PhD Opportunity: Impacts of climate change and its uncertainty on agriculture

July 10, 2023

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The PhD in SDC: beyond sustainability

We believe that to make our planet a better place it is necessary to change our society. This is why our PhD consists in 6 different curricula, whose courses and studies extends to the cultural, social, economic, legal, technological and any other aspects linked to modern reality.

Mission & Vision

The PhD in Sustainable Development and Climate Change combines the skills of the best Italian universities, creating an interuniversity and multidisciplinary educational roadmap.

An original PhD program that combines the experience and knowledge of professors from different fields of study with the skills of the students. The final aim is to define tools and methods to promote the ability of future generations to understand the evolution of the climate, as well as to design and implement new solutions for a sustainable society in all its aspects.

Multiple PhD Positions and Postdoctoral Research Associate Opportunities in the School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering at Oregon State University, USA

We want to instill knowledge and bring forth talents capable of contributing, with their own ideas, to the creation of a just and innovative society, in total harmony with the planet.

Earth system processes and new perspectives in environmental development

A curriculum dedicated to the study of different biological, chemical, geological, physical, mathematical and environmental aspects of climate change and sustainability.

The impacts and risks of climate change, including extreme events, will be investigated; plus, combined analysis of climates and application of multi-disciplinary approaches will allow estimation of future risks, as well as identifying the most effective adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Measuring the transition towards a decarbonised and sustainable economy

This curriculum focuses on analysis of the complex relationships between the phenomenon of climate

change and the socio-economic system. Through its research agenda, the curriculum aims to provide economic policy and managerial practice recommendations to prevent mitigation of environmental and climate risks on territories, as well as enabling an orderly transition towards a fair, circular and low-carbon economy.

Agriculture and Forestry Department

Innovative models for resilient and sustainable agri-food and forestry systems

A curriculum that focuses on environmental, economic and social sustainability and climate change in key areas, from both a life cycle and supply chain perspective, with a particular focus on Mediterranean agricultural and forestry systems.

2023-24 Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies Postdoctoral Fellowship – $75,000 annually

The ultimate objective is to implement a transformative process of sustainable agriculture and forestry, rooted in analysis and evaluation of new sustainable development models with a sound scientific, technical and technological base.

PhD Opportunity: Impacts of climate change and its uncertainty on agriculture

Reference person: Beatrice Monteleone: beatrice.monteleone@iusspavia.it

Host University/Institute: Scuola Univeritaria Superiore IUSS Pavia
Research Keywords: Climate change uncertainties, Impact models, High resolution climate models

Reference ERCsPE10_3 Climatology and climate changePE1_19 Scientific computing and data processingPE10_21 Earth system modelling and interactions

Reference SDGsGOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and CommunitiesGOAL 13: Climate ActionGOAL 15: Life on Land

Description

As highlighted by the UN development goals and the European Climate Law, climate change is a reality to which society needs to adapt. The possibility to address the adaptation issue lies on our ability to include climate change into impact studies.Until recently, climate modellers did not have the capability to generate long-term projections at a spatial and temporal resolution useful for impact studies as risk assessment for agriculture.

The advent of kilometer-scale atmospheric models (convection-permitting models, CPMs), with a spatial resolution closer to what modellers in the field of agriculture need, enables those impact studies. Climate model ensembles are used to evaluate the uncertainties related with the climate change signal. An open question remains on how climate change uncertainties will propagate into impact models such as the ones used to estimate the effects of climate on agriculture. When using climate model as input, the weight of climate projection uncertainties affects the output of the impact model.

This research aims to investigate the impact of using high-resolution climate model into models applied to estimate agricultural productivity to learn how to deal with uncertainties to provide examples of good practice, storylines and a clear message to stakeholders and policymakers. The study will rely on climate data accessible from the EU Copernicus project (the global ERA-5 reanalysis, CPM data created under the CORDEX Flagship Pilot Study).

Suggested skills:

The ideal candidate will have experience with impact assessment models, statistical analysis, large climate dataset. Specific skills in the field of climate science will be considered a plus. Moreover, the candidate should be strongly motivated to work in a multi-disciplinary environment, collaborating with the STEM and social scientists of the CARISMA research centre and beyond.

Research team and environment

IUSS mission is to provide advanced education to undergraduate and graduate students, as well as fundamental and applied research. At IUSS, PhD candidates will find an open multidisciplinary environment offering real opportunities for developing academic and professional tools and he/she will join the research centre on Climate change impAct studies for RISk MAnagement (CARISMA). The team is composed by STEM and Social scientists working in the prism of CC on data analysis/modelling of Earth and economic system processes; impact/risk assessment of extreme events.

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