A postgraduate research training opportunity is available at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA), National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL) in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. This activity addresses Land Use and Planning for the Safe and Healthy Communities Research Program, which is designed to provide holistic, integrated, and functional technical tools that can be used to identify and evaluate solutions and alternatives for land use problems faced by communities and regions. Research and analysis of land use practices and needs will be conducted to determine the state of the science and practice for community and regional land use decision making in the built and natural environments. Results of this analysis will include an evaluation of existing tools and models to address specific community and regional needs for sustainable land use.
The selected individual, under the guidance of the primary mentor, Dr. B. T. Walton, will have a pivotal role in accomplishing the goals of this project. Activities will involve review of the primary scientific literature on land use decision tools and impacts of those decisions on human health and ecological services. Data analysis will lead to insights and recommendations for research to better understand and predict implications of land use decisions on public health and delivery of ecosystems goods and services. Qualifications: Applicants must have completed at least two years of graduate level course work or have received a master’s degree in an environmental science or closely related field within five years of the desired starting date. Graduate students must be currently enrolled in an accredited U.S. college or university and provide proof of enrollment each semester. Relevant areas of interest are environmental sciences, public health, and city and regional planning. The appointment is full-time for one year and may be renewed for up to one additional year upon recommendation of EPA and subject to availability of funds. The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with their level of experience and education. Here is a description of the program: http://orise.orau.gov/epa/ Announcement, statement of work, and evaluation criteria can be found here: http://orise.orau.gov/epa/description.aspx?JobId=10021
