Assistant or Associate Professor position in AI and Sustainable Systems

Description

The School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) at the University of Michigan is seeking applicants for a full-time, nine-month, tenure-track faculty member to advance computational methods applied to complex sustainability challenges.  These challenges include the growing demand for electricity to power data centers that support AI.  The position may be filled at the Assistant or Associate level.This position is part of a two-position cluster hire in Artificial Intelligence for Sustainability, with a second position in Biodiversity and Society:  http://apply.interfolio.com/156521

We seek individuals who are using novel, data-driven approaches to sustainability challenges, including but not limited to, big data analytics, quantum computing, digital twins, network science, high-performance and cloud computing,  and artificial intelligence (AI) methods such as machine learning and neural networks, computer vision, natural language processing, large language models, or other generative AI.  We are looking for research applications relevant to the Sustainable Systems specialization at SEAS.  Topics of interest include industrial ecology, life cycle assessment, circular economy, energy systems and the clean energy transition, the environmental and ethical issues of AI, corporate social responsibility, techno-economic analysis, sustainable finance, food/water/energy nexus, green buildings, urban sustainability, resilient and sustainable infrastructure, risk assessment, sustainable mobility, and sustainable supply chains. 

Qualifications

A Ph.D. is required in engineering, physical, data or computer sciences, or another field that uses computationally-driven quantitative methods and analytical approaches to address sustainability challenges.  Candidates must have a strong record of scholarly publication, evidence of teaching potential in a multidisciplinary setting, as well as activities demonstrating a potential for and/or trajectory towards national and international recognition. Importantly, we are seeking candidates who have an interest in using their research to help solve real-world sustainability challenges. 

 SEAS’s mission is to contribute to the protection of the Earth’s resources and the achievement of a sustainable and just society.  The School contributes new scientific knowledge, visionary leadership, and trained professionals toward that end.  The faculty of the School is diverse, with natural scientists, social scientists, engineers, and designers working collaboratively in an integrative setting.  A professional school set within a major research university, SEAS provides a model of interdisciplinary and applied research and a focal point of research, teaching and societal engagement on sustainability. The School focuses on key cross-cutting sustainability themes, including climate and energy; water; food, land use, and agriculture; conservation and restoration; and cities, the built environment, and mobility.  There are many opportunities for research collaborations through institutes such as the Michigan Institute for Data and AI in Society (MIDAS), Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise, and the Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute. Successful applicants will become a core faculty member at the Center for Sustainable Systems.  

The School offers a Ph.D. as well as both research and professional M.S. degrees in seven specializations: ecosystem science and management; geospatial data science; sustainable systems; environmental policy and planning; behavior, education and communication; environmental justice; and sustainable development. The School also offers a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture (M.L.A.). The student body includes over 500 M.S./M.L.A. and 60 doctoral students. SEAS also co-manages an undergraduate Program in the Environment and participates in dual master degree programs with the Schools of Architecture and Urban Planning, Business, Engineering, Law, Public Health, and Public Policy. Additional information about the School can be found at www.seas.umich.edu.

 

Priority will be given to applicants whose research programs complement or align with one or more current research strengths and have the interest and ability to collaborate. We will give preference to candidates with a demonstrated commitment to improving the diversity of our profession and centering justice and equity through the substance of their research and teaching. 

 

The successful candidate will be expected