Summer Public Research Fellowships from ERI & PS2
Deadline
February 10, 2026
at 5:00 PM
Deadline for Applications: Tuesday, February 10, 2026, 5pm
Eligibility: CUNY Graduate Center Ph.D. students from any program conducting research whose main question is driven by public needs and priorities.
Questions: Email PS2 faculty advisor Prithi Kanakamedala [email protected]
The Early Research Initiative and the Public Scholarship Practice Space (PS2) at the Center for the Humanities invite applications for research fellowships for Summer 2026. These $4,000 fellowships will be offered to Graduate Center Ph.D. students from any program conducting research whose main question is driven by public needs and priorities. Students must be registered in Spring 2026 to receive the funding.
The primary responsibilities of the award winners will be:
- to produce original research––including but not limited to a dissertation proposal or
chapter––by the end of Fall 2026.
Fellowship recipients will also be required:
- to produce a reflective 300 – 400 word blog post for Distributaries on the Center’s
website by September 2026, - and attend our semesterly Sip n Chat celebration.
Successful proposals will incorporate the following in a proposal no longer than 1000 words:
- Clear articulation of who the project’s public or publics are, what your connection to the public(s) is, how the research will reach them, and how it will be used,
- Thoughtful discussion of the theory, method, and ethics of research behind the project,
- Brief account of how this project relates to your progress in your program
Please note if the grant will be used to acquire a new skill or new area of knowledge that will advance your research.
Priority will be given to projects with clearly identified community partners.
HOW TO APPLY:
1) Send a project proposal (no longer than 1000 words) that addresses the above points, a c.v., a current Graduate Center transcript (students may submit the unofficial student copy that can be printed from CUNYfirst), and
2) send a letter of support from your primary advisor.
Instructions for submitting your application:
1) Please combine the above materials (except for the letter of recommendation) into a SINGLE file (either as a pdf document or a word document). Use the following format when naming your document: Last Name, First Name, Program
2) Email your file directly to [email protected]. Please use your Graduate Center email address when sending the file.
Instructions for faculty recommenders:
1) Prepare your reference letter as a regular word or pdf document
2) Please use the following format when naming your document: Student Last Name, First Name
3) Email your file directly to [email protected]. Please put “public research” in the subject line of the email
