Graduate Research Assistants

Three UNC graduate students sought as research assistants for multiple projects related to the acquisition of flood-prone properties. The positons would begin immediately and run through the end of the Fall 2020 semester (December 2020), including Summer 2020. Students will be paid an MCRP stipend ($7000/semester+$5000/summer) plus tuition and fees and would be expected to work 15 hours a week (30 hours/week during the summer). Below is a brief description of the projects and tasks.

The graduate research assistants (GRAs) would work on several, interrelated projects. One project aims to create a model for estimating the federal, state and local costs attributed to designing and implementing a buyout. To do this, the GRAs would work with the project leaders to interview local, state, and federal emergency personnel to examine budget expenditures, personnel time invested and opportunity costs of buyouts. The GRAs would also assist in conducting a survey of buyout consultants – an emerging industry whose role may provide a straightforward way of estimating buyout overhead costs.

A second project seeks to identify the various strategies or mechanisms used at the federal, state and local level to fund buyouts. For example, Charlotte relies on stormwater management fees to fund mitigation, including buyouts. As part of the project, the GRAs will assist in conducting interviews with key informants at the federal, state and local level and provide profiles or case studies of select communities.

Finally, a third project seeks to conduct an economic analyses of land purchase and lease programs for water storage on private lands, e.g., lands owned by timber and agricultural interests. The goal is to determine whether, and under what circumstances, landowners would agree to allow their lands to serve as a temporary reservoir during floods. This analysis will consider both the costs of lease agreements as well as the benefits or advantages of various scenarios to landowners. For this project, GRAs would assist in developing and conducting interviews with land trusts, conservation groups, local and regional government entities, farmers and other landowners.

Skills needed

We are looking for students with strong research and writing skills, particularly in the area of land use policy and planning, along with experience in surveying and interviewing. Experience with qualitative analysis software such as MAXQDA would be a plus.