Staff Scholar (Indigenous Science, Technology, and Environment)

Date Posted: 12/19/2023
Req ID: 35476
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Arts & Science
Department: Acceleration Consortium
Campus : St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Description:

The Acceleration Consortium (AC) at the University of Toronto (U of T) is leading a transformative shift to accelerate materials discovery informed by ethics, economics, and Indigenous science and technology studies.The AC is a global community of academia, industry, and government that brings together artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, materials sciences, and high-throughput chemistry to create self-driving laboratories (SDLs), also called materials acceleration platforms (MAPs). These autonomous labs rapidly design materials and molecules towards a sustainable, healthy, and resilient future, with applications ranging from renewable energy to drugs. A mandate of the AC is to ensure that all materials and technologies are ethically designed towards sustainability, including by engaging with community and Indigenous knowledges

The Acceleration Consortium (AC) promotes inclusive research environment and supports the EDI priorities of the unit.

The Acceleration Consortium received a $200M Canadian First Research Excellence Grant for seven years to develop self-driving labs for chemistry and materials, the largest ever grant to a Canadian University. This grant will give the Acceleration Consortium seven years of funding to execute its vision, including support for Indigenous STS research.

The Staff Scholar for Indigenous Science, Technology, and Environment will contribute to our understanding of how Indigenous knowledges and research practices can inform any of the following: conceptions of sustainability as it relates to chemicals and pollution; or the development and use of AIs; or Indigenous approaches to robotics; or Indigenous approaches to platforms.This position foregrounds Indigenous approaches that center Indigenous relationality and sovereignty; Indigenous understandings of land, water, matter, or sustainability; or Indigenous research methods. This position will work closely with faculty and staff at the Indigenous-led Technoscience Research Unit (TRU) to ensure the ethical integration of Indigenous knowledges and values into research design for materials discovery and applications as it relates to the AC and to contribute to the development of Indigenous Science, Technology and Environment (Indigenous STE) and Indigenous Science and Technology Studies (Indigenous STS) in the AC, the TRU, and the University, broadly.

The Technoscience Research Unit (TRU) is an Indigenous-led interdisciplinary lab for creative and critical social science, humanities, and design research concerning science and technology, with a strength in Indigenous-led research, environmental justice, and data/AI ethics. The TRU is affiliated with the Faculty of Arts and Science, the Faculty of Information, and the Acceleration Consortium. The TRU hosts an Indigenous Environmental Data Justice Lab, organizes public events and workshops, and supports the research of students, faculty and community researchers. The TRU is particularly dedicated to fostering Indigenous Science and Technology Studies as well as supporting BIPOC and 2SLGBTQA+ researchers.

This position will also work with the AC Indigenous Research Circle (IRC), which is an Indigenous leadership team and advisory body to the AC Scientific Leadership Team on matters related to research design, ethical governance, Indigenous-led research activities, Indigenous engagement in research team building, and partnership development with Indigenous communities.

Candidates that have experience in any of the areas below will be prioritized:

• Indigenous and/or anti-colonial approaches to science
• Environment​​al justice
• Environmental data justice
• Indigenous understandings of sustainability
• Land-based methodologies research
• Collaborative research practices
• Working with Indigenous data sovereignty and data justice frameworks, following the First Nations Principles of OCAP (ownership, control, access, and possession) for engagements with First Nations communities, and the CARE principles.
• Indigenous environmental knowledges and public policy
• Indigenous approaches to AIs and robotics
• Indigenous approaches to lab science

The components and duties of the work include: Leading research on Indigenous science, technology and the environment (Indigenous STE) and/or Indigenous science and technology studies (Indigenous STS).

Working with the AC and TRU community, including faculty and partners, to publish research on Indigenous STE in their area of expertise in relevant journals, op-eds, etc. Research will be both independent and collaborative in design and can leverage the AC’s and TRU’s resources while supporting the advancement of Indigenous STS/STE.

Research tasks could include:

• Developing plans to undertake and support Indigenous-led research collaborations within the AC
• Estimating financial resources required for research programs and/or projects.
• Contributing to the development and advancement of Indigenous STS/Indigenous STE
• Promoting AC’s and TRU’s research capacity, including delivering presentations at conferences.
• Collaborating on preparing and submitting research proposals to granting agencies and progress reporting.
• Preparing manuscripts for submission to peer review publications/journals and stewarding them through the process.

Other

• Working in collaboration with other research staff.
• Support research-focused events.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education

• Candidates must have earned a Ph.D. in Indigenous Studies, science and technology studies, environmental studies, or a related discipline, by the time of appointment, or equivalent in non-academic experience.

Experience

• Five to ten years of experience (inclusive of PhD and/or post-graduate work) in Indigenous community – based research and development with demonstrated academic and research excellence
• Experience integrating Indigenous knowledges and values into research design
• Experience building partnerships with Indigenous communities, embedding the principles of consent and co-leadership into engagement with Indigenous communities
• Experience or strong desire to support Indigenous data sovereignty
• Experience writing and presenting research at academic conferences and in academic journals

Skills

• Strong in communicating effectively and efficiently in oral and written English
• Ability to work collegially with team members and collaborators
• Ability to work independently

Other

• Must have a strong publication record and or/demonstrated success in writing and preparing manuscripts, presentations, reports, briefs, and manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals

Preference will be given to candidates who self-identify as Indigenous. Recognizing that there are a variety of terms that potential candidates may use to self-identify, the University uses the term “Indigenous” in this search, which forms part of the University of Toronto's response to Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, to encompass the people of Turtle Island, including those who identify as First Nations, Métis, Inuk (Inuit), Alaska Native, Native American, and Native Hawaiian people.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority

Closing Date: 06/30/2024, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: Research Associate
Appointment Type : Grant - Continuing
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone: $60,304- $150,000 (salary will be assessed based on skills and experience)
Job Category: Research Administration & Teaching