Research Fellow in Food Systems Modelling

Research Fellow in Food Systems Modeling.

University of Southampton, School of Geography & Environmental Science (SoGES). 

The School of Geography and Environmental Science is seeking to appoint a Research Fellow in Food Systems Modeling. This position supports the BBSRC/DEFRA-funded project ‘Towards Resilient Industrial Socio-Metabolic relations (TRI-SoMe CHICKEN)’, funded through the Strengthening the Resilience of the UK Food System call. TRI-SoMe CHICKEN, situated between cultural food geographies and science and technology studies, examines the benefits and harms of an industrialised food system to communities of humans, animals, microbes, and the environment. It does this through the lens of socio-metabolic relations – a conceptual framework that moves beyond functional understandings of inputs and outputs, to integrate experiences of harms and benefits for lives in the poultry food system. It will forge a novel policy instrument of ethical principles for socio-economic transitions to UK food system resilience, following empirical data collection and dynamic systems modelling of risks from trade disruption and extreme weather events. The project goal is to develop resilient socio-metabolics through co-produced knowledge, intervention and engagement, by researchers, industry stakeholders and consumers.

The Research Fellow will develop a unique systems dynamics model to represent the socio-metabolic materialities of, and connections to, the lives of chicken (feed, waste, processed chicken meals). The model will assess who/what they harm and benefit (e.g. environments) drawing from the literature, existing data, stakeholder input, and parallel qualitative research. The computational model will be used to study past system dynamics in response to external drivers and shocks (e.g. weather extremes) and explore future scenarios and interventions. Tasks will include literature review, collecting and managing research data, developing and running models, modelled data analysis, developing research papers, and liaising with stakeholders in the poultry industry.

The team is led by Prof Emma Roe (Southampton), and includes Dr Paul Hurley (Southampton), Prof Damian Maye (U of Gloucestershire), Prof Christina Vogel (City University), Dr Sarah Lambton (Bristol), Dominic Watters (U of Southampton), Oistein Thorsen (FAI Farms), and Samantha Green (Applied Group) and four other researchers. This team brings together multiple disciplines, methodologies and knowledge to project relevant areas such as agri-food systems (including poultry), animal health and welfare, consumerism, food security dynamic modelling, social and ecological resilience, reflexive food chain governance, net zero and climate change.

The School of Geography and Environmental Science is committed to fostering a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome all applications from suitably qualified candidates. The School is committed to providing equal opportunities for all and offers a range of family friendly policies, flexi-time and flexible working. We are a Disability Confident employer and the School holds a bronze Athena Swan award. 

For further information on the different Southampton research groups related to this position, please see: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/research/groups/landscape-dynamics-ecology;

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/research/groups/ecology-evolution

For further enquiries please contact Prof Justin Sheffield (justin.sheffield@soton.ac.uk) or Prof Emma Roe (E.J.Roe@soton.ac.uk) as Project lead. 

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