Director, Youth-Nex Center

Overview

 

Director, Youth-Nex Center

Description

The School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia (UVA EHD) seeks a senior scholar to serve as the Director of Youth-Nex, the UVA Center to Promote Effective Youth Development. We are seeking a scholar with expertise in youth and digital technology with a focus on mental health who has demonstrated capacity for leadership. The position is for a tenured scholar at the rank of Professor of Education who is focused on understanding, developing, implementing, or testing digital technological interventions to prevent or reduce adolescent mental and behavioral health problems, promote adolescent wellbeing, and/or increase equitable access to care. The scholar’s area of expertise could also include leveraging digital technological advances to train or support intervention providers (e.g., clinicians, counselors, teachers).

EHD is a global leader in developing innovative, rigorous, research-based programs that drive improvements in policy, programs, and outcomes for children, educators, and systems. Founded in 2009, Youth-Nex is a trans-disciplinary center with a translational approach to scholarship and innovation that is central to its work. The aim of the Center is to expand and apply the science of Positive Youth Development to enhance the strengths of youth and to prevent developmental risk. Youth-Nex is dedicated to both conducting and translating high quality science to help ensure supportive, equitable developmental opportunities for every youth. The successful candidate will have access to Youth-Nex's existing infrastructure, staffing, and resources and assume the role of Center Director. 

The University of Virginia's 2030 plan recognizes Digital Technology and Society as a major societal challenge and an opportunity for multidisciplinary work that draws on our existing strengths. In partnership, the Provost and the deans of various schools are making multiple coordinated faculty recruitments to strengthen the research community focusing on Digital Technology and Youth Development across the University. Recruits will receive support from the Provost and from their school and will participate in the Digital Technology and Youth Development Initiative, which is part of a major Grand Challenges research investment of over $50M in Digital Technology and Society.

The successful candidate will have a PhD and an established line of scholarship in education, human/adolescent development, psychology, or a related field with expertise in digital technology in relation to youth mental health. They may have a line of research and teaching interests that are aligned with any one of EHD’s departments (Educational Leadership, Foundations & Policy; Human Services; Kinesiology; Curriculum, Instruction & Special Education) and program areas (e.g., applied developmental science, clinical and school psychology, youth and social innovation). They will expand Youth-Nex, EHD, and UVA’s sponsored research portfolio and teaching/training in an area of international importance while having the opportunity to build out Youth-Nex’s portfolio of expertise and connections with the University’s Youth and Digital Technology Grand Challenge.