Fully Funded PHD Scholarship on “Quantifying the impacts of climate change mitigation policies on Irish agriculture and the wider economy”

PhD Fully Funded PHD Scholarship on “Quantifying the impacts of climate change mitigation policies on Irish agriculture and the wider economy”

Deadline: 22 January 2023

I. Project

Mitigating climate change will require considerable change. Being responsible for over one third of Irish total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, agriculture plays an important role in meeting Ireland’s emission reduction targets. To inform policy design for the necessary change, the PhD candidate will develop a framework for Ireland building on the Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) modelling approach. The framework will be applied to assess the impacts of alternative policies to reduce emissions on the wider Irish economy but with a particular focus on the spatial distribution of agricultural production, farm incomes, and GHG emissions. Moreover, the consequences of using alternative GHG emission metrics for setting mitigation targets will be investigated.

The project involves constructing data sets, extending a CGE model and designing, simulating, and analysing various policy scenarios. The scholarship will allow the candidate to develop a range of transferrable skills in the wide area of CGE and related modelling and policy impact assessment.

II. Qualifications

The ideal candidate should possess

  • MSc degree in economics or applied economics (e.g., agricultural, environmental, or natural resource economics) or related.
  • Strong quantitative background, especially in economic modelling and econometrics. Prior experience with CGE or Partial Equilibrium models is an advantage.
  • Excellent computer literacy. Programming and data processing experience (e.g., with R, Python, Stata). Prior experience with GAMS or GEMPACK is an asset.
  • A high degree of self-motivation and ability to work independently.
  • Interest in policy impact analysis and agriculture.
  • Familiarity with European agricultural  policy is an advantage.
  • Applicants from non-English speaking countries or degree programmes that were not delivered in English need to demonstrate proficiency in the English language (see requirements).
  • Good communication skills (oral and written).
  1. Scholarship Details
  • The PhD scholarship is a joint research project between the School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin (UCD) and Teagasc, Athenry.
  • The candidate will work under the supervision of Dr. Ole Boysen and Dr. James Breen at UCD and Mr. Trevor Donnellan and Dr. Kevin Hanrahan at Teagasc.
  • The PhD scholarship funding is €24,000 per annum and includes University fees of up to a maximum of €6,000 per annum with the remainder paid as a monthly stipend and is tenable for 4 years.
  • As part of a structured, 4-year PhD programme, the candidate will be required to undertake coursework. The successful candidate will be located jointly between the Teagasc, Rural Economy and Development Programme, Athenry Co. Galway and the School of Agriculture & Food Science in University College Dublin. Furthermore, a research stay with the CGE group of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (Seville, Spain) is envisaged.
  • There will be opportunities throughout the programme for professional development training, conference attendance and international travel to expand the candidate’s research interest.

IV. How To Apply?

  • Please complete the online form HERE   before the Closing date
  • Contact for further information: Dr. Ole Boysen, School of Agriculture & Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4. Email: [email protected]

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