2019–2020 Emerging Poverty Scholars Fellowship Call for Applications: Deadline 8/12/2019

Date:   June 24, 2019

To:   U.S.-Based, Pre-Tenure, Tenure-Track Poverty Scholars from Underrepresented Racial and Ethnic Populations

From:   Institute for Research on Poverty (IRP), University of Wisconsin–Madison

Re:   2019–2020 Emerging Poverty Scholars Fellowship Call for Applications

The Institute for Research on Poverty (IRP) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison invites applications from junior scholars from underrepresented racial and ethnic populations for its 2019-2020 Emerging Poverty Scholars Fellowship program. The JPB Foundation has generously funded this initiative.

View/download PDF version of the call

Terms

Proposals are invited from Ph.D.-holding poverty scholars from racial and ethnic groups that are underrepresented in academia.[1]  Applicants must currently hold a tenure-track university appointment in any discipline or field, but have not yet earned tenure. They must show evidence of research experience in areas relevant to poverty, low-income populations, or related social policy, as well as the potential to produce rigorous research to inform policies and programs to combat poverty and/or its effects.

The proposal deadline is August 12, 2019.

Awards

IRP anticipates providing two fellows with $20,000 in flexible funding over a one-year award period beginning September 1, 2019. IRP will also match each fellow with a senior poverty scholar mentor.

Goals

IRP’s Emerging Poverty Scholars Fellowship aims to support the career development and success of promising emerging poverty scholars from underrepresented racial and ethnic populations by

• enhancing the resources available to them,
• providing high-quality mentoring from nationally renowned senior poverty scholars, and
• fostering interaction among a diverse set of scholars in order to broaden the corps of U.S. poverty researchers.

Beyond providing Fellows with flexible funding and opportunities for expanding their networks and receiving feedback on their research and career trajectories, the program intends to establish long-term relationships between Fellows and other poverty scholars, which may lead to future collaborations.

Funding

Fellowships may be used for a wide range of professional development activities, including

• engaging in substantive and methodological training;
• travel for data collection, collaboration, or research presentation;
• securing release time from teaching; or
• summer salary

IRP will separately provide travel funding for Fellows to visit IRP, other institutions from the U.S. Collaborative of Poverty Centers (CPC), and/or their mentor’s home institution twice during the one-year funding period.

Expectations

Fellows will be invited to attend and may be asked to present their research at a variety of IRP events. They are also expected to participate in follow-up activities such as program evaluation of this initiative and efforts to support future Fellows.

Application Requirements

Applicants should provide the following materials as a single PDF file:

1. a letter (no more than three single-spaced pages) that:
   1. describes your poverty research interests, aswell as your professional goals in this area, progress toward them, and accomplishments to date;
   2. specifies how your scholarly and career development will be aided by the award, including how you plan to use the funds and how you might use your experience in the program to benefit others in the future; and
   3. indicates which eligible racial or ethnic population you are a part of and whether you are of the first generation in your family to receive a college degree[1];
2. your curriculum vitae; and
3. one example of your poverty-related written

Applicants are also welcome, though not required, to suggest potential mentors.

Application Submission

Application materials should be submitted as a single PDF file through the online application form.

References (Required)

Two letters of reference from senior scholars attesting to your potential to make an impact in poverty- policy research and how you would benefit from the Fellowship are also required. Letters of reference must be received by the application deadline, August 12, 2019.

Submission of References

References should be submitted separately by the letter writers through the online reference letter form.

Deadline

The application deadline is 11:59 pm (Central Time) August 12, 2019.

Notification

Applicants will be notified of their application outcome on or about September 1, 2019.

Questions

Questions should be submitted to irpapply@ssc.wisc.edu.