Research Assistant (Humanities & Social Studies Education Department) [NIE]

The National Institute of Education invites suitable applications for the position of Research Assistant on a 12-month contract at the Humanities & Social Studies Education (HSSE) Department.Project Title: Role of Sand Mining in Climate Change: The First Proof-of-Concept Investigation in the Mekong DeltaProject IntroductionSand is the second most extracted natural resource after water, and it is critical for modern infrastructure and technology. However, the environmental impact of river sand mining, particularly its carbon footprint and role in climate change, remains unexamined. This project aims to address this gap by investigating the carbon emissions from river sand mining in Southeast Asia, focusing on the Mekong Delta as a testbed for this first of a kind study. To achieve this, the project will pursue three specific aims sequentially. First, using remote sensing imagery and field surveys, we will map and categorize sand mining boat activities by enhancing deep learning models developed by the PI's research team via the ongoing MOE Project. Second, we will integrate this data with emission estimates for each boat type to calculate the total annual carbon emissions from sand mining in the Mekong Delta over the past decade (since 2010). Third, we will compare these estimates against data from the Global Carbon Project and the Climate Watch Data Explorer to quantify the significance of sand mining emissions within the broader context of regional and national carbon budgets. The proposed project will provide baseline information on the carbon footprint of sand mining and expand our understanding of the contribution of sand mining activities to climate change. This research aligns with Singapore's vision to be a sustainability leader in southeast Asia as our work seeks to address and mitigate the environmental impacts of sand mining.RequirementsBachelor's degree in Geography, Environmental Studies, Environmental Earth Systems Science or equivalent. Candidates with a Master’s degree may be considered for a Research Associate position.Comfortable working with various GIS platforms such as ArcGIS and QGISSome Geography fieldwork experience in collecting hydrological and sedimentological dataExcellent writing and communication skillsPrior research experience in geomorphology, hydrology or related fields is preferredSelf-driven, able to work independently and a good team playerResponsibilitiesCollection and organization of field dataPerform GIS and remote sensing analysis for hydro-geomorphology and environmental science research.Literature reviews and data mining from websites or documents from different sources.Conduct data analysis and write papers for publicationAssist the PI in project management and administrative workAny other ad-hoc duties as assigned by PIApplicationApplicants (external and internal) will apply via Workday. We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.Closing DateClosing date for advertisements will be set to 14 calendar days from date of posting.Hiring Institution: NIE