Postdoctoral Fellowships for Sustainability Solutions
The University of Southern California (USC) launched the Presidential Sustainability Solutions Fellowship with five new postdocs in 2023 as part of Assignment: Earth, USC’s campus-wide sustainability framework and now plans to double the size of the group. The fellowship program aims to prepare future leaders in academia, government, non-governmental organizations and industry; to accelerate discovery, implementation and evaluation of innovative interdisciplinary sustainability solutions research; and to help catalyze the diverse and vibrant community of sustainability scholars at USC.
Sustainability Solutions Research
This fellowship advances the capacity of early-career scholars to conduct interdisciplinary research across all dimensions of sustainability, including environmental justice, climate change, species collapse and more. We welcome applications from all fields and interest in areas including, but not limited to: human behavior, health and well-being; infrastructure and the built environment; natural environment and ecosystem services; communication, media and technology; policy and institutions; and risk analysis, employment and economic considerations. Ongoing campus-wide interests include the health implications of climate change, blue and green economies, transitions (energy, transportation, water, built environment), and the significance and affordances of the arts, media and technology.
Mentorship and Programming
Each fellow will be mentored by two USC faculty from different disciplines. In addition to those affiliations, fellows will dedicate approximately 20% of their time to engaging with their cohort and the sustainability community. This investment supports and complements fellows’ work and experience through inspiration, guidance and collaboration, often outside their primary field or the scope of current projects. The research colloquium, practice-oriented seminars, and other gatherings combine to create opportunities to connect with leading scholars, share work in progress, and build community within and beyond the cohort.
Salary and Support
While fellowship packages may vary, they are typically 2-year appointments starting mid-August 2024. Fellows will receive an annual salary of approximately $75k, a competitive benefits package, and funding for expenses such as relocation, research, travel, and publications.
Please note that fellowships are funding contingent.
USC Focus on Sustainability
With the impacts of climate change intensifying and troubling developments for all life, it is increasingly clear that humans need to make rapid and significant changes in how we live. From heat waves, rising sea levels, droughts and more intensive storms to increased air pollution, species collapse and threatened food supplies, there are massive implications for human health and well-being, particularly among low income and otherwise marginalized communities. Together, the implications could not be more extensive or complex and USC researchers across disciplines are tackling these critical sustainability issues by addressing challenges and engaging opportunities facing natural resources, urban health, infrastructure, mobility, communication, behavior, equity and much more.
The USC Initiative on Sustainability was launched in 2019 by President Carol Folt with the establishment of the Presidential Working Group on Sustainability in Education, Research and Operations. The Postdoctoral fellowship program is one of the signature initiatives of Assignment: Earth, USC’s most recent “Moonshot” – although we actually think of it as part of our collective Earthshot.
Eligibility
Candidates must have earned a doctoral degree (e.g., Ph.D., Sc.D., M.D., J.D.) within the three years prior to the anticipated start date; doctoral candidates must complete their degree before their postdoctoral appointment begins.
Apply
Candidates should submit the following materials to the application website:
- Curriculum Vitae
- Abstract of your Dissertation, research summary or portfolio – as appropriate to your field (up to 1000 words)
- Statement of Interest (500-750 words) to tell us a bit about you, which may include answers the following (or feel free to take another approach):
Why does this postdoctoral fellowship interest you? What do you hope to accomplish and why is it important? Beyond your primary field, are there other fields you believe may be valuable to your work?
- Names and e-mail addresses of 2-4 references
- (Optional) Links to any additional materials you want us to consider
- (Optional) Names of potential faculty mentors at USC with whom you are interested in working
Selection Process
The Committee will review applications January 15, 2024 and continue accepting applications until the deadline. We will share your materials with sustainability scholars across USC in an effort to identify potential mentors (in addition to any you propose). We expect to begin contacting applicants in February with updates on next steps.
Examples of Centers, Institutes and Labs include:
USC and Los Angeles
While our sustainability ambitions are global, USC is also deeply enmeshed in Southern California and committed to learning from, collaborating with and addressing the needs of our extended communities. We see Southern California as a model for solutions-oriented research, innovation and policy due to its tremendous diversity (ecological, economic, cultural, social), robust public and private sectors, leadership in storytelling and culture creation, array of policy-relevant data sets, and robust ongoing sustainability policies and interventions. It is also a very special place to live.
USC is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring ordinance. We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities.
Contact
For additional information or inquiries about the Postdoctoral Fellowships for Sustainability Solutions or the application submission process, please contact SSFellow@usc.edu
Postdoctoral Fellowships for Sustainability Solutions
Postdoctoral Fellowships for Sustainability Solutions
The University of Southern California (USC) launched the Presidential Sustainability Solutions Fellowship with five new postdocs in 2023 as part of Assignment: Earth, USC’s campus-wide sustainability framework and now plans to double the size of the group. The fellowship program aims to prepare future leaders in academia, government, non-governmental organizations and industry; to accelerate discovery, implementation and evaluation of innovative interdisciplinary sustainability solutions research; and to help catalyze the diverse and vibrant community of sustainability scholars at USC.
Sustainability Solutions Research
This fellowship advances the capacity of early-career scholars to conduct interdisciplinary research across all dimensions of sustainability, including environmental justice, climate change, species collapse and more. We welcome applications from all fields and interest in areas including, but not limited to: human behavior, health and well-being; infrastructure and the built environment; natural environment and ecosystem services; communication, media and technology; policy and institutions; and risk analysis, employment and economic considerations. Ongoing campus-wide interests include the health implications of climate change, blue and green economies, transitions (energy, transportation, water, built environment), and the significance and affordances of the arts, media and technology.
Mentorship and Programming
Each fellow will be mentored by two USC faculty from different disciplines. In addition to those affiliations, fellows will dedicate approximately 20% of their time to engaging with their cohort and the sustainability community. This investment supports and complements fellows’ work and experience through inspiration, guidance and collaboration, often outside their primary field or the scope of current projects. The research colloquium, practice-oriented seminars, and other gatherings combine to create opportunities to connect with leading scholars, share work in progress, and build community within and beyond the cohort.
Salary and Support
While fellowship packages may vary, they are typically 2-year appointments starting mid-August 2024. Fellows will receive an annual salary of approximately $75k, a competitive benefits package, and funding for expenses such as relocation, research, travel, and publications.
Please note that fellowships are funding contingent.
USC Focus on Sustainability
With the impacts of climate change intensifying and troubling developments for all life, it is increasingly clear that humans need to make rapid and significant changes in how we live. From heat waves, rising sea levels, droughts and more intensive storms to increased air pollution, species collapse and threatened food supplies, there are massive implications for human health and well-being, particularly among low income and otherwise marginalized communities. Together, the implications could not be more extensive or complex and USC researchers across disciplines are tackling these critical sustainability issues by addressing challenges and engaging opportunities facing natural resources, urban health, infrastructure, mobility, communication, behavior, equity and much more.
The USC Initiative on Sustainability was launched in 2019 by President Carol Folt with the establishment of the Presidential Working Group on Sustainability in Education, Research and Operations. The Postdoctoral fellowship program is one of the signature initiatives of Assignment: Earth, USC’s most recent “Moonshot” – although we actually think of it as part of our collective Earthshot.
Eligibility
Candidates must have earned a doctoral degree (e.g., Ph.D., Sc.D., M.D., J.D.) within the three years prior to the anticipated start date; doctoral candidates must complete their degree before their postdoctoral appointment begins.
Apply
Candidates should submit the following materials to the application website:
- Curriculum Vitae
- Abstract of your Dissertation, research summary or portfolio – as appropriate to your field (up to 1000 words)
- Statement of Interest (500-750 words) to tell us a bit about you, which may include answers the following (or feel free to take another approach):
Why does this postdoctoral fellowship interest you? What do you hope to accomplish and why is it important? Beyond your primary field, are there other fields you believe may be valuable to your work?
- Names and e-mail addresses of 2-4 references
- (Optional) Links to any additional materials you want us to consider
- (Optional) Names of potential faculty mentors at USC with whom you are interested in working
Selection Process
The Committee will review applications January 15, 2024 and continue accepting applications until the deadline. We will share your materials with sustainability scholars across USC in an effort to identify potential mentors (in addition to any you propose). We expect to begin contacting applicants in February with updates on next steps.
Examples of Centers, Institutes and Labs include:
USC and Los Angeles
While our sustainability ambitions are global, USC is also deeply enmeshed in Southern California and committed to learning from, collaborating with and addressing the needs of our extended communities. We see Southern California as a model for solutions-oriented research, innovation and policy due to its tremendous diversity (ecological, economic, cultural, social), robust public and private sectors, leadership in storytelling and culture creation, array of policy-relevant data sets, and robust ongoing sustainability policies and interventions. It is also a very special place to live.
USC is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring ordinance. We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities.
Contact
For additional information or inquiries about the Postdoctoral Fellowships for Sustainability Solutions or the application submission process, please contact SSFellow@usc.edu