Hiring effort adds 105 tenured, tenure-track faculty for fall

The Iowa State faculty this fall includes 19 individuals recruited in the first round of Steven Leath's Presidential High-Impact Hires initiative. The positions are related to big data (11) or translational health (4), or are in fields of strategic importance to Iowa State (4). Six more individuals hired in high-impact faculty positions will arrive in Ames by fall 2015.

The 19 are members of a class of 105 tenured or tenure-track faculty hired for this academic year, and bring the three-year total (since fall 2012) to 245 faculty hires. At his installation in September 2012, Leath announced a goal of hiring 200 faculty in his first three years as president. Faculty beginning their Iowa State careers this month will help departments respond to shifts in student interest in academic programs, research needs, enrollment growth and recent faculty retirements.

"I'm very pleased with this hiring cycle," Leath said. "Our new faculty will help ensure that Iowa State continues to provide the unique academic experience our students expect and the research and services that positively impact Iowans and bolster our state economy.

"I hope everyone will join me in welcoming these new faculty members to our university community. I look forward to meeting all of them, starting with the new faculty reception later this month," he added.

Tenured/tenure-track faculty hires (Sept. 2013-Aug. 2014)

Next cycle has begun

Senior vice president and provost Jonathan Wickert said work already is underway on the second round of the high-impact hires initiative. Deans have sent him their proposals for targeted faculty hires in the next year. He plans to send a list to Leath in the next few weeks, with an announcement about approved positions coming by the end of September. Recruiting would begin immediately. One hundred tenured or tenure-track faculty hires again is the goal this year, he said.

"Hiring 100 new faculty in one year takes a coordinated and substantial effort from college deans, department chairs and staff, and faculty leaders who serve on search committees," Wickert said. "The importance of their work is reflected in the high quality of their new colleagues."

Welcome

Last September, Leath announced the high-impact faculty hiring initiative, pledging $2 million centrally for up to 31 positions approved through a competitive review process. Hiring units provide matching funds. Three of the position requests later were withdrawn and candidate negotiations continue on three others. Two interdisciplinary fields targeted in the first round were translational health – moving scientific discoveries into medical practices efficiently – and big data – efficient processing and analysis of large data sets to speed up research.

Following are the 19 faculty members hired in the first round of the Presidential High-Impact Hires initiative who are on campus now:

Big data

Translational health

Strategic importance