Masters (MA or MSc) in Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies – Sustainability. University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus (Conditional on Funding)

Overview:

Agriculture is both a major contributor to climate change and one of the sectors most impacted by climate change.  There is tremendous scope for agricultural producers both to reduce the contributions their farms make to climate change, and to increase the resilience of their farms to the impacts of climate change.  However, the rate of uptake of climate friendly practices within agriculture has been far less than is seen as necessary for achieving Canada’s commitment to net zero by 2050.

The Canadian Agricultural Climate Solutions initiative aims to reduce the contribution agriculture makes to climate change by working with producers to identify practices that are practical on the farm and reduce the farm’s net contribution to climate change.  A key aspect to that practicality is that the climate friendly practice is consistent with the goals of the producer.  One important goal of many producers is that the practices employed contribute positively to the profitability of the business.

This project is part of the British Columbia Living Lab, one of a number of living labs established as part of the Agricultural Climate Solutions initiative.  The British Columbia Living Lab includes four areas of focus: perennial row crops, dairy, field vegetables and cattle and forage.  Within these focus areas are a variety of different commodities.  Partner organizations representing a number of these commodities have organized a series of on farm trials examining different Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs).  These trials will explore how effective the BMPs are at achieving net reductions in climate change impacts and at meeting producer goals.

Assessing the Net Economic Impacts of Alternative Practices

For a selection of commodity groups, the successful applicant will work with producers to identify the operational changes between conventional practices and a set of BMPs being investigated in the living lab.  Visiting farms and spending time consulting with producers to document their experience with the BMPs will be required.  The purpose of these visits is to collect quantitative data measuring the changes from the conventional practice that have direct financial consequences, such as addition inputs that need to be purchased, and indirect impacts, such as additional time required to learn about the BMP and to implement it.  More qualitative assessments of the satisfaction or lack thereof experienced by the producer will also be recorded, along with perceived sources of risk relevant to the adoption decision.

The quantitative data will be used to develop a set of enterprise budgets that describe the financial and non-financial measured impacts of adopting the BMP.  Variations in these impacts resulting from the perceived sources of risk will be calculated to demonstrate a reasonable range of likely outcomes from adoption.

Project outputs will consist of a set of short information bulletins documenting the enterprise budget impacts of adopting the investigated BMPs.  These will be prepared for an audience including producers and others involved in the agriculture sector.

The thesis will integrate the results of the enterprise budget analysis into a policy recommendation document.  This document will describe the main barriers to BMP adoption as identified through the analysis, and outline how policy interventions might reduce these barriers.  These policy recommendations will reflect successes and failures of initiatives elsewhere, and the unique characteristics of BC agriculture which impact on local practices.

Qualifications

1. Required

• Experience with primary data collection, such as interviews, focus groups, and/or surveys.
• A bachelors degree with a strong quantitative component.
• A high level of English fluency.
• Training and/or experience with business financial information.
• Valid driver’s licence.

2. Desired

• Experience working in the agricultural sector.
• A personal vehicle available for work travel.

Application Process

1. Provide me (by email: janmaat@ubc.ca) with your CV, a statement of courses and grades, and a covering letter describing your interest in the project. The message subject must be ‘BMP BUDGET MA’.
2. I will review your application material. I will follow up if your application package convinces me that you are a good fit for the position.  I will arrange a virtual meeting with you to learn more about you and address any remaining questions.  Following this meeting, I will let you know if I am willing to be your supervisor.
3. Apply for admission to the Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (IGS) program at UBC Okanagan. Note that admission to the program is determined by an admissions committee.  My willingness to be your supervisor does not guarantee admission.

Funding

• The project funding provides $15,000 CAD per year for two years for Master’s students. If you are selected, and conditional on satisfactory performance, this amount is assured.
• There are merit based scholarships and fellowships available. Being offered these depends on your academic standing prior to joining UBC and your ongoing performance while in the program.
• You will have the opportunity to apply for teaching assistant positions. The IGS program at UBC Okanagan is able to place most accepted graduate students in TA position.  Your selection for such positions is based on your previous and ongoing educational experience and on the needs of the department offering the positions.  Graduate teaching assistantships pay approximately $13,500 annually, and require about 192 hours of work per academic term for two terms.