UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT PARTICULARS OF APPOINTMENT LECTURERSHIPS IN PHYSICALGEOGRAPHY (two posts) (1) Quaternary Science (2) Geographical Information Science 1. The University invites applications for the above posts. 2. Salary will be within the Lecturer scale 6. 3. Informal inquiries may be made to the Acting Head of Geography, Professor Noel Castree (0161 275 3627; [email protected] ). For the Quaternary post Professor Jamie Woodward can also be contacted ([email protected]), for the GIS post Dr. Sarah Lindley can be contacted ([email protected]). For further information about Geography see http://www.sed.manchester.ac.uk/geography/ 4. Applications should be returned by May 14 th 2010 to: The Directorate of Human Resources Humanities HR Lime Grove (W113) The University of Manchester Oxford Road Manchester M13 9PL Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, it is not possible for the University to acknowledge applications or contact all unsuccessful applicants. If you have not been contacted by May 21 st 2010 you should assume that, on this occasion, your application has not been successful. We would, however, like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in The University of Manchester. WITH THE COMPLIMENTS OF THE DIRECTORATE OF HUMAN RESOURCES 1 The University of Manchester School of Environment and Development Geography (1) Quaternary Science (2) Geographical Information Science The School wishes to make two appointments of outstanding individuals to contribute to our established research and teaching strengths in physical geography (see www.sed.manchester.ac.uk/geography/research ). Quaternary Science The Quaternary Environments and Geoarchaeology Research Group has a growing international reputation. Over the last few years, researchers in this group have secured substantial research funding (PIs and Co-PIs >£600 k) from the NERC, AHRC, Leverhulme Trust, Australian Research Council and other bodies. Research in Quaternary science is a key strength of physical geography at Manchester and links to the School’s broader environmental thematic priority. It also has strong links across the University in the School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Archaeology, and the Manchester Museum. We seek to appoint a lecturer of exceptional promise as a researcher and teacher with expertise in long-term environmental change that complements and extends our expertise in Quaternary Science and global change (e.g. geochronology, continental palaeohydrology, palaeoecology, modern and ancient glacier dynamics, geoarchaeology and micromorphology). Appointment criteria will emphasise a clear potential for securing external funding. Geographical Information Science Applications are invited for a lecturing post in Geographical Information Science. The person appointed will be establishing an outstanding research reputation and will have a growing publication record which shows evidence of an emerging international profile. The post- holder will be expected to actively seek research funding to support their research activities and to publish in leading international journals. The post-holder will also be expected to attract & supervise research postgraduates. In teaching terms the Lectureship is strongly connected with Geography’s MSc in Geographical Information Science. The MSc was established in 2007 and already attracts over 20 students per year from within the UK and from overseas. Staff and students have support from the School of Environment and Development’s Spatial Data Officer who provides technical assistance, such as in geospatial data acquisition and processing and systems administration such as the management of software updates. The successful applicant is expected to make a significant contribution to the MSc with a view to becoming its Director in the short to medium term. The post therefore represents an exciting opportunity to help shape the next stage of development of this successful and popular postgraduate programme. Although the appointment is strongly associated with the MSc GISc, the appointee will also contribute to other Geography undergraduate teaching and administrative duties. 2 Specialisms can be in any area of GISc, such as remote sensing, geocomputation, geostatistics or GIS (including development as well as geospatial data analysis). Existing research and teaching track records can be associated with pure or applied Geographical Information Science but a preference will be shown for candidates able to clearly demonstrate existing or potential links to one or both of our physical geography research groups, notably those working in upland or urban environments ( Environmental Processes ) or in a range of palaeoenvironments ( Quaternary Environments and Geoarchaeology ). 1.0 Geography at the University of Manchester The University of Manchester is home to one of the UK’s most dynamic groups of geographical researchers, scholars and teachers. Geography at Manchester has risen to become one of the top tier institutions for its size, and our twenty-five staff and our research fellows are widely recognised for the quality of their contributions to the international research community. In RAE 2008 94% of our outputs were considered internationally- recognised, with an exceptionally high proportion (65%) judged to be internationally- excellent or world-leading. Geography at Manchester also sets international research agendas in other ways. Over half our staff members hold editorial positions with leading research publications, including the editorship of eight major journals such as Antipode, Area, Geoarchaeology, Geoforum , and Progress in Human Geography . Manchester is known too for the impact and influence of its post-docs and PhD students. Recent graduates have been appointed to Chairs at leading universities in Europe, North America and the Far East, while others now shape national and international policy environments through their work in government agencies, research institutes and activist organisations. Research at Manchester makes significant contributions to some of the most important intellectual and practical issues facing society, through four areas of expertise. Current research strengths in Quaternary Science include the analyses of glacial and fluvial sediments and landforms, pollen, charcoal, fungal spores and diatom analyses, tephrochronology and palaeovolcanism. These approaches are applied to projects investigating long-term changes in ice sheet dynamics, environmental changes in the sub-Arctic, peatland archives of climate change and geoarchaeology. Study regions include a focus on the Mediterranean region and projects in Alaska, Greenland, the Balkans, North Africa and the UK, with key themes of palaeoclimate reconstruction and human-environment interactions. Current specific projects include the fluvial history and archaeology of the Nile valley, glacial history of the High Atlas mountains and Mesolithic palaeoecology in north west Europe. Research on Environmental Processes is carried out in upland and urban settings. Much existing staff expertise covers geomorphology/ hydrology, freshwater environmental science, remote sensing and geographical information science and makes important contributions in two areas: understanding upland environments as systems that are highly sensitive to environmental change (focusing on the degradation and restoration of peatland systems), and the spatial modelling of environmental processes. Work in this area has reconceptualised peatland systems by establishing topography and geomorphology as central controls on a range of processes, identified the significance of geomorphic controls on the mobilisation of legacy atmospheric pollution, and integrated spatial models within risk assessment methodologies for more effective modes of environmental management. Environmental process research also includes the inter-disciplinary study of contemporary and future urban environmental hazards. This work particularly focuses on climate, climate adaptation and air 3 pollution and has a strong GISc dimension. Research on environmental processes has attracted funding from NERC and EPSRC as well as from the EU, national and local government. Urban physical geography research is carried out in collaboration with the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering (MACE), School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Science (SEAES) and the Research School of Translational Medicine as well as with external Universities such as UEA, Manchester and Sheffield. Our work in Geographical Political Economy examines the material, social and cultural processes that shape and transform geographies of production, reproduction and nature. This research has, among other things, re-conceptualised the meaning and significance of geographical scale within social science, pioneered critical analyses of commodification and the neoliberalisation of the biophysical world, and developed a comprehensive conceptual framework – Global Production Networks – for analysing transnational production systems. Research on Urban Life and Living focuses on understanding processes of urban change and transformation. Key contributions include analyses of the articulations between the material (buildings, technology infrastructure), natural (environment, resources) and social (economy, culture, governance) fabric of cities, research on how software and digital code work to ‘securitize’ space, and evaluation of the