Universities can pave the path toward promoting carbon emissions reduction and sustainable management practices. Due to their missions and strategic societal role, universities have indeed a crucial role in inspiring decisive actions taken by individuals, private and public organizations, and businesses. Furthermore, universities can be considered effective pilot cases well describing the complexities of the climate transition, because they represent multifaceted systems involving different populations with various needs/expectations and multiple interacting activities and operations. Globally, many universities have adopted measures to limit the effects of their actions on the environment, become more sustainable in their operations, as well as carbon neutral. For this purpose, a growing number of universities are reporting GHG emissions as a means to measure sustainability and develop climate action plans with emissions reduction goals. Research proposals may investigate the ways universities are experiencing the measurement of the organizational carbon footprint, and how universities can enhance their positive impact on climate change. The proposal should also provide contributions to a better understanding of the potential of universities to prevent climate change in cities. The proposal should address the role of the university and the challenges facing it in a multi-scalar way.

We are looking for candidates with: a background in Environmental Management and Assessment; good command of written and verbal English; proficiency in advanced computer skills included in Microsoft Office 365 Business; ability and willingness to work in collaborative, multi-disciplinary environment; documented experience of both quantitative and qualitative research work; availability to stably work in Messina and travel and move whenever required; knowledge and understanding in environmental systems analysis, like life cycle assessment, is seen as a merit; proven record of designing and writing scientific publications is desirable.

The research will take place at the Sustainability Lab, of the Department of Economics of the University of Messina. The Sustainability Lab is a study and research laboratory for corporate sustainability and Life Cycle Management, equipped with 5 computers, 4 printers, 1 server. Software: SimaPro Analyst, GaBi Professional, Adobe Acrobato 20 Pro, DeltaGraph, Nvivo, Vensim Pro, VOSviewer. Database: Ecoinvent 3 for SimaPro, Social Hotspot Database (SHDB) for SimaPro, Product Social Impact Life Cycle Assessment (PSILCA) for SimaPro, Ecoinvent 3 for GaBi.