Dr. Albert Jiang, a recipient of the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship for his research into climate change adaptation, will continue his work at the University of Waterloo cross-appointed to the faculties of Engineering and Environment.
Jiang will work alongside Dr. Kumaraswamy Ponnambalam, a professor in the Department of Systems Design Engineering and Dr. Simron Singh, a research chair and professor in the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development (SEED).
The research project, Hydrology and Socio-Metabolic Risk (Hydro-SMR) Analysis: Modelling Water Dynamics and Cascade Effects on Small Island States, combines traditional hydrology with a social impact risk analysis; a unique interdisciplinary approach to help equip small island states with actionable insights.
“The strength in engineering research and the opportunity to collaborate across faculties really drew my attention to Waterloo,” Jiang said. “Although most of my research is interdisciplinary, I have never formally worked in this way so it will be very interesting.”
The work will focus on hydrology related climate change effects — like the rise of sea levels or heavy precipitation — that small island states face to prepare them for the consequences of climate change and their corresponding social impacts.
“A tangible example is when small island states flood, impacting residents’ income from tourism and fishing,” said Jiang. “Once income is cut off, households suffer, affecting whole families' health and wellbeing."
The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship funds postdoctoral applicants in recognition of their work’s outstanding contribution to economic, social and research-based growth. Seventy fellowships are awarded annually with each researcher receiving $70,000 per year for two years to further develop their research further.
Jiang is the newest fellow of more than 350 postdoctoral fellows at Waterloo who are transforming and disrupting the status quo with their research.