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From: "Dustin Mulvaney" <[log in to unmask]>

> ESRC/NERC +3 Interdisciplinary PhD Studentship in Geography,
> University of Leeds: UNDERSTANDING THE ECOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
> OF UPLAND WINDFARMS IN THE UK
>
> From: Paul Chatterton <[log in to unmask]>
>
> Now recruiting – please pass on to anyone you think will be
> interested.
>
> Sorry for cross posting
>
> Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Natural
> Environment Research Council (NERC) Interdisciplinary PhD + 3
> Studentship 2010
>
> School of Geography, University of Leeds
>
> CARBON, COMMUNITIES AND CONTESTATION. UNDERSTANDING THE ECOLOGICAL
> AND SOCIAL IMPACTS OF UPLAND WINDFARMS IN THE UK
>
> Overview
>
> The aim of this inter-disciplinary studentship is to better
> understand the inter-related ecological and social impacts of upland
> onshore windfarms in the UK, with a view to reducing community
> contestation, and increasing participation, wellbeing and strategies
> for adaptation. Specifically, it aims to improve understanding of
> these windfarm developments on i) ecological impacts on peatland
> carbon functions and ii) social impacts on local peatland
> communities. In particular the studentship will investigate the
> operation and function of anti- and pro-windfarm campaign groups in
> peatland environments. Methods will include secondary data collation
> and analysis on peatland windfarm impacts on the carbon cycle and
> novel modelling of these impacts, and participatory research with
> local communities to understand local decision making structures,
> different forms of knowledge and action, and opportunities for
> greater community cohesion and wellbeing. The project is directed
> under the umbrella of the Living With Environmental Change (LWEC)
> partnership, addressing its objectives of ‘the use of sustainable
> and socially acceptable environmental management approaches and
> technologies’; ‘helping the development of new social, environmental
> and economic opportunities’; ‘making socially acceptable, and
> economically advantageous infrastructure’; and ‘understanding how
> people respond to a changing environment’.
>
> UK government policy advocates a substantial increase in renewable
> energy sources by 2020 through the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan
> whereby 40% of electricity will be from low-carbon sources, from
> renewables, nuclear and clean coal. At the same time there is
> significant debate in UK civil society on the direction a low carbon
> economy and energy infrastructure could take. Wind power is targeted
> to generate 15% of UK electricity by 2020. By the end of 2009 there
> were over 1000 windfarm applications in the planning or submission
> phase in the UK and around 20% of these are on or within 200m of
> deep peat. While windfarms are often accepted as part of the future
> energy mix, many proposed windfarms have failed due local NIMBY (not
> in my back yard) opposition. In this context, it is crucial to
> develop detailed empirical understandings of the origins, nature and
> extent of community concerns over upland windfarms, explore how
> these groups form and organise, and how broader social and cultural,
> as well as ecological and technical, factors shape the evolving
> debate on upland windfarms. Intense, and often intensely divided,
> debates about how local eco-systems should be used and managed to
> adapt to climate change and create decarbonised pathways have led to
> new forms of local political contestation and an increase in local
> community organising
>
> Methodologically, the student will be expected to draw on inter-
> disciplinary methods to evaluate both ecological and social impacts
> of upland windfarms. In terms of ecological impact, this studentship
> will gather the latest field evidence from ongoing work at peat
> windfarm sites to improve the predictions of changed carbon budgets
> on windfarm peatlands. In terms of social impact, the studentship
> will gather information from members of the community on their
> reactions to and perceptions of impacts of upland windfarms.
> Participatory appraisal and action research will be used to generate
> knowledge that can be co-owned by the community. The student will be
> expected to undertake carbon peatland carbon cycle modelling,
> qualitative techniques such as participatory observation, focus
> groups and in-depth interviews, hold workshops and feedback results
> at public meetings. Fieldwork will be based around three UK case
> studies of upland windfarms where there is an active or emerging
> campaign group.
>
> The student will benefit from an interdisciplinary team of
> supervisors. Dr Paul Chatterton Reader in Cities and Social Change
> and leader of the Cities and Social Justice research cluster. He is
> a social scientist by training, holding two major ESRC awards in the
> last decade. He currently directs the MA in Activism and Social
> Change, having expertise in the study of campaign and lobby groups
> and the use of participatory techniques. Prof Joseph Holden is an
> environmental scientist with a NERC-facing background who has held a
> NERC Fellowship (2002-2005) examining peatland hydrology and carbon
> cycling. He has held a number of major grants and has officially
> advised stakeholder/government organisations. The student will
> benefit from support available through the ‘Cities and Social
> Justice’ and ‘River Basin Processes and Management’ research
> clusters. Formal and informal training and networking will be
> provided by water@leeds which consists of 100 academic staff and a
> 50 strong postgraduate forum. More information about the scholarship
> can be found here:
>
> http://www.esrc.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentre/opportunities/postgraduate/studentships/otherfunding/ESRC_NERC_Interdisciplinary.aspx
>
> Eligibility
>
> Applicants should have a postgraduate degree in Geography or a
> related social/environmental science, or equivalent experience. In
> addition a good honours degree in a related discipline would be
> preferred (ideally 2(i) or above). Applicants should also have
> skills and interest in participatory methods, knowledge exchange
> theories and practice, carbon cycle modelling and the ecological and
> social impacts of climate change. ESRC eligibility criteria apply
> and are set out in Sections 2.13 to 2.16 and Annex 1 of the ESRC
> ‘Guidance notes for applicants’
>
> http://www.esrc.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentre/opportunities/postgraduate/Guidance.aspx#0
>
> What the award pays
>
> This ESRC award pays all University tuition fees, plus a maintenance
> stipend of £15,590 per year (to be reviewed annually).
>
> Application Procedure
>
> Please apply online or complete an “application for research degree
> study” form via the School of Geography website 
> http://www.geog.leeds.ac.uk/study/phd/apply.html
>  Please indicate clearly on the application form the name of the
> project and the funding source in the relevant sections of the form.
> Applicants will need to supply supporting documents including copies
> of academic certificates, transcripts and 2 academic references.
> Applicants should also submit a supporting statement outlining their
> interest and suitability for the project. Further details are
> available at http://www.geog.leeds.ac.uk/study/phd/topics.html
>
> Enquiries about the application process can be sent to Jacqui Manton
> (Research Postgraduate Admissions Officer) [log in to unmask]
>
> Further information
>
> Informal enquiries may be made to Dr Paul Chatterton 
> ([log in to unmask]
> ) or Prof Joe Holden ([log in to unmask])
>
> The deadline for applications is Friday 9th July 2010.
>
> Shortlisted candidates will be called for an interview in mid July.
>
> Student would be expected to start on 1 October 2010.
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> www.paulchatterton.com
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> Paul Chatterton
> Reader in Cities and Social Change
> School of Geography
> University of Leeds
> LS2 9JT, UK
> Tel +44 (0)113 343 6636
> Fax +44 (0)113 343 3308
> Email: [log in to unmask]