Green Transportation Search

Green Transportation: Energy/Infrastructure Position

Position Summary:

Portland State University seeks a highly qualified candidate to fill a tenure track position at the level of Assistant/Associate Professor with research and teaching interests in the area of Green Transportation: Energy/Infrastructure.

The successful candidate would have scholarly interests that would complement and strengthen Portland State’s programs that address approaches to green transportation at the technical and policy levels. Specific expertise could address a broad range of topic areas, including but not limited to transportation infrastructure (modes, materials and propulsion); transportation-related energy and fuels; material science; technologies and strategies for low impact development; assessment of downstream ecological impacts from transportation and related development; and evaluation expertise including best practices and understanding of performance metrics relating to green transportation infrastructure.

Specific research areas could include:

• Green Design: take into account the greater ecological and environmental impacts of the transportation-related built environment. Research would further innovate on context sensitive solutions, road diet, multi-way boulevard, and road ecology design principles with greater consideration of the impact of the design on the natural environment as well as accommodating multiple modes of transportation.
• Green Construction: re-examining current ways of designing roads, bridges, and other public infrastructure with the focus on using more sustainable resources and applying new and emerging techniques (e.g., warm mix asphalt) that will reduce the impact on the environment including reducing fuel consumption, greenhouse gases, stormwater runoff, and emissions production. Research also includes improving the use of recycled materials and investigating innovative renewable materials, as an example, for use as aggregates in concrete design.
• Natural environment impacts: green infrastructure design and construction requires extensive interdisciplinary teams that can help to measure and examine the impacts of development on water, air, and natural environments as well understanding the economic impacts (e.g., cost/benefit, lifecycle impacts, etc.). Additionally, the implementation of green design and construction may be prohibited by many current regulatory policies, and therefore require extensive knowledge of how the policies can be aligned with new approaches locally, regionally, and nationally.
• Shift to Mobility: alongside the need for research to examine green design and construction, there is a need to look at the broader context of mobility and how it fits in with the shift of behavior from engineering and design to overall mobility. This research area would expound on the relationship between land use and transportation, impact on emissions and greenhouse gases, and livability.
• Vehicle efficiency research with expertise and innovation in measuring and modeling fuel usage and CO₂ emissions from transportation-derived sources, sustainable transportation performance measures, and economic impacts especially those relating to fuel consumption as it relates to financing, planning and operating public infrastructure. Includes private vehicles, fleet vehicles, commercial vehicles and public transport system vehicles for the movement of people and goods. Other research areas include investigating the relationship between vehicle efficiency, transportation operations, and intelligent transportation systems. Willingness to engage with local, state and federal initiatives in vehicle technology.
• Clean energy and/or renewable energy specifically pertaining to alternatives to gasoline and diesel fuel. Impacts of peak oil on need for alternative fuel vehicles. Areas of research in transportation and renewable energy relate to investigating lifecycle environmental costs/benefits of hydrogen and biofuel-powered vehicles.
• New and emerging technologies involving plug-in hybrid vehicles or electric vehicles. Research examining the travel and household behavior impacts as a result of availability of alternative propulsion vehicles for market entry, social impacts of shift to usage among the general population, efficacy of use in car sharing or fleet programs, and modeling their impacts. Integration of emerging technologies within existing multimodal transportation system.
• Vehicle-to-grid technologies and exploring public sector right-of-way and other potential public joint partnerships. This includes examining effects on the utility sector.

The successful candidate will receive a primary appointment in the most appropriate department or program and will also be an affiliated member of the university's Center for Sustainable Processes and Practices (CSP2), expected to participate in cross-campus research, engagement opportunities, and other initiatives related to sustainability.

This position is one of six coordinated sustainability-related searches that are intended to broaden and deepen the university's expertise in sustainability. Interested candidates should review the university's sustainability investment strategy at www.pdx.edu/sustainability

Qualifications

• Applicants must have a Ph.D. in a relevant science or engineering discipline.
• Applicants should have a well-developed, applied research agenda that supports the university's growth in and interdisciplinary approach to sustainability.
• The successful candidate must have a commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and team teaching and track record in an interdisciplinary work environment.

Compensation

Faculty Rank and salary are commensurate with experience. Benefits package includes fully paid health care, a retirement package; and reduced tuition rates for employee, spouse, or dependent at any of the University System Schools.

Applying

Applicants should submit a letter of application including a brief statement of research and teaching agenda, curriculum vitae, the names and contact information of three references to sustainability@pdx.edu (Attn: Green Transportation Search).

or mail the application to:

Green Transportation: Energy/Infrastructure Search
Center for Sustainable Processes and Practices
Mail Code: SUST
P.O. Box 751
Portland OR, 97207-0751

Application review will begin on January 15, 2009 and continue until the position is filled. Non U.S. residents must state their visa status.

Portland State University is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity institution and welcomes applications from diverse candidates and candidates who support diversity.