College of Arts and Sciences
Building a Faculty Pipeline
In an effort to recruit and retain diverse faculty, the College of Arts and Sciences designed the two-year postdoctoral teaching and research academic faculty program in 2013. The first cohort of postdoctoral faculty joined USD in fall of 2014.
The program's dual purpose is to provide academic experience for diverse scholars and to enhance the educational experience of students. Postdoctoral faculty have gone on to tenure track positions at the University of San Diego and esteemed roles across the country.
In March 2025, the program's name changed from the Diversity Postdoctoral Faculty Program to the Teaching Pathway Postdoctoral Program. The name was changed as a result of feedback from previous program cohorts who requested a new name for the program. The new name better reflects the teacher-scholar model that is a key component of the program.
We're Hiring
Applying to the Teaching Pathway Postdoctoral Program
The College of Arts and Sciences at the University of San Diego seeks to hire three faculty members for its teaching postdoctoral program. We are committed to the development of teacher-scholars who empower students from U.S. communities not well represented in academia, and who are interested in teaching at a comprehensive university with a firm commitment to liberal arts as the foundation to a meaningful life.
Given our location on the border between the United States and Mexico, the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of San Diego invites applicants for teaching postdoctoral faculty interested in the scholarly exploration of the social, political, cultural, physical and environmental impact of artificial or natural borders.
The next two-year postdoctoral faculty appointment will begin in Fall 2026.
Below are the departments that have requested to host a postdoctoral faculty member:
- Anthropology (Cultural Anthropology)
- Ethnic Studies (Border Studies)
- Political Science and International Relations (Public Policy)
- Art, Architecture and Art History (Graphic Design)
- Environmental and Ocean Sciences (Geographic Information Systems)
- Sociology (Immigration)
Current Postdoc Faculty
Where are they now?
Postdoctoral Program Alumni
Angela Nurse | Department of Sociology | 2017-2019
Associate Professor of Sociology
Cory Gooding | Department of Political Science and International Relations | 2015-2016
Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations
Jennifer Tillman | Department of Philosophy and Women's and Gender Studies Program | 2021-2023
Assistant Professor of Sociology
Jersten Seraile | Department of Theatre | 2021-2022
Assistant Professor of Theatre
Steven Berkley | Department of Psychological Sciences | 2021-2022
Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences
Wilnelia Recart González | Department of Biology | 2019-2023
Assistant Professor of Biology
Channon S. Miller | Department of History | 2017-2019
Assistant Professor of American Studies and History at Trinity College
Christopher Carter | Department of Theology and Religious Studies | 2015-2016
Associate Professor of Theology, Ecology and Race at Methodist Theological School in Ohio and Pastor at The Loft
Devoun Stewart | Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry | 2017-2018
Vice President of Instruction at Sacramento City College
James Abordo Ong | Department of Philosophy | 2016-2018
Adjunct Assistant Professor at Fairfield University and New York City College of Technology
Janel Ortiz | Department of Biology | 2018-2020
Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Josen Diaz | Department of Ethnic Studies | 2014-2015
Associate Professor of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at University of California, Santa Cruz
Marlene Brito-Milán | Department of Environmental and Ocean Sciences | 2017-2019
Assistant Professor in the School of Environmental Sustainability at Loyola University Chicago
Mychal Odom | Department of English | 2017-2019
Lecturer in Africana Studies at San Diego State University
Robin Brooks | Department of English | 2015-2016
Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh
Tezeru Teshome | Department of Theatre | 2019-2021
Director of Civic Engagement at North Park University
Victoria Rodriguez | Department of Psychological Sciences | 2017-2019
Dean of Student Success & Equity at Grossmont Community College
Aarynn Jones | Department of Art, Architecture + Art History | 2018-2020
Project Manager at RAND
Melanie Zauscher | Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Environmental and Ocean Sciences | 2014-2015
Manager of Emerging Strategies Section at California Air Resources Board
Tiffany Stewart | Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry | 2018-2019
Regulatory Chemist at US Food and Drug Administration
Program Committee
The Teaching Pathway Postdoctoral Program committee is co-chaired by Pauline Berryman Powell and Jillian Tullis and members include faculty who represent diverse disciplinary expertise including a previous postdoc faculty member and a student representative.
How We Review Applications
Initial Review
The Program Committee organizes candidate files and conducts the initial review to ensure that candidates meet minimum qualifications. The Program Committee then forwards candidate files to the department or program to which the candidate has applied.
Discipline Expertise Review
Faculty in the discipline expertise area conduct Zoom interviews and identify a short list of potential candidates. Departments or programs then forward their candidate list to the Program Committee.
Candidate Recommendation
The Program Committee reviews the final list of candidates and selects a candidate to recommend to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Final Selection
The Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences makes the final candidate selection.
Program Annual Reports
In an effort to provide transparency of how we support early career scholars and reflect on how to improve our inclusive recruitment and hiring practices, we put together an annual report together every year for the postdoctoral program.
Questions?
Please contact usdpostdoc@sandiego.edu.