About the Project
The PhD student will initiate and conduct research within the broad area of integrated modelling and analysis of sustainability in human-environment systems. The research will be interdisciplinary, crossing environmental science and management, and economics and policy. The focus questions will address key global sustainability challenges as they relate to land systems, potentially including food security, climate change, emissions abatement, water, biodiversity conservation, energy, land degradation, population and resource use/scarcity, and urbanisation.
The position has a broad potential scope of work possibly involving but not limited to: land-use scenario specification and simulation modelling; optimisation of future land-use patterns; evaluation of ecosystem service impacts of potential land-use change including impacts for socio-economic development, agricultural production, biodiversity conservation, water resources, land degradation, and bioenergy; or the cost-effective policy, governance, and management of land systems. In addition, the Fellow could contribute to: the development and application of a model of land clearance for Australia, or land-use dynamics in northern Australia; or the analysis of future variability in environmental and economic drivers on agricultural production, carbon sequestration, and the flow-on impacts on food security and greenhouse gas abatement. The geographic area of focus could range from catchment/regional level, but would preferably occur at the national scale for Australia or other countries (e.g. China), or at the global scale.
The methods used will be quantitative, and may include techniques such as scenario analysis and complex systems modelling, robust decision-making under uncertainty (especially deep uncertainty); optimisation; risk analysis and risk mitigation such as hedging and insurance; and developing backcasting methods to identify feasible pathways to sustainable futures. There is also an opportunity to explore new data science methods such as deep learning applications in environmental science and management. The Fellow will use tools such as R, Python, GIS, and integrate multiple spatio-temporal data sources. The specific research topic(s) and methods will depend upon mutual interest and skills, and prospects for co-investment and impact, to be determined via discussion with the successful candidate and other key colleagues/collaborators/stakeholders.
Eligibility requirements: http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/become-a-research-student/research-degree-entry-pathways
Duration of scholarship: 3 years
Stipend rate: standard
Relocation allowance: (Standard allowance: up to $515 p/adult, $255 p/child, max $1,840)
Contact details Brett Bryan [Email Address Removed] +61 3 9246 8456
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