The World Economic Forum and Tel Aviv University seek a Hoffmann Fellow for a two-year joint appointment for work at the intersection of buildings and climate change. The Fellow will be based jointly at the World Economic Forum’s Center in Geneva, Switzerland and the Porter School of the Environment and Earth Sciences at Tel Aviv University, Israel.

 

About the Fellowship Programme

The André Hoffmann Fellowship for the Fourth Industrial Revolution offers early-career academics the opportunity to work at the intersection of society, science and technology through a joint appointment between the World Economic Forum and leading academic institutions.

The two-year Hoffmann Fellowship term is co-hosted evenly between the World Economic Forum and a partnering academic institution. Fellows are expected to commit full-time to the role.

 

With joint guidance from a Forum project director and a faculty supervisor, the Fellow will help build and drive intensive collaborations among Forum and academic institution partners to deliver specific action-oriented outcomes through:

• Developing and executing initiatives to bring technology to bear on solving important global challenges

• Engaging Forum Partners – including leaders from the private sector, governments, international organizations, civil society and faculty from diverse academic disciplines – to build selected initiatives

• Researching key issues and the potential to harness Fourth Industrial Revolution innovations to provide solutions

 

Scope

The construction industry is one of the world’s largest consumers of energy, raw materials, products, and waste. It is responsible for considerable environmental impacts around the globe. Based on findings by the World Green Building Council, carbon emissions from raw material production and energy consumption during the use phase of buildings constitute 11% and 28%, respectively of total greenhouse gas emissions from the construction sector. While moving towards sustainable and zero-emission buildings could change those ratios, the fraction of carbon emissions embodied in the raw materials and the construction process may become more dominant and require mitigation measures. In this project, we aim to connect the worlds of climate change, net-zero buildings, and digital tools coupled with the concept of circular economy.

 

During the project, the fellow will participate in innovative research related to the digital world and building design and construction aimed at reducing GHG emissions and increased wellbeing. Additionally, the fellow will participate in field research with the main stakeholders to design an open access tool that can be used by the forum members and other interested stakeholders. The World Economic Forum and Tel Aviv University are looking for a Hoffmann Fellow contributing to this initiative while jointly reporting to the Head of Platform Strategy, Shaping the Future of Digital Economy and New Value Creation at the World Economic Forum and to the Head of the innovation in industrial ecology lab at Tel Aviv University.

The role will be based in Tel Aviv, Israel while jointly working with the World Economic Forum in Geneva and the Tel Aviv University. The Fellow will be expected to travel to and spend time at the Forum office in Geneva a couple of times throughout the two years.

Spending part time in Vienna in the first year of the fellowship is possible.

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Scope of Engagement

The Fellowship will focus on innovation in the area of embodied and operational impacts of buildings, with the aims of identifying a digital platform that can help transform and reduce the way we think, design, build and operate buildings and their impact on climate change. This would include for example:

 

1. Identifying datasets and tools that exists for measuring the GWP of variety of building materials.

2. Map the existing knowledge about energy efficiency in buildings and strategies to increase it.

3. Identify existing and new digital tools in support of the construction industry in achieving circular economy and GHG emissions reduction along the life cycle of the buildings.

4. Using technological platforms for sustainable demolition of buildings.

5. Creating a new framework to synthesize the role of digital tools in transition to net-zero buildings.

 

 

The exact scope of the project will be defined together with the chosen candidate so there is a room for creativity by the fellow to design his\her exact refined goals and tasks during the position period.  The specific activities/deliverables of the fellowship will be shaped during an initial period of 4 months for the fellow to engage with a wide network of experts and stakeholders, after which the Fellow will present their proposal and initial thoughts to how best to tackle and deliver on the objectives of the Fellowship.  This may include, for example envisioned outcomes such as:

 

• Writing one or more academic papers related to the framework

• Writing one or more white paper on the need for such a tool

• Creating an open access integrated tool to assist with decision making across the value chains and life cycle of buildings

• Create a database of data and tools 

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Preferred requirements and experience

• Candidates for the Hoffmann Fellowship come from a diversity of disciplinary and social backgrounds –including post docs as well as candidates emerging from MBA’s and Law and Engineering Schools who have a strong interest in collaborating with the Forum. In general, Hoffmann Fellows are at the earliest stages of their academic career.

• One key selection criteria is related to diversity and inclusion. We do look for excellence, while at the same time the programme aims to open opportunities for candidates from underrepresented groups and institutions.

• Proven understanding of the issue of the built environment, industrial ecology, and digital tools.

• The fellow must demonstrates interest and/or experience in working on the nexus of construction, materials, environmental technology and policy issues. They will also have excellent interpersonal skills, are self-starters with the ability to work both independently and as a member of a team and can manage multiple projects simultaneously.

• Any experience Hoffmann Fellows may have working in or collaborating with the public or private sector will be evaluated favourably.

• Hoffmann Fellows should have a demonstrated ability to work across different cultures and with high level officials and executives, as the Forum shares its work with a global audience.

• Hoffmann Fellows must have an excellent command of spoken and written English. Proficiency in Hebrew is an advantage but not required.

• Strong programme and project management experience with strong organizational skills

• Service-oriented team player with excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with an ability and active willingness to collaboration and jointly shape initiatives

• Willing to work in a highly demanding environment and ready to juggle multiple priorities

• Comfortable with change and ambiguity

• Hoffmann Fellows must be prepared to work in a dynamic and flexible organizational structure. They may be called upon to work independently as well as a member of a team, and to manage multiple sub-projects simultaneously.

• Hoffmann Fellows must be proficient with recent digital platforms.

• The fellows should be interested in publishing research manuscripts in prestigious academic journals as well as writing white pages and policy briefs.

 

 

Duration and Location of the Fellowship

• The André Hoffmann Fellowship is two years in duration and Fellows are asked to commit full time to the role.

• The Hoffmann Fellow will be working in collaboration with the Forum, the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Israel and the Innovations in Industrial Ecology Lab at Tel Aviv University.

• A successful candidate for the Hoffmann Fellowship is aware of these fellowship residence requirements and agrees to abide by them.

 

About the World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

The Forum hosts 18 platforms for advancing public-private cooperation on a range of global, regional and industry issues.

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About Tel Aviv University and the IE Applied research lab

Tel-Aviv University (TAU) is the largest comprehensive research university in Israel. The university has over 100 research centers and institutes. TAU has introduced an ever-increasing number of interdisciplinary programs in vital, new fields to its already broad catalogue of academic disciplines. Among the university’s faculty members are internationally renowned scientists who have made a major contribution to their respective fields.

The Department of Environmental Studies in the Porter School of the Environment and Earth Sciences at Tel Aviv University was the first graduate school in Israel dedicated to the research, teaching and sharing of environmental knowledge in Israel, with a wholly interdisciplinary approach. The department's unique interdisciplinary approach facilitates collaboration among exact and natural sciences and the social sciences and humanities. Prof. Vered Blass established the Innovation in Industrial Ecology Lab within the department of Environmental Studies in 2014. The lab aims to push the boundaries of industrial ecology, to progress research, and to find new ways to apply the tools and insights from our discipline within business management and policy design. The lab works closely with key industry partners and policy makers throughout the year, and host round tables and international events to demonstrate the potential of industrial ecology in shaping our industry and governance systems and their interaction with the environment. 

 

How to Apply

Send the following package to vblass@tauex.tau.ac.il

• Curriculum Vitae

• Personal statement addressing:

• Your past academic research and future academic research plans;

• Your relevant work experience and how your skills, expertise and networks can help drive this project forward;

• Any involvement in broader impact activities relevant to the scope of this Fellowship;   

• Why you are interested in the Hoffmann Fellowship and how you envision it furthering your career.

• Three (3) references, with at least two (2) references who can speak to your academic research potential and at least one (1) reference who can speak to your broader impact activities.

 

We will review applications on a rolling basis. Applications should be submitted by August 31, 2023 in order to receive full consideration. We expect to finalize candidate selection by September 30, 2023.

Starting date is ASAP based on Visa issuing etc.

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