PRR Project

Summary

The proposed position aims to leverage the strong research track of IST in integrated environmental modelling and assessment, through its disciplinary area of Environment and Energy in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, in partnership with the LARSyS associate laboratory. This research has been based on combining fundamental thermodynamic and conservation principles in developing modelling and assessment tools for environmental systems that have been used to support teaching, research, and innovation regarding a wide range of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. It has been based on PhD and postdoctoral work, funded by research projects and FCT fellowships and coordinated by permanent faculty. The knowledge obtained has been integrated into innovative modelling tools that were exploited and improved by four spinoff companies and a collaborative laboratory that tie innovation and job creation to teaching and research carried out at IST.The scientific goals for this position are to apply mathematical and computational modelling tools to the understanding of complex environmental systems and to use these tools to design and evaluate solutions for the management of these systems (namely using techniques such as life cycle assessment, input-output analysis, economic valuation). It is aimed that this position both leverages current IST experience and harnesses emerging opportunities offered through data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence and massive remote and proximal sensing, benefiting from the overall research environment in these fields provided by LARSyS. The prospective employee should be capable of harnessing the capacities, develop new tools and methods and apply them in real world situations, in collaboration with private sector and public administration actors, including a contribution to the development and evaluation of public policies, at the national and international levels.The proposed position contributes to the sustainability of the research infrastructure created and to strengthen the link between teaching, research and innovation, bringing new ideas to integrate modelling in the wider framework of climate change mitigation and adaptation supporting namely mitigation strategies in agricultural systems, including carbon sequestration, and energy, food and water nexus management including water scarcity, droughts and floods and their impact on terrestrial, aquatic and coastal ecosystems and ultimately on human life.The candidate should also have a strong record of self-financing and success in applications to other sources of financing (research projects, consultancy, etc.), with connections to non-academic partners. The candidate should also be experienced in supervising M.Sc. and Ph.D. students and integrating them in research teams, as well as have overall experience in interdisciplinary research teams. The candidate should have a strong publication record, namely as first or senior author and should have both national and international recognition, namely as expressed through awards or invited lectures.The attraction of talented researchers will be promoted through the wide dissemination of the call for the position and has already been initiated by a systematic scouting process that ensures the existence of excellent eligible candidates.