CES is an internationally-acclaimed interdisciplinary centre of excellence on sustainable development, which enjoys an outstanding reputation for the quality of its research, teaching and strong links with industry. Established in 1992, CES advises and influences policy-makers and civil society in striving to meet the challenges of living sustainably and well. This appointment will complement and strengthen CES’s existing expertise in systems analysis in which we use techniques such as environmental and social life cycle assessment, multi-criteria decision analysis, stochastic optimisation, and general equilibrium simulation. It will also build on CES’s multi-disciplinary approach which gives due prominence to social sciences as well as technology, and multi-sectoral approaches and sectoral crossovers, such as the energy-water-food nexus. Significant opportunities exist for appointees to interact closely with other University departments active in energy-related research, including e.g. Civil & Environmental Engineering, Chemical and Process Engineering, the Advanced Technology Institute, the Environmental Psychology Research Group and the Business School.
Within the overall net zero energy systems analysis field, CES is open to a broad range of approaches and/or focus, and welcomes discussion with applicants about their preferred avenue. Applicants with biomass expertise are particularly encouraged, as biomass is expected to play key roles in the transition to net zero carbon energy systems in both developed and developing economies. Biomass exemplifies the complexities faced in holistic system design, given that, in addition to its various contributions in decarbonising energy systems, sources of biomass feedstocks also play important roles in ecosystem services and biodiversity, interact with peoples’ livelihoods, and have multiple alternative uses for material and chemical products.
Applicants must be able to demonstrate an outstanding track record of research and publication at national and international level which has made a significant contribution to advancing knowledge, and a strong track record of leading successful research proposals and securing significant funding. The appointee will contribute to teaching at all levels including input to developing a new undergraduate degree in sustainability.