The Penn Development Research Initiative (PDRI) is committed to building capacity for rigorous research on pressing policy challenges facing low- and middle-income countries, by providing training and research opportunities for emerging researchers.
In service of this mission, UPenn PDRI-DevLab is inviting researchers from Sub-Saharan Africa interested in deepening their skills in quantitative social science, developing collaborative research projects, and building their academic networks, to apply for a semester-long fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, to be completed during the 2023 Fall semester (September – December 2023). This fellowship is being implemented with technical assistance from the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA).
Eligibility criteria:
Applicants to the PDRI-DevLab Visiting Fellowship must:
- Be a national of a Sub-Saharan African country (following the World Bank regional classification for Sub-Saharan Africa) and be fluent in English
- Have completed a PhD within the last 8 years, or be enrolled in a PhD program in political science, economics, statistics, sociology, education, epidemiology/public health, or another social science discipline;
- Have a current affiliation with a research institution, university or other research organization in Sub-Saharan Africa, preferably one that supports policy-relevant, quantitative social science research;
- Plan to return to a research institute in Sub-Saharan Africa after the fellowship.
Female applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.
Please direct any questions about eligibility or any other issues to our staff team at pdri-info@sas.upenn.edu.
Number of fellowship slots: A total of three fellows will be accepted for the 2023 fall semester. These are available for fellows meeting the above eligibility criteria.
Method of Application
To respond to this RFA, please submit the following information and documents through this Jotform link by December 13, at 23:59 ET:
- Personal Statement (1 page): Please describe your personal motivations for applying to the PDRI Visiting Fellowship–why are you particularly interested in this program? What do you hope to accomplish during the semester and beyond?
- Curriculum Vitae/Resume
- Research Proposal: Not to exceed 2 pages. Refer to Appendix “Instructions for Research Proposal” below. During the fellowship, you should work on the proposal you have submitted, unless you decide to change it (with agreement from PDRI staff and your mentor).
- Evidence of Leave Approval from the applicant’s supervisor or department chair demonstrating support and certifying that, if the applicant is selected, he/she will be able to take a 3-4-month leave of absence.
- Transcript of any coursework completed within at least the last 5 years (i.e. your scores or grades from university courses). Scanned copies are acceptable.
- Names of two references: Please provide names and affiliations for two individuals (senior colleagues, professors, supervisors) who can speak to your research capacity, quantitative skills, and qualifications for the PDRI fellowship.
- OPTIONAL: You may attach one working paper or publication.
Application Deadline: December 13, 2022
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