Funded MS Research Assistantship on climate change vulnerability in Wyoming
Jason 'Jake' Hawes
Funded MS studying co-design of climate change vulnerability indices
Drs. Jake Hawes and Rebecca Witinok-Huber at the University of Wyoming are recruiting a funded MS student interested in the social dimensions of climate impacts. This student will work on a National Science Foundation-funded project called “Wyoming Anticipating the Climate-Water Transition” (WyACT). The particular focus of this position is co-creating a localized climate vulnerability index with communities in Wyoming.
WyACT (Wyoming Anticipating the Climate-Water Transition) is an interdisciplinary five-year NSF EpSCOR project led by the University of Wyoming. Over 100 researchers, students and staff from 16 University departments have participated so far. WyACT partners with Wyoming communities, practitioners, and decision-makers to understand, anticipate, and prepare for significant changes in climate and water and the impacts of those changes on interconnected human and natural systems. The work concentrates on the headwaters of important river systems in western Wyoming: Snake River, Wind River, and Green River.
This master’s student will join the Hawes Social-Environmental Systems Lab and will work closely with communities in Wyoming, as well as social science and climate science team members in WyACT, to co-design a climate vulnerability index that reflects the unique social and environmental context of Wyoming. This work will build on preliminary work that revised traditional SoVI measures for Wyoming, taking a community-driven approach to refining the measure and defining climate risk in the state.
Candidates should have an interest in climate adaptation and transformation including working through applied methods with diverse community partners. Candidates should show creativity and flexible thinking, be self-motivated, and able to work both independently with guidance and support as well as in collaboration with others.
The candidate selected will have the option to pursue their MS degree in the University of Wyoming Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources or the School of Computing (or both concurrently). The position is the equivalent of 20 hours/week research and will include a monthly stiped, 9 credits of tuition during the fall/spring, and student health insurance. Financial support for travel to meet with community partners and attend at least one conference will also be available.
Laramie is a beautiful mountain town with year-round access to public lands, a thriving downtown area, and a rich campus culture. For more information, visit https://www.visitlaramie.org/ .
Required Qualifications:
- BS or BA in a related field (environmental social science, geography, environmental science, sustainability, GIS, etc.);
- Eligibility to attend University and receive stipend in the US;
- Experience collaborating and/or being part of a team;
- Strong written and oral communication skills (English)
Preferred Qualifications:
Preference will be given to applicants with:
- Experience with climate change adaptation/transformation;
- Experience conducting qualitative social science field research that includes facilitating, analyzing, and sharing the results of interviews and discussion groups;
- Experience working with historically marginalized groups including Native American Tribes and/or working in rural communities;
- Experience with Geographic Information Systems and/or Census-type data curation;
- Interest OR experience in interdisciplinary and collaborative problem solving;
- Familiarity with Wyoming and/or the rural intermountain west;
- Spanish-language skills (written or oral)
Preference will also be given to candidates with a BS or BA in social science or interdisciplinary fields.
To apply: Please send the following materials as one PDF document to Dr. Jake Hawes at jha...@uwyo.edu with the subject ‘Your Name_WyACT Vulnerability GRA 2025’.
This packet should include:
- Cover letter/narrative (max. 2 pages) that explains your desire to pursue graduate education, your research interests, career goals, and highlights relevant experience;
- Resume or CV including degree(s) earned, GPA, and contact information for at least three references (references will not be contacted until after preliminary interviews);
- Unofficial copy of transcripts; and
- A writing sample (for example, a manuscript, report, or final class project you have written).
Application review will begin on February 3, 2025, at 9 a.m. MST. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis after this deadline until a candidate is offered the position.