Position Description
Wu lab and the 2035 Initiative are hiring TWO hourly undergraduate research assistants (RA). The RAs will be supervised by Emma Franzblau and Prof. Grace Wu.
Federal Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Policy Modeling
DUTIES:
The RA will assist with a collaborative project with North Carolina State University, RTI (Research Triangle Institute), and Sustainable Development Solutions Network researchers to model the greenhouse gas, land use, and production impacts of various scenarios of policy investments in climate smart practices in the US agricultural sector. The RA specifically will be responsible for two tasks: 1) assisting with model calibration by comparing data in the current version of the model with the US Department of Agriculture census and survey data; 2) conducting a literature review of climate smart agricultural practices in the US to identify assumptions (e.g., GHG impacts, potential, crop types suitable for the practice) most appropriate for representing these practices in the model. We will use the US FABLE Calculator model which is built in Microsoft Excel. This study is being funded by the Platform for Agricultural Climate Transformation (PACT) and results will be used by policymakers to inform Farm Bill negotiations in winter 2023/24.
HOURS AND COMPENSATION:
The RA will be compensated at $17/hour for approx 10 hrs/week (will vary from week to week)--capped at approx 100 hours total for the duration of the project. This is a part-time hourly position.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel
- Some familiarity with climate smart agricultural practices (e.g., cover cropping, conservation tillage) and/or the US agricultural sector
- Detail oriented
- Highly self directed, motivated, and organized
- Ability to work collaboratively
- Ability to work on average 10 hours a week during the fall quarter and willingness to work part time during winter break and through the first half of winter quarter if needed.
TO APPLY:
If interested, please email gracecwu@ucsb.edu ASAP but no later than Oct 4th with the following:
1. a short cover letter (can just be in the body of the email) explaining your qualifications (e.g., relevant courses taken, internships, research experiences), why you are interested in the position, and your course/workload (availability) in the fall and winter quarters.
2. a work or course product (something that exemplifies your skills)
3. your resume/CV