in public health, health education/health promotion, epidemiology, biostatistics, health services research, economics, psychology, sociology, or a closely related field.
• Academic rank of Associate or Full Professor
• At least 1 year of leadership experience in an academic setting, with the ability to build consensus, manage resources, and foster departmental growth.
• Record of accomplishment of collaborative research and peer-reviewed publications, demonstrated ability to obtain extramural funding for research
• Evidence of successful teaching at the undergraduate and/or graduate level in areas that complement the department's existing curriculum.
• Track record of effective faculty mentoring, teaching, and student advising
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a demonstrated ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, students, and community partners.
• Possess a strong commitment to research, education, and teaching