Post Doctoral Scholar

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry within the College of Arts and Sciences, seeks a Post Doctoral Scholar to perform independent research in Chemistry Education. The successful candidate will work under the direction of and be mentored by Dr. Meng-Yang Matthew Wu. The Post Doctoral Scholar is expected to lead analyses relevant to current scholarship on laboratory teaching assistant training/long-term professional development, instructional moves enacted by laboratory teaching assistants, laboratory curricular design principles for inviting conceptual understanding and collaborative inquiry, and institutional change via reform efforts inspired by Science Education Research and/or the Learning Sciences. The Post Doctoral Scholar will be expected to contribute to the design of qualitative (e.g., semi-structured interviews and video research), quantitative (survey development, descriptive/inferential statistics, application of Classical Test Theory or Item Response Theory, etc.), and/or mixed-methods (e.g., convergent and exploratory) projects. Duties will include collecting, analyzing, and evaluating data; presenting results at conferences/workshops; writing manuscripts to publish results in peer-reviewed journals; contributing to the chemistry education research program with novel project ideas; assisting with extramural funding proposals; mentoring graduate and undergraduate students; and supporting group activities within the Chemistry Education division.

Qualifications:

Doctoral Degree in Chemistry with specialization in Chemistry Education or related area required. Doctoral Degree in Learning Sciences or Education will also be considered.

Preferably has demonstrated experience in academic writing for peer-reviewed journals, graduate teaching assistant professional development, curriculum development, survey/instrument design, ethnography, identity research, multimodality, and/or discourse analysis. Research interest in Teacher Education as well as specific, accessible, and practical changes to maximize excellence and effectiveness in general chemistry laboratories are highly prioritized. Strong software skills in NVivo, Transana, STATA, SPSS, and/or RStudio desired.

Additional qualifications include:

• Excellent analytical writing (especially related to manuscript and grant preparation) in terms of cogency, novelty, and clarity
• Effective communication, interpersonal, and teamwork skills
• Flexibility when responding to various work tasks and project demands
• Ability to survey and synthesize literature from Chemistry Education, Science Education, the Learning Sciences, Teacher Education, and other fields salient to the work.
• Experience to learn and apply new research philosophies, theories, and methodologies.

Be sure to include application materials, such as (1) cover letter, (2) CV, and (3) contact information from three references. Please email Dr. Meng-Yang Matthew Wu (wu.6250@osu.edu) if interested and/or if you have any questions. Application materials can also be sent via email.