Living with climate change: Mapping community experience and adaptation
An outstanding and fully-funded opportunity is available for Fall 2014 for a dynamic graduate student (at the Masters level) to become part of a collaborative research team examining “how those directly affected by extreme social and environmental changes understand these changes, and how this understanding shapes their subsequent adaptation strategies in the East-Coast of India.” With the goal of generating knowledge on equitable and successful adaptation to change in local environments, the project will address three crucial questions: 1) why and how individuals and communities adopt particular adaptation strategies; 2) what role policies can play in shaping or supporting these strategies; and 3) what methodologies are available to integrate local community-based research with top-down policy information.
The successful applicant will have a background in environment and resource studies/science, geography, development or planning. Research will take place in a cross-cultural context and interested applicants should possess initiative, independence and an ability to adapt to challenging conditions. International experience is desirable but not an absolute requirement. Openness to interdisciplinarity is a must.
As a member of the research team, you will interact closely with the project partners in Canada (York University and University of New Brunswick) and internationally with partners in India and Nepal. You will also be a member of the Environmental Change and Governance Group – an active research, teaching and learning community in the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo (http://ecgg.uwaterloo.ca/).
Funding for this position includes teaching and research assistantships as well as funds for fieldwork. Further information on funding is available on the Faculty of Environment website.
This graduate studies opportunity is only available to Canadian citizens or those with permanent residency status in Canada.
If you are interested, please contact Dr. Prateep Nayak (pnayak@uwaterloo.ca) or Dr. Derek Armitage (derek.armitage@uwaterloo.ca).