Graduate Assistantship Circular Economy

Show Graduate Assistantship Circular Economy

Opportunity Type: Fellowships

Opportunity Title: Graduate Assistantship Circular Economy

Opportunity Description: Starting annual salary of $28,026 USD with 3% COLA; 3 Years; Location: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative research and projects that focus on using circular economic theories to examine climate-smart agricultural systems in Hawaiʻi with integration of Indigenous Knowledge Systems.

The Hawaii Climate-Smart Partnership is an ambitious 5-year project that envisions transformation within Hawaiʻi’s agroecosystems, guided by innovative, contemporary science from both Western and Indigenous ways of knowing to address multiple, pressing challenges posed by climate change. The UH-based science and innovation team of the Partnership is building capacity in data-driven, relational fields that interweave soils, agroecosystems, ʻāina momona, and indigenous genealogy and wellbeing into more just climate-assessment frameworks for an abundant future.

This position will explore the question “What circular economic systems optimize for benefits beyond carbon sequestration and GHG emissions mitigation in climate-smart agricultural systems?” and assist in conducting interdisciplinary research focused on circular economy benefits from climate-smart agricultural systems in Hawaiʻi, including social, cultural, economic, and ecological metrics. Responsibilities include conducting a literature review of holistic circular economic outcomes and metrics of various climate-smart agricultural systems, and methodologies to develop models to simulate outcomes at a larger scale. Support the development and implementation of objectives, metrics, and models to evaluate circular economic benefits, including biophysical, cultural, economic and social models that integrate quantitative and qualitative data. Develop methods to collect data related to circular economy models and engage in primary data collection via the HiCSC partnership and in collaboration with the Equity, Innovation and Indigenous knowledge team and those working on community wellbeing, Indigenous genealogy and functional nutrition. Collaborate with HiCSC teams to develop biophysical, cultural, and social models that evaluate circular economy impacts, integrating Indigenous knowledge, equity, and sustainability metrics. Prepare reports, presentations, and educational materials for various stakeholders such as agricultural producers, researchers, Indigenous practitioners. Contribute to publications in journals.