The UVM Food Systems Research Center (FSRC) is funding five, three-year grants to measure various aspects of sustainability across food systems in the Northeast. These grants are the culmination of two years of planning, first through white papers on what metrics could be collected for which aspects of different food systems, then ten planning grants, and now five grants for actual data collection, analysis and synthesis.

The FSRC is currently funded by the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS), which hosts a parallel unit at the UVM, and the FSRC and ARS unit work in close collaboration. As the ARS unit is the first in the country to be focused on food systems, this theme is of emerging and critical importance to the USDA.

The five grants that the FSRC is awarding will be a first effort to establish baselines for the sustainability of food systems in the Northeast, though we recognize these initial grants will not capture all relevant indicators.  Given the complexity of this issue, the grants and our framework consider sustainability across five dimensions- production, environment, economic, social, and health parameters.  As a result, the disciplinary expertise within the teams funded by FSRC varies, including different strengths in social science, biophysical science, qualitative or quantitative methods.  Ultimately, the FSRC seeks to build the framework and indicators for a broad tool that is applicable across food systems, and goes beyond individual projects or sectors, which may be represented within the specific grants.  As a result, we seek to build collaborative transdisciplinary coordination across the teams for this ultimate goal and synthesis of work.

The five teams are intended to work together, each having a dedicated post-doctoral fellow, in collaboration with a data scientist from the FSRC. This will provide coordination on data collection tools, methods, samples, analytical frameworks and data ontology. Prior to the commencement of the work, the FSRC staff want to hold at least two facilitated planning workshops with all five teams. We also anticipate continuing to hold coordinated workshops throughout the duration of the project as the teams begin to collect data, engage with stakeholders, analyze data, and refine their indicators and the framework. 

The objectives of the initial planning workshops are as follows:

  1. To present a brief analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the portfolio of five grants to determine where there may be data or methodological gaps.
  2. To develop a loose conceptual framework that all can use.
  3. To agree on three key research questions to which all contribute, regardless of sector of focus.
  4. To present an overview of all the data proposed to be collected and how.  This is intended to
    • Enable identification of strengths in data collection
    • Enable coordination of data collection across teams
    • Facilitate collaborative data collection opportunities, especially to reduce burden on teams and stakeholders.To develop timelines and meeting schedules for continued engagement and coordination.
  5. To initiate data ontology conversations, such that teams have common understanding of terms and phrases.

Future facilitated meetings will be designed for teams to provide updates on their data collection, troubleshoot data collection, analysis and ontology questions.  We anticipate these occurring at least twice per year, in addition to regularly scheduled meetings.

 

We seek a facilitator to lead two initial workshops in July and August, and biannual meetings thereafter.

 

Skills required:

  • Minimum five years facilitating planning workshops with research teams.
  • Participatory engagement style that leads to clear decisions.
  • Experience organizing diverse teams.
  • Ability to help diverse group members feel heard yet agree with final group decisions.
  • In person facilitation of the workshops is necessary.

 

Application process:

Please submit a brief C.V. and one page outlining the following:

  • Two paragraphs on your approach for the two initial planning meetings and subsequent biannual meetings for three years.
  • Budget per workshop.

 

Applications should be submitted to Emily Snider (Emily.snider@uvm.edu) by 20 June 2023.