Faculty Fellows and Advisors
We’re Looking for candidates to join the OUR leadership team!
The goals of the Office for Undergraduate Research (OUR) are to continue to expand the opportunities for undergraduates to engage in authentic research, mentored scholarship, and creative performance at UNC Charlotte. OUR provides opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to engage with the undergraduate research enterprise through curricular innovation, co-curricular mentored research experiences, and dissemination of novel research knowledge to diverse audiences through professional and public conferences. To support this effort, OUR employs several Faculty Fellows and Faculty Advisors as thought leaders to help develop and lead programming that directly serves students and research mentors supporting the mission of OUR.
Faculty Learning Community (Kefaya Diab)
The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) seeks a Faculty Fellow to lead efforts that advance the integration of undergraduate research and research skill development throughout the curriculum. This fellowship will support faculty in designing and implementing research-supportive teaching practices, scaffolded undergraduate research experiences, and Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) across disciplines.
The Faculty Fellow will organize and facilitate a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) focused on embedding research skills, inquiry-based learning, and transferable professional competencies within undergraduate coursework. Working closely with the Director of OUR and campus partners, the Fellow will foster interdisciplinary dialogue, promote evidence-based teaching practices, and support faculty innovation in curricular approaches to undergraduate research.
Responsibilities
- Organize, facilitate, and sustain a Faculty Learning Community focused on curricular integration of undergraduate research and research skill development.
- Curate and maintain a collection of scholarly and practical resources related to: Scaffolded undergraduate research experiences, Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs), Research skill development across disciplines, Transferable and career-ready skill development through undergraduate research, and/or Evidence-based teaching and mentoring practices
- Recruit and engage faculty participants from diverse colleges, departments, and disciplinary perspectives.
- Lead discussions, journal clubs, workshops, book groups, and other professional learning opportunities that encourage reflection, innovation, and the sharing of promising practices.
- Support faculty in identifying opportunities to incorporate research processes, inquiry, critical thinking, information literacy, and knowledge creation into existing curricula.
- Foster a collaborative community of practice that increases faculty confidence and capacity to implement undergraduate research experiences in their courses.
- Develop and disseminate adaptable models, examples, and recommendations that can be implemented across varied disciplinary contexts.
- Collaborate with campus partners, including the Office of Undergraduate Research, Center for Teaching and Learning, and/or Center for ADVANCing Faculty Success, to identify and promote professional development opportunities related to undergraduate research pedagogy.
- Assess and document outcomes of the Faculty Learning Community and provide annual reports and recommendations to the Director of OUR.
- Serve as an advisor to OUR leadership on faculty engagement, curricular innovation, and strategic initiatives related to undergraduate research.
Qualifications
Required
- Full-time faculty appointment, professional faculty appointment, or librarian appointment at UNC Charlotte.
- Demonstrated experience mentoring undergraduate researchers.
- Record of teaching innovation, curricular development, or implementation of research-supportive pedagogical practices.
- Strong facilitation, communication, and collaboration skills.
Preferred
- Tenured or tenure-track faculty appointment at UNC Charlotte.
- Experience leading faculty development initiatives, communities of practice, or professional learning programs.
- Experience with Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs), inquiry-based learning, or other high-impact educational practices.
- Experience assessing student learning outcomes or curricular innovations.
Appointment Term
The fellowship is a two-year appointment with the possibility of renewal based on demonstrated outcomes, program needs, and mutual agreement.
Time Commitment
Approximately 12–24 hours per month.
Mentor Professional Development (Recruiting candidates)
The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) seeks a Faculty Fellow to lead efforts that strengthen the culture and practice of undergraduate research mentoring across the university. This fellowship will focus on developing professional development opportunities, resources, and support structures that enhance mentor effectiveness and foster high-quality undergraduate research experiences.
The Faculty Fellow will design and facilitate a comprehensive mentor development program that supports faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students engaged in mentoring undergraduate researchers. Working closely with the Director of OUR and campus partners, the Fellow will promote evidence-based mentoring practices, cultivate a community of mentors, and develop pathways for recognizing and credentialing mentoring excellence.
Responsibilities
- Design, organize, and facilitate professional development opportunities for undergraduate research mentors, possibly including workshops, lunch-and-learn sessions, seminars, panel discussions, or other appropriate educational programs.
- Curate and maintain a collection of scholarly and practical resources related to: Effective undergraduate research mentoring, Inclusive and culturally responsive mentoring practices, Research skill development and student success, Mentor-mentee communication and relationship building, Professional and career development through undergraduate research, and/or Evidence-based mentoring frameworks and practices.
- Develop learning opportunities that serve the full spectrum of undergraduate research mentors, including faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students.
- Promote best practices and emerging approaches that support meaningful, equitable, and impactful undergraduate research experiences.
- Collaborate with OUR staff to establish a regular schedule of professional development opportunities tailored to both new and experienced mentors.
- Develop and implement a mentor credentialing pathway that recognizes engagement in professional development and commitment to mentoring excellence.
- Foster a community of practice that encourages mentors to share experiences, challenges, resources, and successful strategies.
- Identify and promote additional professional development opportunities, both internal and external, that support undergraduate research mentoring.
- Collaborate with campus partners to support or expand mentor development resources and opportunities.
- Assess participation, outcomes, and impact of mentor development initiatives and provide annual reports and recommendations to the Director of OUR.
- Serve as an advisor to OUR leadership on mentoring initiatives, mentor engagement, and strategic opportunities to strengthen undergraduate research mentoring across campus.
Qualifications
Required
- Full-time faculty appointment, professional faculty appointment, or librarian appointment at UNC Charlotte.
- Demonstrated experience mentoring undergraduate researchers.
- Strong understanding of effective mentoring practices and student development.
- Excellent facilitation, communication, and collaboration skills.
Preferred
- Tenured or tenure-track faculty appointment at UNC Charlotte.
- Experience designing or facilitating professional development programs.
- Experience supporting mentor training, faculty development, or community-building initiatives.
- Demonstrated commitment to inclusive excellence and student success.
- Experience assessing educational programs or mentoring outcomes.
Appointment Term
The fellowship is a two-year appointment with the possibility of renewal for an additional year based on demonstrated outcomes, program needs, and mutual agreement.
Time Commitment
Approximately 12–24 hours per month.
Undergraduate Research Conference Director (Recruiting candidates)
The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) seeks a Faculty Fellow to serve as Director of the Undergraduate Research Conference (URC), UNC Charlotte’s premier annual showcase of undergraduate scholarship, research, creative inquiry, and innovation. The Director provides strategic leadership for the planning, implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement of the conference while fostering broad participation from students, faculty, and staff across the university.
Working closely with OUR staff, the Associate Director, and the Undergraduate Research Conference Committee, the Director oversees all aspects of conference planning and execution. The Director also mentors the Associate Director of the Undergraduate Research Conference to promote continuity of leadership and support long-term sustainability of the conference.
Responsibilities
- Provide overall leadership and vision for the Undergraduate Research Conference.
- Chair the Undergraduate Research Conference Committee and develop agendas for committee meetings.
- Recruit, engage, and coordinate committee members representing the breadth of colleges, departments, programs, and disciplinary perspectives across the university.
- Collaborate closely with OUR staff to coordinate all aspects of conference planning and execution.
- Supervise and mentor the Undergraduate Research Conference associate Director, providing guidance, professional development, and opportunities for progressive leadership responsibilities.
- Facilitate the process for recommending and making arrangements for the URC Keynote Alum speaker.
- Support efforts to recruit and coordinate student interns, volunteers, and student leadership teams that support conference planning and operations.
- Work with OUR staff to coordinate: Communications and marketing strategies, Conference timelines and planning processes, Space reservations and event logistics, Budgeting and resource allocation, Catering, facilities, and equipment needs, and Assessment and evaluation activities
- Communicate conference dates and major milestones with university leadership, including the Chancellor, Provost, Vice Chancellor for Research, and other institutional stakeholders.
- Coordinate invitations and participation of university leadership and distinguished guests.
- Draft and secure official conference welcome messages and program contributions from university leadership.
- Oversee the development and implementation of the annual conference, including: Solicitation of student presentations, Abstract submission and review processes, Development of conference schedules and programming, Oral, poster, performance, and other presentation formats, Opening and closing ceremonies, and Recognition and awards processes
- Oversee the development, maintenance, and use of conference management systems and platforms, including the Symposium by ForagerOne site and related technologies.
- Ensure the conference reflects best practices in accessibility, inclusivity, and student engagement.
- Collect and review participant feedback from students, mentors, judges, volunteers, and attendees.
- Assess conference outcomes and identify opportunities for continuous improvement and innovation.
- Provide annual reports and recommendations to the Director of OUR.
- Serve as an advisor to OUR leadership on undergraduate research dissemination, student engagement, and institutional recognition of undergraduate scholarship.
Qualifications
Required
- Full-time faculty appointment, professional faculty appointment, or librarian appointment at UNC Charlotte.
- Demonstrated experience mentoring undergraduate researchers.
- Experience presenting, publishing, exhibiting, or facilitating dissemination of scholarly or creative work.
- Strong organizational, leadership, and project management skills.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
Preferred
- Tenured or tenure-track faculty appointment at UNC Charlotte.
- Experience planning or leading academic conferences, symposia, showcases, or similar events.
- Experience supervising students, committees, or large collaborative initiatives.
- Experience with event assessment, program evaluation, or strategic planning.
- Familiarity with undergraduate research administration and dissemination practices.
Appointment Term
The Director fellowship is a four-year appointment with the possibility of renewal based on demonstrated outcomes, program needs, and mutual agreement.
Time Commitment
Approximately 12–24 hours per month, with increased effort during conference planning and implementation periods.
Undergraduate Research Conference Associate Director (Recruiting candidates)
The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) seeks an Undergraduate Research Conference (URC) Associate Director to support the planning, implementation, and continuous improvement of the annual Undergraduate Research Conference. Working closely with the URC Director, URC Committee, and OUR staff, the Associate Director provides operational support, helps coordinate conference activities, and serves as a leadership partner in promoting undergraduate research dissemination across the university.
This advisory role is designed to support conference success while developing a pipeline of experienced leaders who can contribute to future conference leadership and institutional undergraduate research initiatives.
Responsibilities
- Serve as an active member of the Undergraduate Research Conference Committee.
- Assist the Director with planning and implementation of Undergraduate Research Conference activities.
- Support committee operations, including agenda development, meeting facilitation, and follow-up activities.
- Provide leadership continuity by representing the Director and supporting committee leadership when the Director is unavailable.
- Meet with faculty, staff, and university stakeholders to identify and address barriers to student and mentor participation in the conference.
- Recruit and coordinate volunteers and recruit and support student leadership organizations involved in conference planning and execution.
- Collaborate with University Printing Services to coordinate conference poster printing processes and negotiate pricing arrangements when appropriate.
- Meet regularly with OUR staff to support conference planning related to: Communications and marketing, Space reservations and event logistics, Facilities and equipment needs, Budget planning and resource allocation, and Assessment and evaluation activities
- Assist with communication and outreach efforts to colleges, departments, and academic units, including engagement with deans, associate deans, assistant deans, department chairs, and faculty.
- Advocate for broad participation and representation across disciplines.
- Assist with implementation of conference activities, including: Solicitation of student presentations, Conference scheduling and program development, Volunteer coordination, Recognition and awards activities, and Collection of presenter, mentor, volunteer, and attendee feedback.
- Contribute to conference assessment efforts and identify opportunities for enhancement and innovation.
- Provide recommendations and feedback to the Director and OUR leadership regarding conference operations and future planning.
Qualifications
Required
- Full-time faculty appointment, professional faculty appointment, or librarian appointment at UNC Charlotte.
- Experience teaching, mentoring, supervising, or otherwise supporting undergraduate students in scholarly, creative, experiential, or research activities.
- Strong organizational and interpersonal skills.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, and campus partners.
Preferred
- Experience mentoring undergraduate researchers or supporting student scholarly dissemination.
- Experience coordinating events, programs, or student initiatives.
- Experience serving on committees or leading collaborative projects.
- Familiarity with undergraduate research programs, academic conferences, or student showcase events.
Appointment Term
The appointment is for two years, with the possibility of renewal based on demonstrated contributions, program needs, and mutual agreement.
Time Commitment
Approximately 5–10 hours per month, with increased effort during conference planning and implementation periods.
ETHEL Journal Faculty Advisor (Recruiting candidates)
The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) seeks an ETHEL Journal Faculty Advisor to support the continued success and sustainability of ETHEL, UNC Charlotte’s undergraduate research journal. Working closely with the student editorial board, the Office of Undergraduate Research, and campus partners, the Faculty Advisor serves as a mentor, resource, and liaison to ensure the journal maintains high standards of scholarly integrity, student leadership, and academic excellence.
This advisory role focuses on supporting student leadership, fostering editorial continuity, promoting ethical publishing practices, and strengthening connections between the journal and the broader undergraduate research community.
Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary faculty advisor to the student editorial board.
- Regularly attend editorial board meetings and provide guidance on journal operations and strategic planning.
- Educate student editors on the principles and practices of scholarly publishing, peer review, editorial decision-making, and academic integrity.
- Guide students in establishing, reviewing, and updating: Submission and publication guidelines, Manuscript evaluation criteria and rubrics, Editorial procedures and workflows, and Conflict-of-interest and ethical review policies.
- Support continuity of journal operations through leadership transitions and annual student turnover.
- Advise student editors on best practices for recruiting authors, reviewers, and editorial board members.
- Ensure that published content aligns with university policies, copyright requirements, and applicable regulations related to human subjects, animal subjects, and responsible conduct of research.
- Serve as a resource for addressing complex editorial concerns, including authorship questions, publication ethics issues, manuscript appeals, and disputes when student editors require guidance.
- Support communications with academic departments, faculty mentors, and university partners to increase awareness of publication opportunities.
- Collaborate with campus partners, including the Office of Undergraduate Research, Writing Resources Center, Atkins Library, and other relevant units to support journal initiatives and student success.
- Mentor student leaders in professional skills, ethical decision-making, project management, and collaborative leadership.
- Empower students to build community around undergraduate research, scholarly communication, and journal-related programming.
- Promote the visibility and impact of undergraduate scholarship through the journal’s activities and publications.
- Maintain regular communication with OUR and provide annual reports and recommendations to the Director of OUR.
Qualifications
Required
- Full-time faculty appointment, professional faculty appointment, or librarian appointment at UNC Charlotte.
- Experience publishing scholarly, creative, or professional work.
- Demonstrated commitment to student success and undergraduate scholarship.
- Strong communication, mentorship, and collaborative leadership skills.
Preferred
- Experience serving as a journal reviewer, editorial board member, editor, or other scholarly publishing role.
- Experience mentoring undergraduate researchers, writers, or student leaders.
- Familiarity with scholarly publishing processes, publication ethics, copyright considerations, peer review practices, and Open Journal Systems (OJS).
- Experience supporting student organizations or co-curricular educational initiatives.
Appointment Term
The appointment is for two years, with the possibility of renewal based on demonstrated contributions, program needs, and mutual agreement.
Time Commitment
Approximately 5–8 hours per month.