Wayne State University is recruiting outstanding applicants for an interdisciplinary National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Ph.D. and M.S. training program in urban sustainability. Foundational support for graduate study will be provided with additional support likely available through other programs.

Students may earn $34,000 per year from the NSF and receive a $21,703 per year fellowship cost-of-education allowance. More information can be found at trust.wayne.edu.

Students will pursue a Ph.D. or M.S. in anthropology, biology, civil engineering, communication, economics, education, environmental health sciences, geology, pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacology, physiology, sociology or urban planning with a focus in urban sustainability.

Fellowships are available to support students committed to integrating perspectives from multiple disciplines to address emerging ecological, social, economic and technological challenges in urban sustainability. We seek to build a diverse cohort of incoming fellows and strongly encourage applicants from groups traditionally underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields including American Indians/Alaska natives, African Americans, Hispanics, Pacific Islanders (such as natives of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa), persons with disabilities, veterans and women.

The program will provide innovative graduate-level training that integrates social and STEM focuses. The program’s vision is to train students to work with local communities, businesses, industries, scientists and policy-makers to understand and address sustainability challenges faced in urban settings.

Successful applicants will participate in a new interdisciplinary training program that includes:

• Cutting-edge research methods to address complex, multidisciplinary environmental problems.
• Thesis/dissertation development with an interdisciplinary team and internationally recognized faculty advisors.
• Network and communication skill building through interaction with policymakers, practitioners, industry representatives and the broader public.
• Paid internships, professional development, community service opportunities and leadership training.
• Student exchange programs in Puerto Rico.
• Attendance at local, regional, national and international conferences, expenses paid.

Specific research themes include:

• Urban Ecological Systems  — The evaluation and maintenance of ecosystem services requires the integration of natural science, social science and engineering-based environmental studies with community and education outreach research projects to sustain the urban ecological systems upon which human quality of life depends.
• Urban Redevelopment and the Blue Economy — From land use and urban redesign to global supply-chain and behavioral economics, as well as the sociological and natural systems that make cities healthy and vital places, this research track unites social and physical sciences with engineering and design for spatially and socially integrated solutions. Studies of the “Blue Economy” are particularly relevant for cities with waterfronts that are reinventing themselves.
• Sustainable Urban Water Infrastructure — Analysis of the natural, engineered and societal systems that have formed the current water infrastructure of Detroit will provide NRT trainees the foundation for understanding the complex inter-relationships and progressive solutions for sustainable urban infrastructure. Specialties within this track will include drinking water treatment and distribution, wastewater management, and the use of big data and sensor technologies in decision-making for improved infrastructure sustainability.