Juliet C. Sproul Chair Southwest Florida Habitat Restoration and Management, Associate

Juliet

C. Sproul Chair for Southwest Florida Habitat Restoration and Management, Associate/Full Professor

Florida Gulf Coast University’s Water School invites applications and nominations for the Juliet

C. Sproul Chair for Southwest Florida Habitat Restoration and Management. This endowed chair will be based at the Harvey Kapnick Research and Education Center at Naples Botanical Garden, a unique hub for interdisciplinary research, education, and community engagement focused on wetland and habitat restoration, subtropical/tropical ecology, and ecosystem management.

The Sproul Chair will serve as a leader in advancing research and practice in Everglades restoration, wetland ecology, and habitat restoration and management, developing collaborative programs that address pressing environmental challenges in Southwest Florida and the Greater Everglades. The position will also strengthen FGCU’s partnership with Naples Botanical Garden by expanding opportunities in plant ecology, conservation, and restoration locally and across Southwest Florida and the greater Caribbean region.

This is a nine‑month, multi‑year renewable appointment beginning August 2026. The position is based primarily at the Kapnick Center, Naples Botanical Garden, with some responsibilities on FGCU’s main campus.

Florida Gulf Coast University is a comprehensive university dedicated to quality education, research, and service. All faculty are expected to: be excellent teachers, responsive to changing professional needs; be committed to innovative delivery of instruction resulting in improved student learning; be committed to effective use of technology including distance learning; produce peer reviewed scholarship; and provide service to the College, University and Community.

Teaching assignments may be on the main campus or at off‑campus sites within our region.

The Water School at FGCU brings together faculty from across disciplines to address the environmental, economic, and human dimensions of water and environmental issues. The Harvey Kapnick Center and Everglades Wetland Research Park, located at Naples Botanical Garden, serves as a hub for research, education, and outreach, with state‑of‑the‑art classrooms, research facilities, and collaborative opportunities with Garden staff engaged in conservation, restoration, and education throughout Southwest Florida and the Caribbean.

• Plans, prepares, and teaches assigned courses, including developing syllabi, instructional materials, and assessments.
• Delivers consistent, interactive, and engaging lectures aligned with curriculum goals and accreditation standards.
• Maintains the highest standards of classroom instruction and engages in reflective self‑assessment to ensure continuous improvement.
• Holds regular office hours and provides academic advising and individual support to students.
• Teach and mentor undergraduate and graduate students, primarily through research engagement and select courses (e.g., Wetland Ecology, Restoration Ecology).
• Mentor junior faculty and serve as a visible leader in advancing The Water School’s mission.
• Utilizes the University’s learning management system and other instructional technologies effectively.
• Collaborates with departmental faculty on curriculum development and program advancement.
• Ensures curriculum outcomes and accreditation standards are met.
• Establishes and maintains an active research program, including opportunities for undergraduate student involvement.
• Disseminate research through scholarly publications, conferences, and outreach to local, regional, and international audiences.
• Demonstrates evidence of scholarly publication and grantsmanship.
• Secure external funding to support research and student training, with an emphasis on CERP‑related and other restoration initiatives.
• Engages in continued professional development and maintains professional skills appropriate to rank and field.
• Actively participates in departmental, college, and university committees and meetings.
• Serve on The Water School Leadership Team and contribute to interdisciplinary initiatives aligned with the School’s strategic pillars: climate change, ecosystem…