Graduate Student Grants

Graduate Student Conference Travel Award

Buffett Center Conference Travel Awards fund Northwestern PhD students working on international and comparative topics to attend a professional conference in their field. The maximum award is $300 and students are limited to one conference travel award per academic year. Applicants should submit proposals by email to Brian Hanson bhanson@northwestern.edu providing the conference name, location, and date, the student’s role at the conference (i.e. paper presenter, discussant, chair, etc.), and an estimated budget. Students should also indicate whether they have applied for or received any additional funding to attend this conference. Applicants are typically notified within two weeks of their submission.

Graduate Student Summer Research Award

Buffett Center Graduate Student Summer Research Awards provide summer funding for fieldwork outside the United States for Northwestern doctoral students writing dissertations on comparative and international topics relevant to important contemporary political, economic and social issues. The maximum award is $2500.

All Northwestern University PhD students at any stage in their dissertation research are eligible to apply. Applications from students conducting exploratory thesis research are particularly encouraged. These awards may not be used for language study programs, expenses in the United States, special equipment such as tape recorders, or fees for transcription or translation. Awards are normally granted for work during the summer, but exceptions can be made if warranted.

All applicants are expected to concurrently seek research support from other sources. Applicants who have previously received a Summer Research Travel Grant must also demonstrate that they have applied for funding from a source outside of Northwestern.

Regular participants in the Buffett Center Graduate Student Colloquium series with strong proposals will receive preference in Buffett Center grant competitions. To learn more about this series, see www.bcics.northwestern.edu/groups/graduatecolloquium.

The application deadline is FEBRUARY 20, 2009.

Applicants should submit:

1. APPLICATION FORM
2. a 2-3 page, single-spaced, proposal letter, which provides a brief description of the thesis project, an account of proposed summer activities, and an explanation of how those activities will contribute the thesis research
3. an estimated budget and a statement about other funding sources that are being sought and for what amount; and
4. one letter of recommendation written by an advisor/mentor

Please send your application to Buffett Center, 1902 Sheridan Road, and mark your envelope to the attention of Buffett Center Graduate Student Summer Research Grants. Faculty letters of recommendation may be submitted separately to the same address or emailed by the recommender directly to Buffett Center Associate Director Brian Hanson bhanson@northwestern.edu.

Notification of funding decisions is expected around April 1st.

Crown Family Middle East Research Travel Award

The Buffett Center for International and Comparative Studies, with generous support from Crown family, announces a competition for research travel awards for research projects in the Middle East. Research proposals for individual and group projects are invited in all disciplines of the humanities and social sciences. Proposals indicating collaboration with institutions and colleagues in the Middle East will be given priority.

Proposal narrative and budget: (Not to exceed 3 single-spaced pages)
Proposals should provide a concise description of the research, scholarship or creative activity, including:

1. Statement of nature, objectives, and expected outcome of proposed research/creative activity;
2. Description of the significance of proposed research/creative activity
3. Plans for accomplishing objectives
4. Itemized budget
5. Graduate students and undergraduates should submit a letter of recommendation from a faculty member.

Award Information: The number and distribution of funded projects will be determined by the number of proposals received and the funding requested by applicants.  All awards will be made as scholarship awards and will be paid out through the Universities payroll system.

Deadline: Applications are accepted both for a fixed deadline and on a rolling basis.  Deadline for applications for the fixed deadline awards is March 1.  In addition, funds will be reserved for applications submitted on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Selection Process and Notification: Awards will be decided by a committee organized by the Buffett Center. Award notifications will typically be made by April 1 for the fixed deadline, and  4-6 weeks after submission for the rolling

Please submit proposals electronically to Brian Hanson (bhanson@northwestern.edu).