Summer Dissertation Writing Fellowships

What: Fellowship of $6000 for dissertation completion during summer 2022
Who: Current UCR ABD graduate students with humanities-related dissertation topics
When: July 1 – September 2022
Deadline to apply: March 21, 2022

Through a grant from the UC Humanities Consortium (UCHC), the Center for Ideas and Society will award two Summer Dissertation Writing Fellowships for the summer of 2022. The fellowship provides a $6000 summer stipend to advanced UCR graduate students in Ph.D. programs in the humanities who need dedicated time to complete their dissertation over the summer.

Fellows agree to attend a virtual convening of Humanities Graduate Fellows from across the UC system in Fall 2022 and to submit a short narrative report of their fellowship experience.

Submit the online application form and all required documentation by 11:59 pm on the deadline. Incomplete submissions will not be considered.

► Online application form

The online application will require:

  • Project title and abstract (250-word limit)
  • Outline of Dissertation Progress & Workplan: Overview of progress toward completion of your dissertation, including an outline of chapters, with notes on the sections planned for completion and a detailed writing plan for summer 2022.
  • Statement of Dissertation’s Significance and Contributions: Describe the significant or original contributions this project makes to the field of engagement (250 word limit)
  • Sample Chapter of the dissertation

Required Supporting Documentation

Applicants are responsible for requesting the following statements of support. Statements should be emailed by the writer to CISevents@ucr.edu by the application deadline.

  1. Evaluation and assessment (1-2 pages)  from your dissertation director that reviews your progress to date and the feasibility of the work proposed for summer 2022.
  2. Statement from your department’s staff or faculty graduate advisor that confirms your active student status, eligibility to receive summer funding through financial aid and that you have advanced to candidacy (ABD) at the time of application.

Applications will be evaluated by the CIS Advisory Committee based on demonstrated progress toward dissertation writing goals, with preference for those who could successfully complete their dissertation over the summer. Applicants must have active student status, be eligible to receive summer funding through financial aid and be advanced to candidacy (ABD) at the time of application.

Fellowships of $6000 each will be awarded to two CHASS graduate students, competitively selected from applicants to this call. Awards will be paid through financial aid and students are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to receive the award. Fellowships cannot be deferred or transferred.

Awardees agree to participate in a virtual convening of the UC Humanities Graduate Fellows Collaborative in Fall 2022. This meeting will be attended by Fellows from across the UC system and will feature a professionalization workshop.

A short narrative report on your fellowship is requested by December 15, 2022. Email reports to katharine.henshaw@ucr.edu.

The 1-2 page narrative should respond to the following prompts:

Writing: Assess your writing progress for the summer. For example, did you complete the work planned for your dissertation? Did you produce other types of writing (draft articles, grant applications, etc)? Overall, was the time effective to help you regain momentum? If you have published any writing that you worked on last summer, please share the details here.

Engagement: How did you stay connected to your research support network over the summer? Were there forms of support that would have been helpful, if they had been available?

Fall 2022 UC Grad Student Collaborative Meeting: What was your experience at the fall workshop convened by UC Santa Barbara? What tips or information did you learn (if any) that have “stuck with you”?

Future: What is next for you (in your program, project, world)?

In papers, conference presentations, or other methods of sharing the results of your project, please acknowledge the support of the Center for Ideas and Society.

From time to time, we may share your name, project title, and/or portions of your narrative report on our website or other reports and promotional materials. Doing so serves our mission by sharing the research of our college with the wider public and helps us emphasize the importance and relevance of humanities-focused projects.

For questions, please contact Katharine Henshaw at katharine.henshaw@ucr.edu.