JOB SUMMARY
The University of Connecticut (UConn) invites applications for a tenured or tenure-track faculty position in the Department of Chemistry within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the rank of Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor in physical chemistry. The position is part of a multi-departmental cluster hire in quantum science—the first phase of a "Quantum Futures Cluster"— supporting UConn’s leadership in the NSF Quantum Technologies Engine in Connecticut (QuantumCT Engine). The hire is central to a major, long-term strategic investment to establish Connecticut as a national leader in quantum technology.
To strengthen the research and educational missions identified in the strategic plans of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the University, we seek a chemist whose research program will complement current expertise in the Department. Platform approaches for the discovery, characterization, and functional integration of molecules or materials for emerging quantum technologies will receive the highest priority. The research program should advance the goals of the QuantumCT Engine, creating natural synergies with this university-wide initiative to innovation across Connecticut.
The QuantumCT Engine aims to advance American quantum innovation and secure the domestic quantum supply chain by accelerating the commercialization of quantum technologies for national defense, biotechnology and financial services. Through innovation, applied research leading to new technologies, support for inventors and entrepreneurs and workforce development, the QuantumCT Engine will advance quantum sensing, secure communications, computing, and materials through a shared testbed, deep-tech incubator, and translation pathways.
Led by the Division of Academic Affairs and the Provost’s Office, the AI for ImpaCT initiative is focused on advancing artificial intelligence best practices across education, research, innovation, public engagement, and workforce development. UConn brings together expertise from across disciplines to help students, employers, communities, and policymakers understand both the opportunities and challenges presented by AI.
The Department of Chemistry at UConn is a leading chemistry department amongst flagship public universities in the northeastern region of the United States. The department hosts 25 tenure-track faculty members with active research programs encompassing all aspects of chemistry. The new hire will join a vibrant group of researchers who investigate questions at the interface of chemistry and quantum science, including quantum materials, molecular and nanoscale qubits, chirality and spin, and quantum sensing. The department is home to more than 100 graduate students and 150 undergraduate majors in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. As the “central science,” Chemistry connects to disciplines such as Biology, Physics, and Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, the School of Pharmacy and the UConn Health Center. Its researchers collaborate with other scientists across the world from US and international universities, research institutes (i.e., NIH) and national labs (i.e., Brookhaven), as well as public and private companies. Several faculty members of the department are also affiliated with UConn’s Institute of Materials Science (IMS), which offers a wide variety of research instrumentation and technical support.
Founded in 1881, UConn is a Land Grant and Sea Grant institution and member of the Space Grant Consortium. It is the state’s flagship institution of higher education and includes a main campus in Storrs, CT, four regional campuses throughout the state, and 13 Schools and Colleges, including a Law School in Hartford, and Medical and Dental Schools at the UConn Health campus in Farmington. The University has approximately 10,000 faculty and staff and 32,000 students, including nearly 24,000 undergraduates and over 8,000 graduate and professional students. UConn is a Carnegie Foundation R1 (highest research activity) institution, among the top 25 public universities in the nation. Through research, teaching, service, and outreach, UConn embraces diversity and cultivates leadership, integrity, and engaged citizenship in its students, faculty, staff, and alumni. UConn promotes the health and well-being of citizens by enhancing the social, economic, cultural, and natural environments of the state and beyond. The University serves as a beacon of academic and research excellence as well as a center for innovation and social service to communities. UConn is a leader in many scholarly, research, and innovation areas. Today, the path forward includes exciting opportunities and notable challenges. Record numbers of undergraduate applications and support for student success have enabled the University to become extraordinarily selective.
