Canada Research Chair Tier 2 in Biodesign and Regenerative Material Practices

Concordia University’s Department of Design and Computation Arts in the Faculty of Fine Arts invites applications to fill a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Biodesign and Regenerative Material Practices. The successful candidate will work with the Office of the Vice-President, Research, Impact, and Innovation to prepare the formal CRC application for submission to the CRC Secretariat at the earliest opportunity according to the guidelines of the CRC program.  

This Tier 2 Chair will strengthen research capacity in the expanding area of creative experimentation and scholarship at the intersection of sustainability research, tangible interaction, object design, the built environment, and eco/bio media.  The successful candidate will lead a program to examine social relations as they interface with materials, ecosystems, and technologies emphasizing inclusive terms that correct for current paradigms which primarily support industrial processes and productivities. Going beyond net-zero approaches, the chairholder will draw from ecological principles of circularity, adaptability, and interdependence and will use bio- and computational processes to discover and disseminate regenerative and transformative process solutions that restore, revitalize, and generate positive and ethical societal outcomes. 

Concordia University is renowned for its leadership in sustainability-related research, design, computation arts, and community-focused scholarship. Investigating social, political, affective, and aesthetic relations that shape the life of materials, this Tier 2 Chair will aim to address urgent topics such as environmental contamination, energy transition, and waste valorization. The successful candidate will be expected to advance critical transdisciplinary knowledge and know-how in material and computational design, public participation, and eco-technological practices. Using bio-based and waste-based by-products, they will create sensitive and embodied forms for the arts and the built environment using context-based methods and feminist, non-colonial, and justice-oriented methodologies. Other responsibilities include building capacity across the Faculty of Fine Arts, the Faculty of Arts and Science, and the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science by uniting researchers and students in research-creation, community-based inquiry, materials science, applied biology, and engineering; advancing multifaceted understandings of sustainable technologies; and bolstering the university’s position as a powerful force in ethical and inclusive design, while strengthening Concordia’s position as a next-generation university addressing critical eco-systemic questions.

Applicants for this position must: 

1. Hold a terminal degree (master's or PhD) in a relevant field of research (or possess the equivalent combination of education and professional experience)  
2. Be a world-class researcher who has made major contributions in the areas of biodesign and regenerative material practices 
3. Have been the principal investigator on successful Tri-agency and other research and arts council grants 
4. Have a superior record of attracting and supervising graduate students 
5. Propose an original and innovative research program of the highest quality 

NB:  This position is open only to current tenure-track and tenured faculty at Concordia University who are within 10 years of their highest degree. 

The Department of Design and Computation Arts will host the Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Biodesign and Material Practices. Restricted to internal candidates, this position aligns directly with Concordia University’s CRC Equity Action Plan and its commitment to meeting federally mandated equity targets. The research mandate of this specific chair position is inherently equity-driven, informed by feminist, non-Western, and justice-oriented perspectives. Equity-conscious approaches are also foundational to the research methods which will help to expand participation of underrepresented groups in advanced materials innovation and STEM-related fields. 

Candidates eligible for Tier 2 chair positions must be excellent emerging scholars within 10 years of their highest degree at the time of nomination (exclusive of career interruptions).  Potential Tier II candidates who are more than 10 years from their highest degree should take note that certain career interruptions may still make them eligible for nomination. Potential candidates are encouraged to submit a formal justification by means of the Tier 2 Justification Assessment Form, which will be considered in the review of applications.  Please consult the Canada Research Chairs website for full program information, including further details on eligibility criteria and acceptable justifications to the extension of the eligibility term. 

Notwithstanding the above and irrespective of their submission of a formal justification, candidates are encouraged to share any career interruptions or personal circumstances that may have had an impact on their career goals (such as the decision to have a family, eldercare, illness, and so forth) in their letter of application. These will be carefully considered in the assessment process. The Department values diversity among its faculty and strongly encourages applications from those who will contribute to that profile. Concordia University is an English-language institution of higher learning at which the primary language of instruction and research is English. Since this position supports academic functions of the university, proficiency in English is required. Working knowledge of French, including reading and grading student work in French, is an asset.

Please note that this position is open only to current faculty members of Concordia University meeting certain criteria, as detailed above. All eligible and qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and Permanent Residents will be given priority. To comply with the Government of Canada’s (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) reporting requirements, the University is obliged to gather information about applicants’ status as either Permanent Residents of Canada or Canadian citizens. While applicants need not identify their country of origin or current citizenship, all applicants must include one of the following statements:  

Yes, I am a citizen or permanent resident of Canada  

or  

No, I am not a citizen or permanent resident of Canada 

Applications should be submitted electronically to michelina.sardella@concordia.ca on or before November 3, 2025, but will continue to be reviewed until the position is filled. Only short-listed candidates will be notified. Submissions should consist of a single PDF and include the following items in the order specified below:  

1. A cover letter that clearly identifies the job title and position code (25-C-DCART-M2), summarizing the applicant’s career fit to the Tier 2 CRC in Biodesign and Regenerative Material Practices as well as addressing how their research and/or experience contribute to equity, diversity, and inclusion (up to two pages) 
2. A complete updated curriculum vitae  
3. A summary and documentation (preferably in the form of online links) of the candidate’s three most important research contributions or publications to date in biodesign and regenerative material practices (up to two pages)  
4. A research statement detailing the applicant’s relevant research history and accomplishments along with their vision for continuing to build and expand the research culture of the department, faculty, and university while benefiting Canadian society as a whole (up to three pages)  
5. The names and contact information of three referees 
6. A declaration of immigration status: “Yes, I am a citizen or permanent resident of Canada.” or “No, I am not a citizen or permanent resident of Canada.”  

All inquiries regarding this CRC position may be directed to Dr. Pippin Barr, Chair, Department of Design and Computation Arts at pippin.barr@concordia.ca. 

Concordia University is strongly committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community, and recognizes the importance of inclusion in achieving excellence in teaching and research. As part of this commitment to providing our students with the dynamic, innovative, and inclusive educational environment of a Next‐Generation University, we require all applicants to articulate in their cover letter how their background, as well as lived and professional experiences and expertise have prepared them to teach in ways that are relevant for a diverse, multicultural contemporary Canadian society.  

Possible examples to demonstrate a diverse experience may include, but are not limited to:  

• teaching about underrepresented populations  

• mentoring students from underrepresented backgrounds  

• committee work  

• offering or organizing educational programming  

• participation in training and workshops  

All applicants will receive an email invitation to complete a short equity survey. Participation in the survey is voluntary and no identifying information about candidates will be shared with hiring committees. Candidates who wish to self-identify as a member of an underrepresented group to the hiring committee may do so in their cover letter or by writing directly to the contact person indicated in this posting. 

Applicants who anticipate requiring adaptive measures throughout any stage of the recruitment process may contact, in confidence, the equity office at: equity@concordia.ca.