U-M Presidential Post-Doctoral Fellowship – Agroecology and Biodiversity

Description

SEAS is seeking candidates whose research focuses on the intersection of agroecology and

biodiversity. Agroecology involves the application of ecological principles and knowledge to

agricultural ecosystems. Agriculture affects and is affected by biodiversity. We are seeking

candidates with a strong natural science background who are doing research at this

intersection, including identifying how agrobiodiversity across scales can support wild species or

how to manage biodiversity within agroecosystems to increase their social and ecological

sustainability. Candidates who conduct field research are especially encouraged to apply.

 

Because agroecology is a transdisciplinary field, we encourage candidates with a

multidisciplinary background grounded in the natural sciences to apply. Promoting sustainability

and social equity are core principles of agroecology -- a sustainable food system must address

ecosystem health and social well-being in order to persist. Biodiversity in this context includes

the agrobiodiversity of food systems per se - including the remarkable, global diversity of

indigenous food varieties that continue to be lost each year - as well as the broader ecosystem

context in which food production takes place, including both rural and urban settings. The

successful applicant could focus on a broad range of topics including, but not limited to, ways

that agroecosystems intersect with ecological restoration, biodiversity-ecosystem functioning,

loss of global crop diversity, management of the agroecological matrix for biodiversity  

conservation, pollination, ecological pest management, intercropping/agroforestry, and climate

change impacts on biodiversity. More broadly, the position could encompass environmental

justice issues associated with either food systems or biodiversity conservation.

 

The postdoc will be housed at SEAS but would be part of the Sustainable Food Systems

Initiative, a university-wide initiative of faculty, students, and staff working toward a sustainable

and just food system, locally and globally. The postdoc would have opportunities for cross-

disciplinary interactions with faculty from several academic units, including the School of Public

Health, Taubman School of Architecture and Urban Planning, and the School of Literature,

Science, and Art.

 

Faculty at SEAS have a successful record of providing a nurturing and productive postdoctoral

experience. In keeping with the PPDF program, we are interested in future colleagues who

engage in research in the broad fields of environment and sustainability and whose research

addresses the perspectives and/or needs of groups that have been historically underserved by

academic research.

 

The University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability views these postdoctoral

fellowships as an exceptional opportunity to recruit potential new faculty. The fellowships offer

the possibility of either a postdoc alone or a combined postdoc, with consideration for a tenure-

track faculty appointment at the end of the postdoc appointment.

Please direct inquiries about this position to Ivette Perfecto (perfecto@umich.edu).

 

About SEAS and UM

The University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) is at the

forefront of building a more sustainable and just world for all by transforming the impact of

higher education and reimagining the future. By advancing climate and sustainability action

through innovation, research, education, and engagement in society, SEAS develops leaders

who are empowered to halt the climate crisis and create an environmentally sound future for

generations to come.

 

The School is home to vibrant research and teaching programs, with over 50 professors and

over 12,600 alumni, the largest network of any U.S. environmental degree program. We offer

four degrees: A Ph.D., a Master of Science in 8 different specializations, a Master of Landscape

Architecture, and a Bachelor of Science in Environment.

 

Founded in 1817, the University of Michigan has a long and distinguished history as one of the

first public universities in the nation. It is one of only two public institutions consistently ranked

among the nation's top ten universities. The University has one of the largest health care

complexes in the world and one of the best library systems in the United States. With more than

$1.86 billion in research expenditures annually, the University has the second largest research

expenditure among all universities in the nation. The University has an annual general f