Group Leader: Prof. John E. Fernandez, Building Technology Program, Dept. of Architecture, MIT
Position: RA
Term: Academic year 2012-2013, with possible extension.
Applications will be Reviewed: Sunday, September 9, 2012, 5pm. This is a hard deadline and will not be extended.
Description:
Urban metabolism is the study of material and energy flows arising from urban socioeconomic activities and regional and global biogeochemical processes. The characterization of these flows and the relationships between anthropogenic urban activities and natural processes and cycles defines the behavior of urban production and consumption. Urban metabolism is therefore a deeply multi-disciplinary research domain focused on providing important insights into the behavior of cities for the purpose of advancing effective proposals for a more humane and ecologically responsible future.

As a field of study, urban metabolism is the result of the convergence of work in the characterization of sociometabolic regimes, social metabolism, regional and national material flow analysis, urban economics and selected elements of urban and infrastructure engineering and planning. All of these fields are actively contributing to the emergence of theory and methods defining the urban metabolism canon. Many urban metabolism researchers count themselves as members of the industrial ecology community.

The tripartite content and scope of the work for this open RA position is composed of the following:

  1. Completing the final stages of a literature review by providing annotations of key elements of the collection.
  2. Editing various unpublished writings of the group into a coherent set of position papers to be posted online.
  3. Investigating a particular topic of current interest to the group. This topic may include well-defined and bounded contributions to urban typological classifications based on resource consumption, development of regional urban metabolism characterizations, assembly of a shortlist of alternative urban technologies oriented toward radical transformation toward city sustainability, or other. The specific area of research selected will be the result of an agreement between Prof. Fernandez and the researcher selected for the position.

Specifications of Application:
Please send your application of interest to Prof. Fernandez at fernande@mit.edu.

Please include the following elements in your application:

  1. Current degree program and a CV,
  2. Any examples of writing and/or publications,
  3. A brief statement outlining your interest in the area of urban metabolism and any evidence of your capacity to fulfill the scope of the position as listed above. In particular, please specify any previous work in completing a formal literature review, experience in editing and research writing, and any particular expertise in urban issues. None of these competencies are absolutely required but should be noted if you have them.

Posted: September 7, 2012
Apply by: Email Prof. John E. Fernández (mailto:fernande@mit.edu?Subject=URBMET RA APP – YOUR LAST NAME&Body=1.%20Name%3A%0A2.%20Daytime%20Phone%3A%0A3.%20Level%3A%20Masters%20or%20PhD%0A4.%20Current%20degree%20program%3A%20%0A5.%20A%20brief%20statement%20outlining%20my%20interest%20in%20the%20area%20of%20urban%20metabolism%20and%20my%20capacity%20to%20do%20the%20work%20as%20outlined.%20%28Mention%20any%20formal%20literature%20review%20experience%2C%20editing%20and%20research%20writing%2C%20expertise%20in%20urban%20issues.%29%3A%0A%0AAttached%20%28limited%20to%205MB%29%3A%20%0A1.%20CV%0A2.%20Any%20examples%20of%20writing%20and/or%20publications%0A%0A%28Please%20do%20NOT%20attach%20portfolios.%29%20) ASAP if interested. SEND YOUR APPLICATION IN AN EMAIL WITH THE FOLLOWING SUBJECT LINE, "URBMET RA APP – YOUR LAST NAME". Please do not attach portfolios. Also please limit the size of attached documents to 5MB, total. If this is absolutely not possible let me know. I can make exceptions.
Informed: All applicants will be informed of the final selection decision by September 14, 2012.
Posting from:
J. E. Fernández
Associate Professor
Director, Building Technology Program
Department of Architecture, MIT
77 Massachusetts Avenue, Rm 5-418
Cambridge, MA 02139