Complex Human-Environment Systems

Postdoc position (I)

This two-year position offers a unique opportunity to engage with an interdisciplinary team of investigators who are working to understand the connections between ecological conditions and change and changes in household livelihoods and related responses to ameliorate economic shocks such as diversified household economic pursuits or migration. The successful candidate will join the team tasked with collecting household level information in the focal communities. This position requires project management and data collection expertise to successfully participate in instrument development and pilot testing as well as supervising administration of the final survey in the community. It is preferred that candidates have some experience with survey design and implementation in community or household settings; experience with protocols for interviewing children or adolescents is also preferred. The position offers the opportunity to develop innovative approaches to measuring migration decisions and attitudes towards environmental conditions and economic change. The position also provides the opportunity to develop independent analyses of the data collected as well as collaborative works as part of the research team.

This position is appointed by the newly established PKU-SDSU Complex Human-Environment Systems (CHES) Center with co-sponsorship from by San Diego State University and Peking University, China. The postdoctoral candidate will join an international, interdisciplinary, multi-institutional research team on an NSF funded project “CNH-L: People, Place, and Payments in Complex Human-Environment Systems” (http://complexities.org/interPES/). This project is funded by NSF's Coupled Natural and Human Systems Program (PI: Dr. Li An, SDSU). Candidates must demonstrate scholarship, leadership, and relevant experience. Candidates with research experience in China and knowledge of the Chinese language and culture are preferred. We will start reviewinng applications on January 15, 2020 till the position is filled

Applicants with strong quantitative skills, excellent interpersonal skills, strong writing capacity and publication record, and willingness to work in a range of different international and interdisciplinary contexts are desirable. Salary and benefits are competitive. The ideal starting date will be Spring or Summer 2020. Candidates should direct questions to Dr. Jennifer E. Glick (jeg115@psu.edu), Dr. Canfei He (hecanfei@urban.pku.edu.cn), and Dr. Li An (lan@sdsu.edu).

Application materials include: (1) letter of application, (2) CV or resume, (3) academic statement, (4) personal statement, (5) transcripts, (6) list of 3-4 references (names and contact information), and (7) up to three representative publications. Please send your application packet to Dr. Jennifer E. Glick (jeg115@psu.edu), Dr. Canfei He (hecanfei@urban.pku.edu.cn), and Dr. Li An (lan@sdsu.edu). We will start reviewinng applications on January 15, 2020 till the position is filled.

Postdoc position (II)

A two-year postdoc position available to characterize mammalian diversity distribution and habitat use in a coupled human natural system. This position is appointed by the newly established PKU-SDSU Complex Human-Environment Systems (CHES) Center co-sponsored by San Diego State University and Peking University, China. The postdoctoral candidate will join an international, interdisciplinary, multi-institutional research team on an NSF funded project “CNH-L: People, Place, and Payments in Complex Human-Environment Systems” (http://complexities.org/interPES/), funded by NSF's Coupled Natural and Human Systems Program (PI: Dr. Li An, SDSU). The project aims to better understand the mechanisms that underlie two Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) programs in China, which are some of the largest in the world, and their associated ecological and socio-economic outcomes.

We are seeking a highly qualified and experienced candidate to join our research team and lead efforts to build on analyses aimed at understanding the reciprocal relationships between plant and animal diversity as a function of large-scale and local landscape metrics and human activity in the context of PES programs in Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve, China. Candidates must demonstrate scholarship, leadership and have at least 5 years of experience conducting ecological research. Candidates with research experience with PES programs, have worked in China, and have knowledge of the Chinese language and culture are preferred.

Applicants should have strong interest or background in ecology, conservation and GIScience (UAV data, remote sensing and GIS in particular). Strong quantitative skills (e.g., occupancy and other quantitative modeling, statistics), excellent interpersonal skills, strong writing capacity and publication record, and willingness to work in a range of different international and interdisciplinary contexts (e.g., work on variable terrain in rural areas, or with people of varying background or culture) are desirable. Salary and benefits are competitive. The ideal starting date will be Spring 2020. Candidates should direct questions to Dr. Rebecca Lewison (rlewison@sdsu.edu), Dr. Hongyan Liu (lhy@urban.pku.edu.cn), and Dr. Li An (lan@sdsu.edu).

Application materials include: (1) letter of application, (2) CV or resume, (3) academic statement, (4) personal statement, (5) transcripts, (6) list of 3-4 references (names and contact information), and (7) up to three representative publications. Please send your application packet to Dr. Rebecca Lewison (rlewison@sdsu.edu), Dr. Hongyan Liu (lhy@urban.pku.edu.cn), and Dr. Doug Stow (dstow@sdsu.edu), Dr. Li An (lan@sdsu.edu).

Seeking a Post-doctoral Fellow

A postdoctoral research fellow with expertise and interest in systems modeling/software engineering is sought to join an ongoing NSF project (http://goldenmonkey.sdsu.edu/). The successful postdoctoral fellow will lead and coordinate the development and applications of an agent based model (ABM) that aims to integrate data from satellite imagery, ground based vegetation survey, camera trapping images (for mammal habitat occupancy), household interviews, participatory mapping and ethnographical surveys, and governmental archives. The ABM is expected to be user-friendly, spatially explicit, able to perform parallel computing, capable of online, remote simulation, and (hopefully) applicable on a variety of platforms (e.g., desktop, mobile).

Successful applicants will have degrees and backgrounds in one or more relevant disciplines, such as computer science and engineering, computational ecology, geography and spatial science, landscape ecology, geographic information systems, bioinformatics, land change science, and/or human environment science. Knowledge of and experiences in computer simulation modeling and programming languages (e.g., Python, Java, C++) as well as spatial software programs (e.g., geographic information systems) are essential. Other desired skills include experiences with ArcGIS servers, high performance computing applications, cloud computing, big data tools, geo-visualization, and project management.

This is a non-tenure track postdoctoral position based in the Department of Geography (http://geography.sdsu.edu/) at San Diego State University (www.sdsu.edu). A competitive salary and benefit package will be offered commensurate with experience.

Application materials should include: (1) cover letter, (2) vision about ABM development and how to achieve the vision, (3) statement of professional goals, (4) CV, (5) transcripts (unofficial ones are OK initially), (6) list of 3-4 references (names and contact information), and (7) up to three representative models or software programs developed by the applicant.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their application materials as soon as possible. Applications are welcome until a suitable candidate is identified. Reviews of applications will begin on October 1, 2015. The position is available now but start date is relatively flexible. Applications and questions should be emailed to:

Dr. Li An
SDSU - Geography
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego CA 92182-4493
lan@sdsu.edu
http://complexities.org/

Other opportunities

Funding opportunities exist for students who want to pursue doctoral degree in the following fields: landscape ecology, space-time analysis and modeling, human-environment interaction, land use and land cover change, geocomputation, and complexity theory. The joint doctoral program between the Department of Geography at SDSU and the Department of Geography at University of California, Santa Barbara will have funding to support a number of doctoral students each year. The admission and financial support are competitive--please contact Dr. An at lan@sdsu.edu before you send your application.

Spring Scholars

Two to three undergraduate students are sought for a Spring Scholar Program as part of the interdisciplinary project which is funded by the National Science Foundation NSF CNH Project in China: Impacts of Ecosystem Service Payments in Coupled Natural and Human Systems (2012-2016; PI: Dr. Li An). The positions will include approximately 10-14 days of field work in the Spring of 2016 within Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve, China. Program dates will roughly coincide with SDSU Spring Break. See position Announcement.
--The selection of these two spring scholar positions has been closed.

Summer Scholars (Postponed to 2016)

Three undergraduate students are sought for a summer scholar program as part of the interdisciplinary project "CNH: Sustainability of Payments for Ecosystem Services in Coupled Natural and Human Systems", which is funded by NSF (PI: Dr. Li An, Department of Geography, San Diego State University). See the position announcement.

Post-doctoral research fellow position (POSITION FILLED)

One post-doctoral research fellow position is available for Dr. An's NSF project about payments for ecosystem services (http://goldenmonkey.sdsu.edu/). This is a two-year position. See the position announcement.

Summer Scholars

Two undergraduate students are sought for a summer scholar program as part of the interdisciplinary project "CNH: Sustainability of Payments for Ecosystem Services in Coupled Natural and Human Systems", which is funded by NSF (PI: Dr. Li An, Department of Geography, San Diego State University). See the position announcement.
The selection of these positions has been temporarily closed. We will reopen the recruiting process when ready.

Doctoral student in systems integration (China)

A doctoral student is sought to join the newly funded project "CNH: Sustainability of Payments for Ecosystem Services in Coupled Natural and Human Systems" (PI: Dr. Li An). The PhD student assistantship position aims to integrate GIScience, landscape ecology, and human socioeconomics for studying the dynamic interactions between payments for ecosystem services and the associated Coupled Natural and Human (CNH) system at Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve, China for the endangered Guizhou golden monkey. The student will take a systems approach to examine human-environment-policy interactions over time and space. See the position announcement.
The selection of doctoral student in systems integration has been temporarily closed. We will reopen the recruiting process when ready.

Doctoral student in systems integration (Nepal)

A doctoral student is sought to join the newly funded project "CNH: Feedbacks between human community dynamics and socio-ecological vulnerability in a biodiversity hotspot" (Co-PI: Dr. Li An). The PhD student assistantship position aims to integrate GIScience, ecology, and socioeconomics to understand what factors may "lead to vulnerability of community forest socio-ecosystems to the catastrophic effects of rapid environmental change" (quote from the proposal). The student will develop and evaluate an agent-based model that integrates multi-scale and multidisciplinary data for hypothesis testing, scenario envisioning, and policy recommendation. See the position announcement.
The selection of doctoral student in systems integration has been temporarily closed. We will reopen the recruiting process when ready.

Doctoral student in ecology and remote sensing

A doctoral student is sought to join the newly funded project "CNH: Sustainability of Payments for Ecosystem Services in Coupled Natural and Human Systems" (PI: Dr. Li An). For this PhD student assistantship position we are seeking a highly qualified student who will integrate remote sensing, landscape ecology or conservation ecology, and wildlife habitat analysis/modeling using data from Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve, China. Applicants should have strong interest or background in GIScience (remote sensing and GIS in particular) and forest/wildlife ecology. See the position announcement.
The selection of doctoral student in ecology and remote sensing has been temporarily closed. We will reopen the recruiting process when ready.

Master student

A M.S. student is sought to join the newly funded project "CNH: Sustainability of Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) in Coupled Natural and Human Systems" (PI: Dr. Li An). The M.S. student will work in any one or combination of the following areas: (1) golden monkey habitat analysis and modeling (using camera trapping data); (2) remote sensing of land cover and habitat change; (3) How PES affects the reciprocal relationships among human demography, livelihood, and the environment; and (4) participatory mapping of local people's resource extraction activities and the associated underlying mechanisms. See the position announcement.
The selection of master students has been temporarily closed. We will reopen the recruiting process when ready.

Funding is available for one M.S. student with expertise/interests in one or a combination of the following areas:

• Techniques for cross-comparison of agent-based models.
• Remote-sensing of biomass and fodder, to study change over time in relation to human activities.
• Land use and land cover change (flora change) and landscape ecology --position filled.

A 2010-summer intern for data analysis at the undergraduate or graduate level (with skills of using Excel and preferably SAS)--position filled.

The position has been closed.