Duke University

Clarence F. Korstian Professor of Forest Economics & Management

Description

Clarence F. Korstian Professor of Forest Economics & Management Division of Environmental Social Systems, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University

Job Location:

Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States

Anticipated Start Date:

July 1, 2027 Position Description The Division of Environmental Social Systems (ESS) at the Nicholas School of the Environment invites applications for the Clarence F. Korstian Professor of Forest Economics & Management. This is a tenured position, awarded to a scholar of excellence in the field of forest resource management, with particular expertise in environmental and resource economics and policy. The successful candidate's background, scholarship, and reputation should reflect experience and training in regional and/or global forest management issues.

The position is based at Duke University's main campus in Durham, North Carolina. The successful applicant will have established a distinctive, innovative research program recognized by scholars in the field as exceptional. In addition to exemplary scholarship, the applicant should demonstrate an ability to sustain external funding at a level appropriate to their research, to recruit, train, and matriculate graduate students into relevant and impactful careers, and to provide academic service and leadership within their institution. Teaching Expectations The standard teaching load for tenured faculty at the Nicholas School is 2.5 courses per year. The successful applicant will teach courses in environmental/resource economics, topics in forest resource management, and advanced empirical or modeling methods aligned with their research agenda and also serve Nicholas School degree programs. One course will be a master's-level introductory course on environmental and resource economics. Remaining courses will be assigned by the ESS Division Chair based on the candidate's topical expertise and the needs of the Master of Forestry (MF) program. The candidate will also provide leadership, oversight, and strategic vision for the MF program, administered by the Nicholas School of the Environment.

The successful applicant will also serve as a coursework advisor and Master's Project advisor for students in the Master of Environmental Management (MEM) and MF programs and will participate in doctoral training through the Nicholas School Division of Environmental Social Systems or through the University Program in Environmental Policy (UPEP). Forestry and Environmental Economics at Duke University and the Nicholas School of the Environment Duke's tradition in forestry dates to 1931, when Clarence F. Korstian became the first director of the Duke Forest and, in 1938, the founding dean of the Duke School of Forestry — the first graduate forestry school in the US South. That legacy continues today through the Nicholas School's Master of Forestry (MF) program, which trains experts in the sustainable management of forested ecosystems and draws on one of the nation's premier university-held research forests. The Duke Forest itself now spans more than 7,000 acres across three North Carolina counties, providing a living laboratory for forest science, economics, and policy research directly adjacent to campus.

This position sits at the center of Duke's broader commitment to climate and environmental research, including the Duke Climate Commitment, a university-wide initiative spanning research, education, and operations. The field of environmental and resource economics at Duke is a strength with ten full-time faculty that span the Nicholas School (Environmental Social Systems, Environmental Natural Systems, Earth & Climate Sciences, Marine Science & Conservation), the Sanford School of Public Policy, and the Department of Economics, offering a rich, interdisciplinary community of scholars. For this position, the Nicholas School values disciplinary contributions to economics, public policy, interdisciplinary contributions to forestry and general science, and specialty contributions to forest economics and policy as well as engagement with policy-makers, industry, and the public.

The position also connects to the Ph.D. Program in Environmental Policy (UPEP), jointly administered by the Nicholas School and the Sanford School of Public Policy, which trains doctoral students working at the intersection of environmental science, economics, and policy. Qualifications Basic Qualification

Ph.D. or equivalent degree in forestry, economics, natural resources, public policy, or a related field. Preferred Qualifications

Applicants should demonstrate an outstanding record of research and teaching, as well as plans to develop an innovative, distinctive research program that will advance knowledge in forestry economics and management. Applicants should show a record of excellence in teaching and/or mentoring of students, including the ability to mentor students from diverse educational and socioeconomic backgrounds. Application Requirements

• A cover letter that highlights the applicant's primary reasons for interest in the position and principal qualifications for it.
• A current curriculum vitae.
• A two-page statement of research accomplishments and future research plans, with reference to knowledge frontiers in forest resource management and economics.
• A two-page statement on teaching and mentoring philosophy, including concrete examples of how the applicant has put their philosophy into practice, and, if available, evidence of teaching effectiveness and examples of teaching or mentoring students from diverse educational and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• A brief statement (one to two-page) describing experience leading or administering academic programs, centers, or initiatives.
• Representative publications (up to 3).
• List of references (to be contacted later in the search process).

Applications should be submitted via https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/32409, Job #32409 Questions regarding this position may be directed to the

Search Committee Chair:

Martin Doyle, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University; martin.doyle@duke.edu. Timeline The search committee will begin reviewing applications on October 1, 2026. Who We Are The ESS Division is home to tenure-track and non-tenure-track faculty in the social, policy, and management sciences, along with other faculties of the Nicholas School of Environment (Environmental Natural Systems, Earth & Climate Science, Marine Science & Conservation). ESS faculty are at the forefront of generating new disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge on a range of environmental topics, including climate change, energy, forests, water, pollution, sustainable business, and environmental justice, both in the U.S. and internationally. Faculty fields include, among others, economics, political science, finance, management science, human geography, anthropology, engineering, and hydrology. The Division values faculty engagement with governments, private companies, international organizations, nonprofit civil society organizations, and local communities that promotes more sustainable use of environmental resources. Equal Employment Opportunity Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, ethnicity, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), sexual orientation, or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas — an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Full policy:

https://oie.duke.edu/policies-procedures-and-statements/equal-employment-opportunity-statement/ Reference Checks Please note that Duke specifically seeks information about past misconduct or policy violations (in the past ten (10) years) and/or relevant pending investigations as part of the application process. Disclosures will not be an automatic bar to hiring but, instead, will initiate further dialogue regarding past actions and steps taken to address them. Disclosures will not be shared with search committees during the application review process.

Full policy:

https://facultyaffairs.provost.duke.edu/duke-reference-check-regular-rank-faculty/ je-c0a6fbc61d7f43e4af017c425bb92d6a

Job Information

Contact Name

Martin Doyle

Contact Email

martin.doyle@duke.edu

City

Durham

State/Province

NC

Country

United States

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