PhD Project "How Urban Greening Initiatives Shape Children's Environmental Attitudes and Behaviour"

Are you interested in how green initiatives in cities shape the environmental attitudes and behaviour of children? Is it your ambition to become a good researcher, work in an interdisciplinary team, and work with different stakeholders to investigate how greening cities might affect children’s environmental attitudes and behaviour?

We are seeking a motivated PhD candidate for the project: “How urban greening initiatives shape children’s environmental attitudes and behaviour”, which is embedded in the Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and the new Research Priority Area: BRIDGES (Bridging Social and Behavioural Science Disciplines to Galvanize Sustainability) of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences.

The project has an interdisciplinary focus and a supervision team consisting of supervisors from Urban Planning (Dr. Mendel Giezen - supervisor) and Communication Science (Dr. Marijn Meijers – daily supervisor). You will be a member of the Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research (AISSR), specifically of the program group Urban Planning. You are welcome to join research meetings at Communication Science and Psychology as well.

Project description:

Cities play an important role when it comes to sustainability. That is, more than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas, and this is projected to only increase further. Furthermore, cities might be both the root cause for environmental problems, and at the same time might provide solutions for alleviating environmental problems and their consequences. Therefore, cities constitute an important context when investigating how to address environmental problems such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and plastic solution.

Research has shown that urban greening initiatives might positively affect pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours. One target group that is crucial in this regard, but at the same time understudied, are children. Adopted pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours during childhood are likely to a last in adulthood, children impact household decisions and their parents’ beliefs, they might have a positive influence on their peers, and they are the next generation who will face the most detrimental environmental problems. Therefore, we specifically focus on how cities might function as an educational toolbox. That is, urban greening initiatives (e.g., tree planting days, school gardens, green play areas, garbage picking etc.) provide an opportunity for kids to get into contact with (urban) nature and as such to learn about the environment. The current project therefore focuses on how such greening initiatives help in shaping children’s pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours by increasing their contact with urban nature.

What are you going to do

You will be working on the overall research question: How do green urban spaces and initiatives shape children’s environmental behaviour? While doing so, you will take an encompassing approach. The influence of environmental factors, such as urban greening initiatives, on children’s pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours depends on individual factors, such as their environmental knowledge and media use, as well as social factors like their peers and parents. There are thus far few studies examining the influence of these factors combined. In the current project, we therefore take an encompassing approach and focus on how the urban green initiatives shape children’s pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours and how individual and social factors might catalyse or hamper this effect.

The scientific approach of this project is marked by its multifaceted methodology and includes qualitative (interviews) and quantitative (surveys, experiments) studies. We will investigate the associations between environmental, individual, social factors, and children’s pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours; we will explore children’s perceptions of different types of greening initiatives; and we will conduct a field intervention experiment to test how greening the city impacts attitudes and behaviours, and how individual and social factors might moderate the impact of such greening initiatives. Through these diverse research methods, the project aims to collect both qualitative and quantitative data, ensuring robust findings and a comprehensive understanding of (the effects of) urban greening initiatives.

Tasks during your PhD

You will:

• Complete a PhD dissertation consisting of research articles within the official appointment period of four years;
• gain knowledge of the field through literature research, discussion with team members, and internal research meetings;
• contribute to the design of empirical studies (e.g., surveys, interviews, and an experimental intervention study);
• plan, organize, and conduct data-collection, analyse and interpret results of the different studies;
• present results at local, national and international scientific meetings;
• submit research articles to esteemed international peer-reviewed journals;
• engage in valorisation activities;
• contribute to the vibrant academic life in Amsterdam in terms of events, workshops, meetings, activities, and lectures;
• contribute to teaching activities.

What we are looking for

You are enthusiastic about conducting empirical research with children regarding sustainability. You thrive in interdisciplinary environments, collaborating as a team player with excellent communication skills. Proactive by nature, you autonomously pursue necessary tasks while remaining open to seeking assistance when required. You are unhesitant to dive in and network with stakeholders (e.g., schools, municipalities).

Your experience and profile:

• MSc in Urban Planning, Urban Studies, Communication science, Pedagogics, Psychology, or a related field or will obtain this degree before the start of the project;
• experience with quantitative research methods and data analyses (e.g., in SPSS or R);
• affinity with sustainability;
• affinity with children;
• experience with (or are eager to learn) qualitative research methods and data analyses;
• good analytical, writing, and presenting skills;
• good project and time management skills enabling you to meet the projects’ deadlines for finishing analyses, reports and other deliverables;
• eager to learn new things, conscientious, flexible, and a collaborative attitude;
• fluency in English, both written and spoken;
• fluency in Dutch, both written and spoken;
• strongly committed to methodological rigor and scientific integrity;
• motivated to share exchange knowledge with academic and non-academic audiences.

What can we offer you
 

• A challenging work environment with ample scope for individual initiative and development within an inspiring organization;
• an interdisciplinary setting, where you will be part of the CSDS and AISSR (Program Group: Urban Planning), and are welcome to join research meetings at Communication Science’s ECoLab as well as the Environmental Psychology Lab group;  
• working on a unique project, combining insights from different fields, working with stakeholders from practice, and contributing to shaping the content of the PhD project;
• an enthusiastic and warm team that is open to new colleagues;
• an inspiring academic and international working environment in the heart of Amsterdam.

The starting date is flexible, but the aimed starting date is September 1st, 2024. The position concerns temporary employment of 1.0 fte (38 hours per week) for a maximum term of 4 years. The initial employment is for one year. Following a positive assessment and barring altered circumstances, this term will be extended by a maximum of 36 months, which should result in the conferral of a doctorate. We will put together a curriculum which will also include the opportunity to attend training courses and both national and international events. You will also be tasked with teaching Bachelor's students. For this position the University Job Classification profile “promovendus” applies. 

Your salary will be €2.770 gross per month in the first year and will increase to €3.539 in the final year, based on full-time employment and in keeping with the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities. We additionally offer an extensive package of secondary benefits, including 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.3%. The UvA offers excellent possibilities for further professional development and education.

About us
 

The University of Amsterdam is the largest university in the Netherlands, with the broadest spectrum of degree programmes. It is an intellectual hub with 39,000 students, 6,000 employees and 3,000 doctoral students who are all committed to a culture of inquiring minds.

The project is embedded in the Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research and the CSDS at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences. The Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research (AISSR) is the research institute for the Social Sciences in the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences at the University of Amsterdam.
 

About the faculty

A challenging work environment with a variety of duties and ample scope for individual initiative and development within an inspiring organization. The social and behavioural sciences play a leading role in addressing the major societal challenges faced by the world, the Netherlands and Amsterdam, now and in the future.

Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.
 

Questions
 

Do you have any questions, or do you require additional information? Please contact Dr. Marijn Meijers (daily supervisor) for more information: m.h.c.meijers@uva.nl. Please make sure to include the vacancy number in the title of your email.  

Job application

Do you recognize yourself in the job profile? Then we look forward to receiving your application by 15 May. You may apply online by using the link below.

Applications in one bundled .pdf should include:

• A letter of motivation, including a description of your fit for the position (max. 650 words);
• an academic Curriculum Vitae (no longer than 3 pages), which also includes the grade transcripts from your bachelor and master’s studies;
• on your CV include the names and email addresses of two references who can provide letters of recommendation, in case necessary later on in the process (no letters of recommendation are needed at this point);
• on your CV, please state whether you have completed your degree or include a letter from the supervisor in which the expected date of completion of your degree is stated;
• an English-writing sample (e.g., a master thesis or other recent individual essay).
   

The bundled document in PDF must be uploaded under the mandatory field CV*.

The UvA is an equal-opportunity employer. We prioritise diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone. We value a spirit of enquiry and perseverance, provide the space to keep asking questions, and promote a culture of curiosity and creativity.

No agencies please.

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