ISRDI Diversity Program
See this call for proposals as a PDF.
We are seeking MPC and LCC faculty members and ISRDI research staff members to co-lead research projects and serve as mentors for the ISRDI Summer Diversity Fellowship Program. This program recruits University of Minnesota undergraduate and graduate students from historically underrepresented groups (including, but not limited to, African Americans, American Indians, Hispanic/Latinx Americans, Asian Americans, first generation college students, women-identified folx in tech fields, LGBTQ folx, and folx with disabilities)* to work on research projects. Each project will involve a collaboration between two researchers (faculty and/or ISRDI research staff) and two Diversity Fellows (one graduate student and one undergraduate student). The Diversity Fellowships run 10 weeks from June 5 to August 11, culminating in a presentation of the research project on the final day. At this time, we anticipate running the 2023 Diversity Fellowship Program in a hybrid format; mentors should be prepared to be available in-person on campus throughout the ten-week program period.
Program Benefits: We are looking for proposals for projects that would benefit our fellows and the faculty and staff mentors. For selected projects, ISRDI covers the cost of the fellowships (the students’ stipends), and, in return, the faculty and staff members provide mentorship to the Fellows. ISRDI Diversity Leadership will promote, recruit, and assist with interviewing potential students. The program provides professional and multi-cultural development opportunities for each student.
Mentoring Requirements: Mentors must be available for regular meetings with their team during the summer and occasional mentor cohort meetings starting in May. Mentors should also be available for their team’s research presentation at the ISRDI Diversity Fellows Colloquia on August 11.
Proposal Requirements: Proposals should not exceed two pages in length and should include a research project description, a description of the expected role/workload for the student fellows (20 hours/week), a one-paragraph mentoring plan, and a one-paragraph diversity statement. We strongly encourage proposals with a research staff and faculty mentor team. Faculty, if you have a research staff co-mentor in mind, please reach out to them and involve them in the proposal stage. Research staff, if you have a faculty co-mentor in mind, please reach out to them and involve them in the proposal stage. If you’d like help identifying a co-mentor, please reach out to Gina Rumore ([email protected]) well in advance of the proposal deadline.
All proposals must be received by 12:00N on Tuesday, January 17, 2023. ISRDI Diversity Fellowship Leadership will select projects for the Diversity Fellowship Program by early February and begin promoting the Fellowships and accepting student applications in mid-February. We handle the initial screening of student applicants, and you to take part in the final selection for your project.
For more information on the Diversity Fellowship Program and to see examples of past faculty-led Diversity Fellowship projects, visit the Diversity at ISRDI webpage at https://isrdi.umn.edu/diversity-fellowship-program.
Selection Criteria: Projects will be reviewed based on intellectual merit, appropriate fit for the 10-week timeframe, and mentorship plans. Preference will be given to early career faculty members (before tenure), to mentors from underrepresented communities, to first time Diversity Fellowship mentors, and to projects using IPUMS data.
Who Can Apply: Any MPC or LCC faculty or research staff member
Due Date: 12:00N Tuesday, January 17, 2023
Proposal Length: One to two pages, one-inch margins, minimum size 11 font
Program Dates: 10 weeks, starting in early June 2023 (undergraduate program June 20)
For more information, please contact Alex Lunde at [email protected] or Gina Rumore at [email protected].
*Non-US citizens are welcome to apply. All participants must have the eligibility to work in the US during the summer.