PhD: Digital water governance

Organisation

Aalto University

Description

Water is critically important for addressing the key sustainability challenges related to climate change, biodiversity, and pollution, and there are high hopes that the so-called Twin Transition (green and digital transition) will provide new, more sustainable, and efficient ways of working also in the water sector. Yet, the thorny issues related to participation and decision-making power remain, as water brings together a variety of actors with differing interests, needs, and knowledges. Such a setting calls for new ways of viewing the role that digitalization has for water resources management and governance.

PhD project description

The doctoral research under this topic will look at the role that digitalization has for the governance of water resources in Finland, considering both established (e.g. EU Water Framework Directive) and emerging (e.g. multistakeholder platforms such as water vision processes) governance mechanisms. The research will study critically the potential of this Twin Transition in the water field, considering the pros and cons of digitalization (e.g. digital participation, citizen science, access to information) and the ways it links to key sustainability challenges. The research is expected to have one or more case studies (e.g. Vantaanjoki River Basin), but also consider the themes at a national level.

Link to DIWA Research theme

Tasks 5.1 and 5.2

Link to PhD pilot Key research area

“River systems, regulation and management”, but also all other research areas.

Specific requirements

The position requires an understanding of the key theories related to sustainability, natural resources management, and governance. Understanding the aspects related to digitalization and its linkages to governance is a strong merit. The position also requires knowledge of qualitative research methods, while knowledge of quantitative research methods is a merit. The applicants can therefore come from a variety of relevant fields, including water and natural resources management, environmental sciences, sustainability science, political science, and social sciences as well as information science and information technology. Experience in carrying out expert interviews and related analysis methods and software is a merit. As the research utilizes also relevant Finnish-language planning and policy documents, the competency also in Finnish is a strong merit.