The University of Southern California (USC) is launching a unique, high-visibility postdoctoral fellowship program as part of Assignment: Earth, the USC campus-wide sustainability framework. The program aims to accelerate sustainability research; train future leaders in academia, government and non-governmental organizations, and industry; and support discovery, evaluation, and implementation of innovative solutions to sustainability problems.  

The Postdoctoral Fellowship

This postdoctoral fellowship seeks to advance the capacities of early-career scholars and researchers to conduct interdisciplinary research on sustainability problems. An interdisciplinary and diverse cohort of fellows will address challenges in one or more of the following areas: 

• human health and well-being; 
• infrastructure and the built environment;
• natural environment and ecosystem services; 
• communications, policy, and institutions; 
• risk analysis and economic impacts. 

Each fellow will be mentored by two or more USC faculty members from different disciplines. In addition to their primary affiliation with their chosen research groups, each fellow will dedicate ~20% of their time to programmatic activities with their cohort and other members of the campus sustainability community.  Activities include seminars, weekly ‘coffee hours’, an annual retreat, and other team and knowledge-building opportunities.  

The fellowships are typically 2-year appointments, with an anticipated start date between January and August 2023, and the potential of applying for a 3^rd year as appropriate.  Fellows will receive an annual salary of $75-80k (depending on stage of training), up to $3k for relocation expenses, a competitive benefits package, and $7k per year for research expenses, conference travel, and publication costs.

USC Focus on Sustainability

The impacts of climate change are intensifying around the world.  Heat waves, rising sea levels, droughts and more intensive storms are harming health and well-being, particularly among low income populations and people of color.  Climate change is increasing air pollution, threatening agricultural production and food supplies, and further adding to the vulnerabilities of marginalized communities.  USC researchers across disciplines are tackling these critical sustainability issues by addressing challenges facing natural resources, urban health, infrastructure, mobility, communications, behavior, and equity.

The USC initiative on sustainability was launched in 2019 by President Carol Folt with the establishment of the Presidential Working Group (PWG) on Sustainability in Education, Research and Operations. The Postdoctoral fellowship program is one of the first initiatives of Assignment: Earth. 

Go to: https://provost.sma.usc.edu/prog/pfss/ for more information and to apply.

Application review will begin on November 15.