O’Donnell Eminent Endowed Chair in Energy

Position No. 00006050. Southern Methodist University invites applications to the inaugural O’Donnell eminent endowed chair and professorship in Energy. The position is a key component of a new $50M O’Donnell Energy Initiative at SMU. The candidate would hold a leadership position across programs spanning Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, the Lyle School of Engineering, and the Cox School of Business at the rank of tenured, full professor. This appointment is focused on establishing SMU as a global innovator in energy solutions. The Chair will work to facilitate world-class research addressing energy challenges with the goal of forging new and innovative avenues of investigation across SMU. The Chair will also provide direction on undergraduate and graduate degree programs, with initial focus on an interdisciplinary and cross-school BS honors program on Energy Science, Innovation and Enterprise. The candidate is expected to develop a research and teaching portfolio focused on energy with emphasis on petroleum systems. The ideal candidate will be able to build partnerships with industry, government, and national laboratories.

The successful candidate is expected to join the dynamic Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences, whose internationally recognized faculty conducts collaborative, societally relevant research in energy, environmental systems, and earth hazards that links to complementary strengths within the university. The Department core facilities include Stable Isotope and X-ray Analytical laboratories, Geophysical and Remote Sensing facilities and instrumentation, and the Shuler Museum of Paleontology. SMU interdisciplinary expertise in energy systems is further enabled through state-of-the-art High Performance Computing facilities; the O’Donnell Data Science Institute; the Maguire Energy Institute; cross-school research excellence in earth hazards and national security, subsurface energy and law, the mathematics of inversion, imaging and machine learning, advanced energy storage, decarbonization and monitoring, and subsurface fluid and heat transport systems. Joint appointments across other departments or schools would be welcomed.

The successful applicant will have a demonstrated ability to maintain an outstanding, internationally recognized, externally funded research program; to teach, lead, and collaborate effectively with a diverse student body of graduates and undergraduates; and to supervise professional staff and faculty. All faculty are expected to fully participate in the educational mission of the university. The position will start January 2, 2027. Applications received by September 15, 2026, will receive full consideration, but applications will be reviewed as received and continue to be accepted until the position is filled. Applications should include a cover letter that discusses leadership experience in energy systems with an emphasis on petroleum, CV, statements on research and teaching, and contact information for three letters of recommendation. Please submit application materials via Interfolio at:

Candidates must have the following required qualifications:

• A PhD in the geosciences or closely related field
• A research record commensurate with an appointment as a tenured full professor, with more than six years post PhD experience
• Demonstrated ability to establish an internationally recognized, externally funded research program
• A commitment to excellence in teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

The committee will notify applicants of its employment decisions after the position is filled. Hiring is contingent upon the satisfactory completion of a background check. For more information, please visit the Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences or contact Heather DeShon, Professor and Department Chair in Earth Sciences, at [email protected].

SMU is a nationally ranked, private, non-sectarian research institution located in one of the nation's fastest growing metropolitan areas. Teachers and researchers are part of an inclusive and intellectually vibrant community of internationally recognized scholars across the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, engineering, and business. SMU seeks colleagues who eagerly embrace SMU's central values of intellectual diversity, cultural intelligence and academic freedom. SMU offers excellent benefits including full same-sex domestic partner benefits. The City of Dallas is one of the nation's most cosmopolitan commercial and cultural centers, and the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is the fourth largest in the US. Dallas' quality of life is exceptional, with a relatively low cost of living and a variety of housing options. Neighborhoods within easy commute of campus offer tree-lined streets and walkability with easy access to the city’s dynamic arts, music, sports and dining scenes that combine to make Dallas an extremely livable city. Explore SMU at

SMU is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression.