Project background:
As the global demand for metals increases to supply materials for renewable energy and electric vehicle technology, manufacturers are increasingly concerned about the environmental footprint of these metals. Consequently, there has been a surge in applications of supply chain transparency technologies such as digital passports and NFTs, often supported by blockchain.
Scope of work:
UBC is seeking applicants for a postdoctoral fellowship in responsible sourcing and digital traceability in in mining supply chains. UBC is building a research program in this area, through a collaboration between the Bradshaw Research Initiative in Minerals and Mining (BRIMM), Blockchain@UBC, and the Sauder School of Business. This program has several industrial and public sector collaborations, including mining companies, buyers of mining commodities, blockchain technology developers, NGOs and governments. The most notable initiative that UBC is involved with is the Digital Trust program in resources led by IBM and the Province of British Columbia.
Specifically, the research will focus on the governance of the multi-organization ecosystems that will be necessary to achieve digitally-enabled supply chain transparency in the mining industry. Building a research plan around this program will be the primary task of the postdoctoral fellow. This will include research design, data collection, analysis, publishing research papers and grant writing. Results from this project will have implications for both the mining industry, and other industries where digitally enabled supply chain transparency initiatives are being pursued.
Requirements:
A PhD in either business administration (with a focus on supply chain management), industrial engineering, economics, or related fields. A background in the blockchain technologies will also be a plus. An interest or background in the mining industry will be a plus.
Other details:
The postdoctoral fellow will be co-supervised by Professor Harish Krishnan (Sauder School of Business), Professor John Steen (NBK Institute of Mining Engineering and Bradshaw Research Initiative in Minerals and Mining – BRIMM) and Professor Victoria Lemieux (UBC School of Information and Blockchain@UBC).
While this position is initially for a year, there is a strong possibility for the work to be extended to two or three years.
Contact:
Professor Harish Krishnan
UBC Sauder School of Business