The Michigan Community & Anishinaabe Renewable Energy Sovereignty [Mi-CARES] project is looking for graduate students to focus on evaluating the risks, barriers, and opportunities associated with renewable energy implementation in rural and indigenous communities in Michigan.

The MI-CARES project is a large interdisciplinary research project funded by the National Science Foundation. We aim to develop tools that support communities in making decisions about renewable energies. We are recruiting MS and PhD Students for a variety of programs including electrical and computer engineering; materials science and engineering; chemical engineering; community sustainability; computer science; environment and energy policy; and, forest resources and environmental science. The forest resources and environmental science part of the larger project will likely be investigating the risks, barriers and opportunities associated with bio-energy from woody biomass.

Students interested in forestry or environmental science are encouraged to apply, and a background in GIS would be an advantage. Students with experience working within, among, and/or for a rural, Indigenous, and/or diverse community are especially encouraged to apply.

Research assistantship funding will cover tuition costs and a monthly stipend. The number of years of funding available varies across positions. Start dates are flexible, with students beginning in fall 2020, spring 2021, or fall 2021. If interested, please contact Dr. Yvette Dickinson, yldickin@mtu.edu.