Data Working Group - Call for Applications

Call for Applicants: iN-Net Global Nitrogen Data Working Group

We are excited to announce an open call for applications to join the International Nitrogen Network (iN-Net) Global Nitrogen Data Working Group. This will be an international group of interdisciplinary scholars and stakeholders focused on shaping a new research agenda for halving nitrogen waste. 

The Working Group is part of iN-Net (www.in-net.network), a U.S. National Science Foundation-funded project directed by David Kanter (NYU, INI), devoted to stimulating pathbreaking, policy-relevant research that can underpin national action plans to halve N waste by 2030. The project is a collaboration with a number of science and policy networks, including the UNEP Nitrogen Working Group, the Global Partnership on Nutrient Management and the Task Force on Reactive Nitrogen under the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution.

The Global Nitrogen Data Working Group, led by Peter Groffman (City University of New York), will closely collaborate with two other iN-Net working groups: Nitrogen & Climate (led by Xin Zhang, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science) and Governance (led by William San Martin, Worcester Polytechnic Institute). Together, the groups will shape the nitrogen  research agenda, addressing key policy and knowledge gaps through:

• Regular meetings (virtual and in-person)

• Expert-stakeholder workshops

• Synthesis, review, meta-analysis and perspective papers

• Grant proposals

• Policy briefs, guidance documents, webinars, and other tools aimed at informing and supporting national action plans.

Key Goals & Focus Areas

The Data & Indicators Working Group seeks to:

• Guide the aggregation of existing, publicly available scientific and policy data for a new data platform to aid the implementation of national action plans to address nitrogen pollution. This platform will be developed in collaboration with a variety of partners and will feed into the baseline, design, implementation and monitoring of new national management measures.

• Identify data gaps across issues, disciplines and regions that need to be addressed to enable more effective analysis and action on nitrogen pollution. These gaps will be identified in consultation both with experts and stakeholders to better understand which are the most urgent and feasible to address. This in turn will lead to papers, briefs, and grant proposals.

Terms of Appointment

• Members of the Global Nitrogen Data Working Group will be publicly listed on our website, and their appointment will last for a duration of two years (with the possibility for extension).

• Members are required to attend regular meetings and are encouraged to participate in our annual in-person meeting.

• The working group will collaboratively define specific outcomes, which may include research papers, reports, policy briefs, and other deliverables. Members will be invited to volunteer to lead some of these initiatives or coordinate designated task forces.

Who Should Apply?

We welcome applications from individuals in academia, community-based organizations, civil society, the private sector and the broader policy arena who are involved in nitrogen-related issues, or possess relevant expertise or experience in the following areas:

• Data collection and analysis in N-relevant sectors including the agri-food system and industry

• Social science data (quantitative and qualitative) - broadly defined - that could be relevant to the design and implementation of national action plans

• Translation of multiple data sources into actionable policy measures

 We are especially interested in scholars and practitioners based in the Global South (broadly defined) or with experience collaborating with organizations and communities in that region. Candidates who have demonstrated a commitment to addressing environmental challenges through collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches, or may be in the early stages of developing national action plans for nitrogen, are particularly encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

Please submit your C.V. and one-page cover letter, as well as additional professional details on this Google Form.

Deadline for Nominations: 

February 28, 2025

For more information or to submit nominations, please contact: admin@in-net.network