About the Project
This project integrates building-based greenhouses into urban and remote communities to decarbonize food production and support electrification. By reusing waste heat and CO₂ from buildings, these greenhouses enable local, year-round food production while reducing emissions and energy costs. The project addresses technical, policy, structural, and community engagement barriers through a multidisciplinary approach. In partnership with Indigenous organizations, municipalities, and industry, it promotes scalable, resilient solutions for sustainable food and energy systems across Canada.
- Supervisor: Professor Thomas J. Walker
- Department: Finance, John Molson School of Business
- University: Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
- Start Date: Flexible (Fall 2025, Winter 2026, Fall 2026)
- PhD Fellowship: 35K CAD per year for 4 years
Role description
- Conduct socioeconomic analyses of building-integrated greenhouses in urban and remote communities
- Assess community needs, policy frameworks, and economic barriers to implementation
- Develop financial models evaluating cost-effectiveness, ROI, and long-term sustainability
- Design investment and business models incorporating climate risk, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles, and sustainable finance tools
- Analyze risk mitigation strategies for food-energy systems under environmental and economic stressors
- Collaborate with Indigenous partners, municipalities, and industry stakeholders to ensure relevance and scalability
- Prepare technical reports, academic papers, and presentations for both academic and practitioner audiences
Requirements
- MSc in Finance, Economics, Sustainability, Public Policy, or a related field
- Strong foundation in sustainable finance, investment analysis, or climate risk modeling
- Experience with financial modeling tools (e.g., Excel, R, Python, or equivalent)
- Familiarity with ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) frameworks, emerging risk assessment, and real estate finance
- Experience with community-based or Indigenous partnership research is an asset
- Familiarity with green infrastructure, energy transition, or food security topics
- Strong writing skills for reports, papers, and policy briefs
What we offer
- Fully funded PhD position with a competitive annual stipend, plus funding for research and conference travel
- Opportunity to work on an interdisciplinary project at the intersection of sustainable finance, food-energy systems, and climate resilience
- Access to cutting-edge tools and expertise in financial modeling, risk assessment, and sustainability analytics
- Close collaboration with Indigenous communities, municipalities, industry partners, and policy stakeholders
- Structured mentorship from Professor Thomas Walker and professional development opportunities, including workshops and journal/conference support
- A vibrant, inclusive research environment at Concordia University in Montreal — a leading hub for sustainability and innovation
- A chance to contribute to policy-relevant solutions for equitable and low-carbon community development across Canada
How to apply
Please send the following documents in a single PDF file to thomas.walker@concordia.ca
- Letter of intent strongly aligned with the project and the research domain of the professor
- Academic CV
- Transcripts
- References
- Publications if any Any other documents that might benefit your file
Subject of the email: Closing the Water-Energy-Food-Loop_Your name_PhD
Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
For all questions, please contact Alisa Makusheva at alisa.makusheva@concordia.ca
