About the Program
We are no longer accepting applications for the 2010-2011 Post-Doctoral Fellowship.
In the autumn of 2005, The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) initiated a postdoctoral fellowship for scholars conducting research on Africa and the African Diaspora. Housed in the Africana Research Center (ARC), this initiative is intended to foster a world-class community of early-career scholars. The mission of the ARC Postdoctoral Fellows Program is to support early career scholars and junior faculty in establishing themselves in the academy and the larger academic community. Scholars selected as fellows have opportunities to showcase their research and scholarship as well as to engage with noted scholars in their respective fields. Both contribute to the academic and cultural environments at PSU.
Program
The postdoctoral fellows program runs from August through June each year. Fellows are expected to be in residence and to be active in PSU’s community of scholars. During their residency, fellows have no teaching or administrative responsibilities. In addition to focusing on research and publications, fellows participate in monthly professional development seminars as well as writing for publication sessions. Each fellow is matched with a mentor—generally, a senior scholar in the field who understands the importance of supporting and nurturing junior scholars. The fellowship provides a salary of $47,000, plus health insurance and funds for research and moving expenses. Office space and a computer are also provided.
Eligibility
Applicants must conduct research that centers on or is related to Africa and the African Diaspora. Ideally, applicants will have been awarded the doctorate within the last five years or will earn the doctorate before the start of the fellowship year. Applications are accepted from all disciplines. However, as the ARC is housed in the College of the Liberal Arts (CLA), preference is afforded to applicants with research that aligns with the CLA departments. For a complete listing of CLA academic departments, please see: http://www.la.psu.edu/CLA-Main/departments.shtml.
Application Process
Applicants must submit the following: (1) a two or three-page cover letter that outlines goals for the fellowship year and describes how a black intellectual community has been important to your development as a scholar and how you envision incorporating that experience into your career; -(2) a current curriculum vita (6 page maximum); - (3) one writing sample (no more than 30 double-spaced pages in length); and (4) three letters of recommendation.
Letters of recommendation should be addressed to the attention of the Selection Committee and should be signed. Letters of recommendation can be uploaded at Submit an Application or emailed directly to africanacenter@la.psu.edu. If you prefer to mail the letter, it can be sent to Africana Research Center, 217 Willard Building, University Park, PA 16802.
Submission Process
All applications and letters of recommendation must be submitted online.
Online submissions will be accepted starting September 2009.
Applications. The cover letter, curriculum vita and writing sample must be saved and submitted as one (1) Adobe PDF file.
Letters of reference. Please ask references to save and submit their letters as Adobe PDF files. Each file name should be formatted as follows: applicantlastname-referencelastname.pdf (Example: Smith-Johnson.pdf).
Application Deadline
The application deadline for the 2010-2011 fellowship program is November 16, 2009. All applications must be electronically submitted. Applications received after November 16, 2009 will not be reviewed.
Selection Process
Applications will be evaluated by a committee of senior scholars. A select number of top-tier applicants will be invited to campus to participate in the Emerging Scholars Speaker Series (ESSS), which will take place in February 2010. Participation in this series affords selected applicants the opportunity to showcase their research and scholarship, engage with PSU scholars and administrators, and tour the campus. Postdoctoral fellows for the 2010-2011 academic year will be chosen from the ESSS participants.
Applicants selected to participate in the ESSS will be notified by December 12, 2009. Airfare and hotel accommodations will be arranged and funded by the ARC.
Notification of Fellowship Award
Notifications will be made during the week of March 1, 2010.
Questions about the program and application process should be directed to the ARC at 814-865-6482.
