New Horizons in Research: Upcoming Postdoc Opportunities
We are excited to announce four open postdoctoral fellow opportunities in the following areas:
Critical Media and Sound Studies
Critical Immigration Policy
Indigenous Language Reclamation & Revitalization
Health Equity
About IRISE Postdoctoral Fellow Opportunities:
Fellows will join the Interdisciplinary Research Institute for the Study of (in)Equality and an interdisciplinary team of scholars and practitioners working on cutting-edge issues of health, racial and social justice at the University of Denver. These are two-year fellowships beginning August 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2027. These positions will provide experiences in research, teaching, and service, and prepare the fellow to pursue a professional trajectory including, but not limited to, tenure-track appointment in the academy.
The applications will open in September, 2024 and remain open until January, 2025. To be the first to know when the applications go live, subscribe to our newsletter.
Each postdoctoral fellow will have the opportunity to pursue an inter- and trans-disciplinary approach to understand, grow, and build various initiatives to meet the needs of a diverse and disparate communities.
These four postdoctoral fellow opportunities will be grounded in the following four areas and supported by the committees indicated.
Critical Media and Sound Studies
Description:
The IRISE Critical Media and Sound Studies Postdoctoral Fellowship offers a new Ph.D. in media studies, communication, or a related field an opportunity to build their research agenda and conduct original research on the political and social dynamics of media at the intersection of race, inequality, and social change. Housed in the Department of Media, Film, and Journalism Studies, the fellow will join the IRISE Documenting the Past, Fostering the Future initiative, collaborating with interdisciplinary scholars to deepen critical race perspectives. We seek candidates whose work addresses themes such as intersectional identities, the role of sound and media in community formation, and the responsibilities of media industries toward marginalized communities.
Search Committee and Postdoctoral Fellow Mentorship Team:
Lynn Schofield Clark, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor in Media, Film & Journalism Studies
Director, Estlow International Center for Journalism and New Media
Co-Director, Documenting the Past, Fostering the Future
Runchao Liu, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in Media, Film & Journalism Studies
Carlos Jimenez Jr., Ph.D., Assistant Professor in Media, Film & Journalism Studies
Director, Hear, Allá, Presente Podcast
Professor in Sturm College of Law & Affiliated Faculty in History Department
Faculty Director, Interdisciplinary Research Institute for the Study of (in)Equality (IRISE)
P.I. and Co-Director, Documenting the Past, Fostering the Future
Associated: Interdisciplinary Research Institute for the Study of (in)Equality, Media, Film and Journalism Studies, Documenting the Past, Fostering the Future
Critical Immigration Policy
Description:
The IRISE CIPR Postdoctoral Fellow will focus on US immigration policy, with an emphasis on Critical Race Theory or Lat Crit, community-based research, public policy, or applied learning. The fellow will be affiliated with the Center for Immigration Policy and Research (CIPR) and will be housed in the Critical Race & Ethnic Studies (CRES) program and the Scrivner Institute of Public Policy at the Joseph Korbel School of International Studies. Mentored by an interdisciplinary team, the fellow will contribute to CIPR’s goal of engaging the public in dialogues on migration and social policy issues. The fellow will advance CIPR’s third pillar, focusing on the intersections of migration with law and policy, and will participate in community dialogues on immigration and racial inequality. Additionally, the fellow will help build CIPR’s policy profile, connecting with local groups to foster community-based partnerships. The fellow will also collaborate with units across campus, including IRISE, Center for Community Engagement to advance Scholarship and Learning (CCESL), and potentially the Sturm College of Law’s Immigration Law and Policy Clinic, to advance racial equity and social justice work within DU’s policy space, and pursue their independent research agenda.
Search Committee and Postdoctoral Fellow Mentorship Team:
Rebecca Galemba, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Josef Korbel School of International Studies
Co-Director, Center for Immigration Policy & Research (CIPR)
Lisa M. Martinez, Ph.D., Professor in Sociology & Criminology
Co-Director, Center for Immigration Policy & Research (CIPR)
Co-Director, Documenting the Past, Fostering the Future
Reggie A. Byron, Ph.D., Associate Professor in Sociology and Critical Race & Ethnic Studies
Director, Critical Race & Ethnic Studies (CRES)
Faculty Director, Black Community Initiatives
Mónica Guitérrez, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Graduate School of Social Work
Naazneen Barma, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Josef Korbel School of International Studies
Director, Scrivner Institute of Public Policy
Associated: Center for Immigration Policy & Research (CIPR), IRISE, CRES, Scrivner Institute of Public Policy, Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW), Josef Korbel School of International Studies
Indigenous Language Reclamation & Revitalization
Description:
The IRISE Indigenous Language Reclamation & Revitalization Postdoctoral will support strengthen reciprocal relationships with tribal communities and contribute to fostering interdisciplinary conversations at DU. The fellow will contribute to the proposed Center for Native and Indigenous Studies, amplifying Indigenous voices and knowledge while addressing historical injustices linked to Colorado's past. They will collaborate with faculty and tribal communities on language preservation projects, supporting efforts like curriculum development for the Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho Nation and technological advancements for the Southern Ute. Housed in the Department of Anthropology, the fellow will diversify faculty expertise, engage with contemporary cultural issues, and receive mentorship to advance their academic career. Key qualifications include a Ph.D. in linguistics or linguistic anthropology with experience in Indigenous language reclamation and community engagement.
Search Committee and Postdoctoral Fellow Mentorship Team:
Alejandro Cerón, Ph.D., Associate Professor in Cultural Anthropology
Chair, Anthropology
Kelly Fayard, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in Cultural Anthropology
Stevie Rose Tohdacheeny Lee (Diné), Ph.D., Associate Director of Native American Initiatives (NAI)
Chris Angela Nelson, Ph.D., Associate Professor in Morgridge College of Education
Faculty Director, Native American Initiatives
Angela Kay Parker, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in History
Associated: Native American and Indigenous Initiatives (NAI), Department of Anthropology
Health Equity
Description:
The IRISE Health Equity Postdoctoral Fellow will join DU’s Strategic Health Initiative to advance community-engaged research and university-community collaboration addressing health inequities. The Fellow will participate in multidisciplinary efforts through the Grand Challenges in Health Equity program, collaborating with faculty, staff, students, and community members to identify and address the factors driving racialized health disparities in Colorado. Housed in Psychology, the role includes contributing to the development of a community-engaged mental health clinic through the Collaborative for Mental Health and Wellness, aligning with community-identified priorities to improve access in underserved areas. The Fellow will also support the broader Strategic Health Initiative’s programming, such as the upcoming Grand Rounds, and help design, implement, and disseminate interdisciplinary research on health inequities, preparing them for future leadership in academic and community-engaged health equity work.
Search Committee and Postdoctoral Fellow Mentorship Team:
Anne DePrince, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor in Psychology
Associate Vice Provost for Public Good Strategy and Research
Additional mentorship team for the Health Equity Postdoctoral Fellowship will include selected Faculty connected to DU’s Strategic Health Initiative.
Associated: DU Grand Challenges, DU Strategic Health Initiative, DU Mental Health and Wellness Collaborative (The Collaborative), Center for Community Engagement to advance Scholarship and Learning (CCESL)
