Two Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships awarded to Tilburg University researchers
The successful applicants are Etienne Lorang, who will work at the Economics Department of the Tilburg School of Economics and Management (TiSEM), and Leena Bhattacharya, who will conduct her research at the TiSEM Econometrics and Operations Research Department. The fellowships will enable them to carry out their research projects for two years.
Etienne Lorang’s research concerns an important and highly relevant policy area that ties in directly with the European Green Deal and the EU’s circular economy strategy. Leena Bhattacharya’s research, too, is ambitious; the evaluation report underlined the importance and relevance of the research topic, GenderedTimeUse, and praised the project for its interdisciplinary dimension by combining insights from economics, sociology, psychology, and applied econometrics.
Integrated Assessment Models for Circular Economy and Materials Balance (IAM-Circ)
For most of human history, economic growth went hand in hand with increased use of materials. For a sustainable future it is imperative that we sever this relationship. The material impact of the economy can be reduced by using materials less intensively, by using them longer, and by developing a circular economy. To give policymakers input on how to deal with sustainability issues, researchers design models, such as integrated assessment models, that factor in long-term growth and link economic variables to biophysical features such as climate change. Yet these models rarely exhibit full materials consistency and consequently have limited relevance to innovations in the circular economy. Etienne Lorang’s project aims to bridge the scientific divide between economic modeling and materials flows.
Time allocation of men and women in India: the role of bargaining power (GenderedTimeUse)
In families, allocation of time to activities is based on individual preferences, gender norms, and individuals’ bargaining position. Time allocation of activities based on gender, age, and location is linked to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5, gender equality (indicator 5.4.1), and the differences in gendered time use are linked to the process of a country’s economic development. So far, scientific debate about time allocation has mostly concerned developed countries. Leena Bhattacharya’s project explicitly addresses time allocation in Indian families. This project may be relevant to other countries with similar gender norms, and its findings will contribute to the scientific basis for monitoring progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 5, both globally and in India specifically.
About Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
The objective of the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships is to support researchers’ careers and foster excellence in research. The fellowships target researchers holding a PhD who wish to carry out their research activities abroad, acquire new skills, and expand their expertise. Research excellence and project impact, individually as well as organizationally, are the key eligibility criteria.
More information about Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions can be found here.