Two Post-doctoral positions exploring Agrivoltaics as an Innovative Food-Energy-Water Solution
Two Post-doctoral research positions open at the University of Arizona
Application Deadline: March 15, 2023
Position Start: August 2023
Position Summary
The School of Geography, Development, and the Environment, in partnership with the Biosphere 2 and the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, at the University of Arizona is excited to announce two 2-year postdoctoral research associate positions to focus on agrivoltaics.
Agrivoltaics co-locates agriculture and renewable energy production, increases food production, and reduces water use. Importantly, these positions are funded by projects supported across the US Department of Agriculture and the US Department of Energy, creating an opportunity to truly integrate across the missions of these two federal agencies of building a more resilient food and energy future. These two postdoctoral positions will help round out an interdisciplinary team of researchers exploring both the biophysical and social science dimensions of agrivoltaics. The two researchers will work under the supervision of Drs. and Greg Barron-Gafford and Andrea Gerlak.
Interested applicants can learn more at https://www.barrongafford.org/agrivoltaics.html/, or watch a video about ongoing agrivoltaic research across Arizona and Colorado at https://tinyurl.com/agrivoltaics.
Position #1: Biophysical drivers and implications of agrivoltaics
One of the postdoctoral positions will be focused on the biophysical drivers and implications of agrivoltaics as a sustainable solution for our food, water, and energy systems in dryland environments. The researcher will help lead the biophysical science team to oversee and conduct field research related to the colocation of photovoltaic installations with (1) current food production practices, (2) native pasture grass mixes for sheep grazing, and (3) dryland-adapted, climate-smart, and sustainable food production. The fellow will work across Arizona, and the larger southwest, to capture the tradeoffs associated with different crop types, solar configurations, and localized climate.
Minimum Qualifications
Position #2: Socio-environmental implications of agrivoltaics
The second postdoctoral position will be focused on the socio-environmental implications of a sustainable solution for our food and energy systems in agrivoltaics. The researcher will help lead the social science team to engage food producers and solar industry experts around agrivoltaics. The fellow will work across Arizona, and the larger southwest, to capture the complex and dynamic potential barriers and opportunities for adoption of agrivoltaics as a climate adaptation solution.
Minimum Qualifications
Both postdoctoral candidates will be tasked with:
The School of Geography, Development, and the Environment at the University of Arizona hosts one of the top programs in geography, with faculty and research spanned across physical, human/environment, human, and developmental geographies.
The Biosphere 2 Center is a university-led research station built to advance our understanding of natural and human-made ecosystems. The facility leads integrated research that drives the discovery and development of interventions that will increase the resilience and sustainability of Earth systems and human quality of life. Beyond being a unique facility, Biosphere 2 is a hub for conducting interdisciplinary science education and fostering leadership initiatives focused on developing scalable solutions for our planet and beyond.
The Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy is a university-wide research center that is the intellectual home for interdisciplinary, stakeholder-based policy research and outreach. As such, the Udall Center’s charge is to advance cross-cutting inquiry and connect diverse policy research efforts and researchers, gain increasing external support for policy research, and deliver measurable public impact.
Interested applicants include:
Appointment Information
The appointee should be available to begin work in August 2023. The initial appointment will be for 12 months; an extension may be possible subject to availability of funding. Salary for each position is $57,000 annually at 1.0 full-time equivalency (FTE).
The position will be located at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. Relocation benefits are not included.
The appointee will be a full-time exempt, benefits-eligible employee of the University of Arizona. See https://talent.arizona.edu/compensation-and-benefits for more information about benefits at the University of Arizona.
At the University of Arizona, we value our inclusive climate because we know that diversity in experiences and perspectives is vital to advancing innovation, critical thinking, solving complex problems, and creating an inclusive academic community. As a Hispanic-serving institution, we translate these values into action by seeking individuals who have experience and expertise working with diverse students, colleagues, and constituencies. Because we seek a workforce with a wide range of perspectives and experiences, we provide equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or genetic information. As an Employer of National Service, we also welcome alumni of AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service programs and others who will help us advance our Inclusive Excellence initiative aimed at creating a university that values student, staff, and faculty engagement in addressing issues of diversity and inclusiveness.
The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work-life programs. For more information about working at the University of Arizona, please click here.
Reach out ASAP to learn more. You can email Dr. Barron-Gafford gregbg@arizona.edu or Dr. Gerlak at agerlak@arizona.edu
Review begins on March 1, 2023
Application Deadline: March 15, 2023
Position Start: August 2023
Position Summary
The School of Geography, Development, and the Environment, in partnership with the Biosphere 2 and the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, at the University of Arizona is excited to announce two 2-year postdoctoral research associate positions to focus on agrivoltaics.
Agrivoltaics co-locates agriculture and renewable energy production, increases food production, and reduces water use. Importantly, these positions are funded by projects supported across the US Department of Agriculture and the US Department of Energy, creating an opportunity to truly integrate across the missions of these two federal agencies of building a more resilient food and energy future. These two postdoctoral positions will help round out an interdisciplinary team of researchers exploring both the biophysical and social science dimensions of agrivoltaics. The two researchers will work under the supervision of Drs. and Greg Barron-Gafford and Andrea Gerlak.
Interested applicants can learn more at https://www.barrongafford.org/agrivoltaics.html/, or watch a video about ongoing agrivoltaic research across Arizona and Colorado at https://tinyurl.com/agrivoltaics.
Position #1: Biophysical drivers and implications of agrivoltaics
One of the postdoctoral positions will be focused on the biophysical drivers and implications of agrivoltaics as a sustainable solution for our food, water, and energy systems in dryland environments. The researcher will help lead the biophysical science team to oversee and conduct field research related to the colocation of photovoltaic installations with (1) current food production practices, (2) native pasture grass mixes for sheep grazing, and (3) dryland-adapted, climate-smart, and sustainable food production. The fellow will work across Arizona, and the larger southwest, to capture the tradeoffs associated with different crop types, solar configurations, and localized climate.
Minimum Qualifications
- Doctoral degree or equivalent in geography, environmental science, ecology, or a related field
- Enthusiasm for applied environmental and biophysical research
- Willingness to conduct and lead field work across sites
- Strong field biophysical or plant ecophysiological methodological and data analytical skills
- Comfort working in teams, leading team meetings, and supervising students
- Record of published research in areas of plant ecophysiology, applied crop science, ecosystem ecology, or related field
Position #2: Socio-environmental implications of agrivoltaics
The second postdoctoral position will be focused on the socio-environmental implications of a sustainable solution for our food and energy systems in agrivoltaics. The researcher will help lead the social science team to engage food producers and solar industry experts around agrivoltaics. The fellow will work across Arizona, and the larger southwest, to capture the complex and dynamic potential barriers and opportunities for adoption of agrivoltaics as a climate adaptation solution.
Minimum Qualifications
- Doctoral degree or equivalent in geography, environmental policy, planning, political science, or a related field
- Enthusiasm for researching environmental and natural resources governance
- Strong methodological skills
- Willingness to do field work
- Comfort working in teams, leading team meetings, and supervising students
- Record of published research in areas of plant ecophysiology, applied crop science, ecosystem ecology, or related field
- Community engagement experience
Both postdoctoral candidates will be tasked with:
- Integrating physical and social sciences in an applied setting
- Collaborating in an interdisciplinary and diverse research group
- Leading team meetings
- Developing and where appropriate, overseeing project design
- Conducting qualitative and quantitative research
- Partnering with local, regional, and national stakeholders
- Presenting research results at national and international conferences
- Organizing and facilitating project meetings
- Coauthoring academic articles with research group members
- Co-supervising 1-3 undergraduate and graduate students engaged in collaborative efforts
- Co-developing proposals for extramural funding to continue and expand the line of research
The School of Geography, Development, and the Environment at the University of Arizona hosts one of the top programs in geography, with faculty and research spanned across physical, human/environment, human, and developmental geographies.
The Biosphere 2 Center is a university-led research station built to advance our understanding of natural and human-made ecosystems. The facility leads integrated research that drives the discovery and development of interventions that will increase the resilience and sustainability of Earth systems and human quality of life. Beyond being a unique facility, Biosphere 2 is a hub for conducting interdisciplinary science education and fostering leadership initiatives focused on developing scalable solutions for our planet and beyond.
The Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy is a university-wide research center that is the intellectual home for interdisciplinary, stakeholder-based policy research and outreach. As such, the Udall Center’s charge is to advance cross-cutting inquiry and connect diverse policy research efforts and researchers, gain increasing external support for policy research, and deliver measurable public impact.
Interested applicants include:
- Letter of interest summarizing interest and qualifications
- Curriculum vitae
- 1-2 writing samples e.g., thesis or dissertation, term paper, or manuscript for publication
- Contact information for three professional references
Appointment Information
The appointee should be available to begin work in August 2023. The initial appointment will be for 12 months; an extension may be possible subject to availability of funding. Salary for each position is $57,000 annually at 1.0 full-time equivalency (FTE).
The position will be located at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. Relocation benefits are not included.
The appointee will be a full-time exempt, benefits-eligible employee of the University of Arizona. See https://talent.arizona.edu/compensation-and-benefits for more information about benefits at the University of Arizona.
At the University of Arizona, we value our inclusive climate because we know that diversity in experiences and perspectives is vital to advancing innovation, critical thinking, solving complex problems, and creating an inclusive academic community. As a Hispanic-serving institution, we translate these values into action by seeking individuals who have experience and expertise working with diverse students, colleagues, and constituencies. Because we seek a workforce with a wide range of perspectives and experiences, we provide equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or genetic information. As an Employer of National Service, we also welcome alumni of AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service programs and others who will help us advance our Inclusive Excellence initiative aimed at creating a university that values student, staff, and faculty engagement in addressing issues of diversity and inclusiveness.
The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work-life programs. For more information about working at the University of Arizona, please click here.
Reach out ASAP to learn more. You can email Dr. Barron-Gafford gregbg@arizona.edu or Dr. Gerlak at agerlak@arizona.edu
Review begins on March 1, 2023
Undergraduate Students:
We have a dynamic and exciting atmosphere in our research group. This is due, in part, to a great collective of people. If you are interested in gaining experience in a range of topics, we may have just the position for you. You can join our team for pay, for credit hours, as an independent study, or through our Vertically Integrated Projects program:
https://uavip.arizona.edu/teams/biosphere-2-honors-teams