The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Economic Center has one to two postdoctoral or graduate fellowship research opportunities related to water quality valuation now available in Washington, DC through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE). We will be accepting applications through March 13, 2023 on a rolling basis. The application process requires a degree by March 31, 2023, but doctoral students may use a master’s degree within the last five years to qualify. The annual stipend for fellows with master’s degrees is ~$65,000 and doctoral degrees is ~78,500, depending on start date degree status.

The description below is written broadly. Selected fellows can expect to conduct research in at least one primary area described, with the potential to collaborate in other areas based on mutual interest.

Research Project: The goal of this research project is to conduct research on methodology and tool development aimed at a better understanding of the ecological and/or human health benefits of improved surface water quality, including contributing to the development of the Benefits Spatial Platform for Aggregating Socioeconomics and H20 quality (BenSPLASH). In addition to research on surface water quality valuation approaches, the research project may include investigating the extent of the market for water quality improvements, and how the distance decay of willingness to pay may vary by waterbody type and size, baseline water quality, level of improvement, and other factors. The research project may also investigate improved ways to link environmental impacts to valuation endpoints (e.g., water quality index, ecosystem services, human health endpoints). The policy context for the above research may include PFAS contamination, nutrients, and climate change water impacts.

https://www.zintellect.com/Opportunity/Details/EPA-OW-IOAA-2023-01

For further information, please contact Todd Doley at doley.todd@epa.gov.