Post-doctoral Fellowship: Social-Ecological Resilience and Baynes Sound
Project Description:
This project adopts a social-ecological lens to develop an analysis of the
social-ecological system resilience of Baynes Sound, a semi-enclosed 80 square
kilometer body of water within the Strait of Georgia. Located approximately 1
hour north of Nanaimo, British Columbia, Baynes Sound is facing complex
social-ecological issues ranging from shifting resource usage patterns, to
emerging environmental issues to rapidly changing demographic profiles and
imminent development pressures. Baynes Sound is also the site of dramatically
increased aquaculture development, and now supports 50% of British Columbias
cultured shellfish. In British Columbia, aquaculture is a relatively new
industry that contributes to the provincial economy, yet its cumulative
environmental impacts are not well known, nor are the ways the industry affects
the resilience of the Baynes Sound social-ecological system. To ensure the
sustainability ecological, economic, and social of this expanding shellfi!
sh aquaculture industry, it must be better understood. Accordingly, this
research project adopts an interdisciplinary approach involving natural
science, social science and local knowledge to identify the
properties/characteristics of the Baynes Sound system that promote resilience.
Social-ecological resilience is a broad notion, however, so this project will
focus on four key research areas.
Overarching Goal: to characterize the social-ecological properties,
characteristics, processes and interactions within the Baynes Sound system that
promote resilience. To achieve this overarching goal, the project will engage
in most or all of the following activities:
Key Research Areas:
1)Establishing Historical Context: This will involve the creation of a
multi-scale environmental history of the area that draws on local knowledge, as
well as the natural and social sciences;
2)Analyzing Ecosystem Interactions: An analysis of the potential interactions
between aquaculture structures and processes on coastal ecosystem components in
offshore and nearshore habitats;
3)Analyzing socio-cultural and economic interactions: an analysis of the
socio-cultural and economic interactions of the shellfish aquaculture industry
on the communities of Baynes Sound, and how these promote or diminish
resilience;
4)Governance: an analysis of the governance system for shellfish aquaculture in
British Columbia, and how it promotes or diminishes resilience.
The post-doctoral fellow will be co-supervised by two Canada Research Chairs.
Dr. Grant Murray holds the CRC in Coastal Resource Management and Dr. Sarah
Dudas holds the CRC in Shellfish Aquaculture Ecosystem Interactions. The
project will be supported by research centres at VIU including the Centre for
Shellfish Research (CSR), an on-campus research centre that is complemented by
a waterfront field research station in Baynes Sound, and the Institute for
Coastal Research (ICR), an interdisciplinary research centre that integrates
natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities within the context of
coastal resource management. These research resources, coupled with unique
geographic advantages and long-established connections to the local shellfish
industry, Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Pacific Biological Station and local
First Nations communities provide a concentration of expertise, a broad range
of perspectives and a unique assemblage of facilities that will prov!
ide a firm base on which to build this research program.
Roles and Responsibilities:
We are seeking a 1 year post-doctoral fellow (with possibility to renew) to
develop and lead this research initiative, to be based out of Vancouver Island
University in Nanaimo, British Columbia. Based on the general objectives
provided above, the successful applicant will be expected to develop a detailed
work plan/research proposal in the first two months of their position. Desired
outcomes from the PDF include journal publications, project management,
community engagement, and mentorship of undergraduate and graduate students
working on the project.
Desired Qualifications:
- PhD in a relevant field (e.g. marine ecology, natural resource
management, human dimensions of resource management, or
relevant social sciences, or relevant interdisciplinary degrees)
- Established publication record
- Demonstrated capacity to conduct and lead independent research projects
- Good communication and interpersonal skills and a willingness to engage
with a variety of stakeholders
- Experience in conducting interdisciplinary and/or collaborative projects
- Demonstrated analytical skills and the capacity to synthesize research
from multiple perspectives and disciplines
To Apply:
To apply please send:
Curriculum Vitae
statement of research interests and how they relate to this project,
1-2 examples of writing
Names and contact information of three references
Applications should be sent as a single attachment to BOTH [email protected]
and [email protected]. Applications must be received by January 24th, 2011.
