UB and the School of Public Health and Health Professions Embark on a Historic Hiring Effort

As New York’s flagship university and a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), UB is among the premier research universities in the nation and world. But UB is not resting on its laurels. Building on the university’s existing strong foundation of academic and research excellence, its long-range strategic goal is to be recognized among the Top 25 public research universities in the nation. The hiring initiative, “Advancing Top 25: Faculty Hiring,” is a vital strategy to do so.

University leaders consider the initiative transformative, calling it an unprecedented opportunity to move UB forward by growing its faculty base. UB wants to substantially grow its ranks of tenured and tenure-track faculty over the next two years in interdisciplinary areas of societal importance and university strength: democracy and society; human health; sustainability; and transformational technology. Of the 200 tenure-track faculty to be hired, about half will be new faculty added to the ranks in these areas.

SPHHP has already added a number of faculty since the initiative began, including research professors and teaching faculty

UB’s Top 25 Ambition, announced by UB President Satish K. Tripathi in 2019, has guided the university to significant achievements, such as UB’s designation last year as New York State’s flagship university and achieving historic levels of sponsored research funding. UB is building on those achievements by hiring additional talented faculty and supporting their success. Faculty hiring on this scale hasn’t happened at UB since the 1960s, when the university joined the SUNY system. UB is also committed to doubling the number of faculty from historically underrepresented backgrounds between 2020 and 2025.

UB continually pursues academic and research excellence and is focused on expanding the university’s engagement and impact locally, nationally and globally. UB is also harnessing its educational, research and engagement energies to combat racism, dismantle structural barriers to equity and make UB a more inclusive place to learn and work. These priorities are all intended to achieve UB’s ultimate goal: greater societal impact.

SPHHP’s work in women’s health, environmental health, addictions and other key areas makes it a prime player in the Top 25 effort.

“SPHHP’s mission has always been improving health for everyone,” said Wactawski-Wende. “We have been devoted to graduating students who will be—and are—making a difference in the health of people and communities worldwide,” said Wactawski-Wende. “In that way, we are already contributing to UB’s Top 25 ambition.”

UB will hire faculty focused on critical areas related to human health including aging, personalized healthcare, biomedical technology, climate change and health, and addressing health disparities.

UB has made environmental sustainability a top priority. Through this faculty hiring initiative, UB will continue building its strength and impact in sustainability.

UB’s research in artificial intelligence (AI), data science and quantum science continues through the Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, directed by associate Professor of Biostatistics Rachael Hageman-Blair, PhD, and the AI Institute for Exceptional Education. UB will continue building capacity to address complex problems in these fields and related areas.

Through the faculty hiring initiative, UB will enhance its strength in disciplines that enable democracies and sustainable, equitable societies to flourish.