The Department has three permanent research assistant professorships, and it sometimes has the resources to support a fourth. These are nontenure track postdoctoral positions, two of which are specified as the Edith Hitz and Marilyn Hitz Research Assistant Professorships and partially supported by a bequest to the University Foundation. The Department's research assistant professors are actively involved in both teaching and research, and are chosen so as to work closely with a faculty research mentor.
Here is a list of the Department's recent research assistant professors:
| Dates | Research Assistant Professor | Mentor |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2007–May 2010 | Collin Bleak | Susan Hermiller |
| Aug 2007–May 2010 | Daniel Toundykov | George Avalos |
| Aug 2005–May 2007 | Cindy Farthing, Hitz Research Assistant Professor | Allan Donsig, David Pitts |
| Aug 2005–May 2008 | Janet Striuli, Hitz Research Assistant Professor | Luchezar Avramov, Roger Wiegand |
| Jan 2005–May 2007 | Jonathan Cutler | Jamie Radcliffe |
| Aug 2004–May 2007 | Greg Piepmeyer | Luchezar Avramov, Mark Walker |
| Aug 2003–May 2004 | Petronela Radu | George Avalos, Mohammad Rammaha |
| Jan 2003–May 2004 | Chongseng Cao | Mohammad Rammaha |
| Aug 2002–May 2005 | Jon-Lark Kim | Judy Walker |
| Aug 2001–May 2003 | Zoran Sunik | Susan Hermiller, John Meakin |
| Aug 2001–May 2002 | Devin Greene | David Pitts |
