Project Description
As the effect of climate change on weather patterns becomes clearer, there are major concerns as to whether cities are protected against the anticipated increasing number of extreme events. One of the major concerns in many urban areas is stormwater management, where climate change threatens to overwhelm pipes that are in poor condition and undersized relative to shifting weather. A high quality Graduate Research Assistant is being sought to contribute to a research project funded through the National Science Foundation. The study will focus on: (1) developing a novel framework that can incorporate various (and sometimes conflicting) climate models while accounting for extreme weather events, (2) modeling the hydrologic response of a stormwater system to these scenarios to identify the vulnerability of the system, and (3) optimizing green infrastructure placement to buffer the effects of climate change while accounting for uncertainties in weather patterns over a long planning horizon. Collaborations will include the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Expected start date is January 1, 2017. Applications will be reviewed as they are received and until the position is filled (anticipated middle of August 2016 at the latest). Ability and willingness to work in both field and laboratory settings is vital. A strong computational background is desired, and experience with the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) is particularly beneficial.
Contact: Specific inquiries can be made to Jon Hathaway, PhD, PE - email: hathaway@utk.edu – web: hathaway.utk.edu
