Clemson University invites applications and nominations for The Homer Curtis Mickel and Leola Carter Mickel Endowed Professorship in Architecture, a senior appointment at the rank of Associate or Full Professor in the Richard A. McMahan School of Architecture (RAMSoA) within the College of Architecture, Art and Construction (CAAC). The anticipated start date is August 15, 2027.
The Mickel Professorship is an endowed position for a nationally or internationally recognized scholar whose research will strengthen the School's standing within a Carnegie R1 research university. Research is the primary responsibility of the position. The Mickel Professor will lead a sustained, externally funded research program, advise doctoral students, and mentor junior faculty as they build their own research careers.
We seek a scholar whose applied research moves ideas into the built environment and rigorously evaluates their outcomes. This work may operate at the scale of the building, the community, or the region, and may draw on design-build, building technology, or the social and behavioral sciences. The search is open to candidates across these areas. The essential criteria are a distinguished record of funded applied research and a compelling plan to expand that work at Clemson, contributing to the University's strategic plan, Clemson Elevate.
Consistent with Clemson's mission as South Carolina's land-grant institution, the Mickel Professor will be encouraged to build interdisciplinary collaborations across the University and partnerships with communities, industry, and public agencies that extend the reach and impact of their research.
Responsibilities
Research: The Mickel Professor will direct a nationally competitive research program supported by external funding from federal agencies, foundations, industry, and other sources. Expectations include sustained success in securing competitive grants and contracts, publication in leading peer-reviewed venues, dissemination of applied and creative work, and leadership of interdisciplinary research teams within and beyond the University.
Mentoring: The Mickel Professor will serve as advisor and dissertation committee member for students in Clemson's interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Design and the Built Environment, and will mentor junior faculty in developing competitive research and funding portfolios.
Teaching: The Mickel Professor will teach one course per semester. Teaching assignments will align with the Professor's research and may include graduate seminars or studios in the Master of Architecture program and doctoral coursework.
Service: The Mickel Professor will contribute to the School, College, and University through service commensurate with that of other tenured faculty.
About the Program, School, College, and University
Clemson's architecture programs are based in the Richard A. McMahan School of Architecture on Clemson University's main campus in Clemson, South Carolina. The School offers multiple pathways within the discipline of architecture, beginning with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and continuing through an accredited Master of Architecture and the cross-disciplinary Design and the Built Environment Ph.D. program. The School itself, part of the College of Architecture, Art and Construction, offers degrees in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Historic Preservation, and City and Regional Planning to more than 500 students, supported by more than 70 faculty and staff. In 2025, the School was renamed in recognition of a transformative gift from the late Richard “Dick” McMahan ’54, HD ’06, and his wife, the late Mary “Dinky” McMahan.
The newly formed College of Architecture, Art and Construction’s (CAAC) portfolio consists of the School of Architecture, the Department of Art, and the Nieri Department of Construction, Development, and Planning. With its five undergraduate majors and ten graduate programs as well as nine centers and institutes the college aims to prepare over 900 undergraduates and 300 graduate students to transform, enhance and sustain the built environment and to excel in their fields by combining practical knowledge with hands-on experiential learning. Supported by the outdoor Experiential Learning Yard and Fluid Campus® in Genoa, Italy, Barcelona, Spain, and Charleston, South Carolina, students learn how to translate their education into lifelong success.
Clemson University is a Carnegie R1 research university, a classification reaffirmed in 2025, enrolling more than 29,500 students with an endowment exceeding $1.2 billion and $334 million in research and development expenditures in the most recent fiscal year. U.S. News & World Report ranks Clemson 36th among public universities nationally (2026); Forbes ranks it 33rd nationally among public colleges and first in South Carolina. Founded in 1889 as South Carolina's land grant institution, Clemson is executing Clemson Elevate, a strategic plan built on three goals: delivering the nation's number one student experience, doubling research expenditures by 2035, and transforming lives across South Carolina and beyond.
Key Dates for This Search Cycle
Applications received by December 15, 2026 will receive full consideration
Anticipated start date of August 15, 2027
Qualifications
Candidates must hold a professional degree in architecture or a terminal degree in an allied discipline. The successful candidate will demonstrate a record of scholarship and peer-reviewed publications commensurate with appointment as a tenured Associate or Full Professor at an R1 university; a sustained record of securing competitive external research funding as principal or co-principal investigator; national or international recognition for applied research in the built environment; and experience advising graduate students. Candidates must also demonstrate proficiency in written and oral communication in the English language. Tenure upon hire will be considered only for candidates who currently hold tenure at an R1 institution.
Preferred Qualifications
Preference will be given to candidates with a record of research applied at full scale, such as building prototypes, demonstration projects, or post-occupancy evaluation; experience in design-build practice, building technology, or evidence-based research in housing, policy, or human wellbeing; a record of leading interdisciplinary research teams; established research partnerships with communities, industry, or public agencies; experience supervising doctoral students to completion; and architectural licensure or a Ph.D. in architecture or an allied field.
Application Instructions
Applicants should submit the following materials in PDF:
- A cover letter (Maximum 2 pages) outlining their vision for the Mickel Professorship, including their research and teaching agenda and their approach to partnerships and funding
- Curriculum vitae
- A statement of research and creative activities, including funded work and plans for future research
- Evidence of teaching effectiveness (e.g., syllabi, course evaluations, student work, or teaching portfolio; Maximum 20 pages for the portfolio)
- Names and contact information of three professional references who can speak to the candidate’s qualifications
Applications should be submitted through:
https://apply.interfolio.com/197425
For full consideration, applications must be received by December 15, 2026. Review will continue until a suitably qualified candidate is identified.
For any questions, please contact the search committee chair, Dongwoo (Jason) Yeom (dyeom@clemson.edu).
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Clemson University is an EEO/AA employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to characteristics protected by applicable law including disability and protected veteran status.
