PostDoctoral Fellowship: Exploring Practical Tools to Spark Network Action
Posted: December 4, 2020
Categories: GoodFoodBites / News from Sustain Ontario / Opportunities
Please share widely!
PostDoctoral Fellowship: Exploring Practical Tools to Spark Network Action
Sustain Ontario, in collaboration with Lakehead University, is seeking a 4-month community-based PostDoctoral Fellow to provide research and knowledge mobilization in support of Food Networks in Ontario moving from Strategy to Action.
This position requires a PhD in a relevant field (within the last 5 years). The successful candidate will become a PostDoctoral Fellow at Lakehead University, supervised by Charles Levkoe in addition to working closely with Sustain Ontario lead Phil Mount, as well as members of three regional food systems organizations in Grey Bruce, Peterborough and Ottawa, Ontario.
The work of food systems organizations brings together planners, community organizers, public health professionals, food producers, distributors, and many others to transform food systems through direct activity in communities, and collective work across organizations and regions. Many food systems actors in Ontario have identified a fundamental challenge: moving from collaboration to action within their region.
This includes the challenges of engaging policy-makers; finding ways to identify and include relevant, absent voices; creating a space where uncomfortable conversations can lead to constructive engagement; and agreeing on a specific area of focus in a food system rife with issues, among organizations whose mandates target not only food but health, climate change, poverty and social justice, among others.
While overall strategies or goals may be present and agreed upon, these regions need support identifying how to start implementing activities.
The successful applicant will:
- Compile and summarize best practices and approaches used with success by networks in various contexts and across sectors, with a focus on successfully moving networks from strategy to action.
- Identify contextual distinctions leading to success within different examples.
- Produce a research report, clear language summaries and infographics as appropriate.
This will feed into a community of practice where these regions and others can share experiences and observations.
Full details of the position are available here.
Applications can be submitted as of December 14, 2020, and will be accepted on a rolling basis until the successful candidate is identified, no later than January 8, 2021. The project will start in mid-January, 2021.
This position is conditional upon confirmation of Mitacs PostDoctoral Fellowship matching funds. Questions and applications should be directed to Phil Mount (phil.mount.foodsystemsresearch@gmail.com).
Sustain Ontario and Lakehead University are strongly committed to diversity within their communities and welcomes applications from all qualified individuals including Indigenous persons, visible minority group members, women, persons with disabilities, members of sexual minority groups, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.