Assistant Professor in Asian American and Pacific Islander Transpacific Futures

The Asian American and Pacific Islander Transpacific Futures Cluster initiative brings together units in the social sciences and professional schools to understand the formation of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities within the US-Asia-Pacific dynamic, the continued growth and diversification of Asian American and Pacific Islander populations, and the political, economic, and social challenges and opportunities in these communities. The fates and struggles of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are central in the entanglements of people, capital, power, empires, militaries, goods, cultures, ideas, and political movements among Asian, Pacific, and American nations. Asian American and Pacific Islander communities are essential sites of inquiry to understand the futures of California, the U.S., Asian-Pacific-American relations, and the effects these sites and dynamics have for people. The Asian American and Pacific Islander Transpacific Futures Cluster initiative seeks to ensure that UC Berkeley is at the forefront of this consequential research area. This cluster will foster interdisciplinary and evidence-based research on the capacities and challenges of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities to strengthen their communities, address their social conditions, and shape the futures of California, the U.S., and Asian-Pacific-American relations. Three themes and areas of inquiry define this cluster: (1) Community-driven change and the futures of the Asian-Pacific-American region, (2) Understanding diversity and informing change through research and data justice, and (3) Working toward healthier futures and community and environmental wellbeing.

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities are at the front line in experiencing the impacts of climate change and ecosystem loss. For example, AAPI communities frequently live in areas with poor air and water quality yet are often excluded from climate and environmental justice movements. Similarly, the Pacific Islands are facing severe climate impacts including sea-level rise, coral reef and fish stock declines, greater hurricane vulnerability, as well as changing temperature and rainfall patterns. Asian and Pacific Island ecosystems are being degraded by pollution, overfishing, and unsustainable development, and these cumulative impacts result in changes in food and water security, loss of identity, climate-induced migration, and threats to biodiversity.

Research areas of interest include but are not limited to: island biodiversity, ecosystem ecology, and conservation biology; near coastal, estuarine, and reef science; climate change risks and mitigations on island ecosystems; and island livelihoods and resilience, including water and land tenure structures, traditional or tribal governance systems, environmental justice, and interdisciplinary science approaches to island sustainability. The department embraces intersectional and interdisciplinary approaches to research and teaching. Candidates whose research also addresses climate solutions are encouraged to apply.

Apply at: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF05088