Eads Professor of the Practice in Energy
Nicholas School of the Environment
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina
Apply now: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/32821
Position Description
The Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University invites applications for the Eads Professor of the Practice in Energy (open rank: Assistant, Associate, Full). We seek an outstanding teacher and practitioner with expertise in energy systems and their interactions with the environment, economy, and society.
The successful candidate will contribute to the Nicholas School's teaching and educational programs in energy, with particular emphasis on preparing students to understand and address the rapidly evolving challenges facing energy systems. The candidate will also be affiliated with the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment and Sustainability and engage in activities with decision-makers in the public and private sector. While we are particularly interested in energy finance experience, we welcome candidates from a broad range of disciplinary backgrounds, including economics, finance, business, public policy, engineering, environmental science, or related fields, as well as from a range of energy sector experiences.
We will consider applications from those completing or recently completing a PhD or other terminal degree, if they have industry, government, consulting, nonprofit, or other professional experience, and demonstrate exceptional promise as teachers and contributors to Duke's energy community.
Teaching and Advising Responsibilities
The Eads Professor of the Practice will teach and advise students in the Nicholas School's professional master's and undergraduate programs and may contribute to other Duke educational programs related to energy. Teaching, advising, and service will account for approximately three-quarters of the position's responsibilities and will include a course load equivalent to 3.5 semester-long courses per academic year, advising master's projects and independent studies, and mentoring students pursuing careers in energy. The remaining one-quarter will be devoted to professional practice aligned with the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability.
A central responsibility of the position will be teaching a course on Energy Finance. This course should provide students with the concepts and analytical tools needed to understand and evaluate financial decisions and investments in the energy sector
Depending on the candidate's expertise and the needs of the School, the successful candidate may also develop and teach courses in areas such as:
- Energy economics
- Microgrids and distributed energy systems
- Renewable energy and energy storage
- Energy infrastructure and project development
- Energy policy and regulation
- Corporate energy and decarbonization strategies
- Emerging energy technologies and business models
- Artificial intelligence, data centers, and energy systems
- Power Systems planning, operations, and markets
We are particularly interested in candidates who can connect fundamental concepts with practical decision-making and expose students to the tradeoffs involved in real-world energy decisions.
Practice
Beyond formal teaching, the successful candidate will contribute to the intellectual and professional community surrounding energy at Duke through their appointment at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment and Sustainability. This may include engaging with energy companies, electric power utilities, financial institutions, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, research institutions, and other external partners; bringing practitioners and experts to campus; developing experiential learning opportunities; and helping students connect their academic training with emerging energy challenges and career opportunities.
We welcome different forms of contribution to this community. More experienced candidates may bring extensive professional networks, leadership experience, or sector expertise, while early-career candidates may bring emerging areas of expertise, new analytical approaches, innovative teaching ideas, or experience with rapidly developing energy technologies and markets.
Duke University, the Nicholas School, and the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability provide an especially rich environment for interdisciplinary work on energy. The successful candidate will have opportunities to collaborate with faculty and programs across Duke working in energy systems, climate change, environmental science, sustainability, engineering, economics, public policy, business, law, data science, and related fields, as well as through Duke's university-wide climate and sustainability initiatives.
Qualifications
Candidates should have:
- A PhD or terminal degree in economics, finance, business, public policy, environmental science, engineering, management, law, or another field relevant to energy. Demonstrated expertise in energy through professional, academic, or applied work.
- A strong interest in interdisciplinary energy education.
- Evidence of excellence in teaching or strong potential to become an excellent teacher.
- The ability to communicate complex technical, economic, financial, environmental, or policy concepts effectively to students from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds.
- An interest in connecting classroom learning with real-world energy challenges.