Design Thinking

Design thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation and problem solving. It provides a process for inter-connectivity that can be foundational to bridging academic research with applied interdisciplinary research and is critical to changemaking. Design thinking is highly creative and is well-suited to addressing complex problems through challenging existing assumptions and creating innovative solutions.

Design Thinking scholars use this approach to further the theory and practice of their discipline. In the context of the CRC at Mount Royal University (MRU), a Design Thinking scholar will be a faculty member assigned to the appropriate department within the Faculty of Business and Communication Studies. However, the successful candidate will become a catalyst for cross-disciplinary scholarship.

About the Faculty of Business and Communications Studies

The Faculty of Business and Communications Studies (FBCS) is composed of the Bissett School of Business and the School of Communication Studies. The School of Business hosts four departments:

• Accounting & Finance
• Entrepreneurship, Marketing & Social Innovation
• General Management & Human Resources
• International Business & Supply Chain Management

The School of Communication Studies hosts three departments:

• Broadcast Media Studies & Journalism
• Information Design
• Public Relations

There are several institutes closely link with the FBCS. These include:

• Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Institute for Community Prosperity
• Institute for Environmental Sustainability
• Trico Changemakers Studio

Canada Research Chair Program

The Canada Research Chair CRC program was established to enable Canadian universities to foster research excellence and enhance their role as centres of world-class research. Tier II CRC researchers are exceptional emerging researchers, recognized by their peers as having the potential to lead in their field. If recommended by the search committee, the candidate will be nominated to a Tier II CRC, with the development of the proposal immediately following for the April 2020 deadline. Nominations for Canada Research Chairs are subject to review by the CRC Secretariat and appointment as a CRC is conditional on the Secretariat’s approval (see the CRC terms of reference http://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/).

About the Role

The Faculty of Business and Communications Studies at Mount Royal University invites applications for a Tier II Canada Research Chair (CRC) in the area of design thinking research.  The successful applicant will also hold a tenure-track/tenured position at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor.  The position will commence July 1, 2020, subject to acceptance of the nomination by the Canada Research Chairs Program. The successful applicant will have demonstrated evidence of a sustained and productive research program grounded in design thinking either in an academic or industry setting.

The successful applicant’s research program, while requiring independent work, should also have a collaborative component that will engage and mentor MRU students, faculty members across disciplines, government stakeholders, and community partners. The candidate will be expected to propose an original, innovative research program that demonstrates the potential to achieve international impact in the next five to ten years.

The candidate will have a reduced teaching load. The position is a tenure-track or tenured appointment. The CRC is a five-year appointment, with an opportunity to renew for an additional five years.

The successful candidate will also be expected to provide service with their home department, the Faculty of Business and Communications Studies, and the University, as well as to both the academic and broader community. 

Undergraduate Focus

Mount Royal is committed to undergraduate education and the successful candidate must demonstrate a strong undergraduate teaching background as well as the capacity to contribute to MRU’s undergraduate educational experience. The successful applicant will be prepared to complement the activities at a teaching-focused institution through the hiring of student research assistants, supervising honours projects, and teaching some courses in the applicant’s field of study to complement existing areas of strength at MRU.