The Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Study awards 10-15 Faculty Fellowships annually to researchers whose work addresses the Institute’s yearly Research Theme.

During the 2021-2022 academic year, the NDIAS is sponsoring residential research projects that will deepen our understanding of Resilience. This project brings together humanists, scientists, social scientists, legal scholars, and artists to consider how organisms, people, species, and social structures adapt or fail to adapt to novel challenges and the ethical implications of such adaptation.

The deadline for applications for Faculty Fellowships on Resilience is 11:59 p.m. (EST) on Monday, October 5, 2020. The coronavirus pandemic has not affected our plan to offer fellowships in 2021-2022.

(The application period for 2020-2021 Fellowships on the Nature of Trust is now closed.)

Faculty Fellowship Online Application

Research Support

Faculty Fellows typically receive up to half their salary per academic year (up to $75,000), subsidized housing (for those who currently reside outside of the South Bend area), a research allowance of up to $500 per semester, and a private office at the NDIAS. Fellows' home institutions ordinarily provide the remainder of their salaries as well as all benefits, including health insurance.

The NDIAS also has a cohort of undergraduate research fellows available to work with Faculty Fellows on their projects, if desired. For more on this program, see ndias.nd.edu/undergraduates.

Eligibility

Faculty Fellowships are open to scholars, scientists, social scientists, and artists in all disciplines who are conducting research on Resilience. Faculty Fellows typically have a faculty appointment at their home institution, but these fellowships are also open to independent researchers, postdoctoral scholars, and those who have recently received their Ph.D. (or equivalent) degree.

Scholars from other institutions, researchers at national laboratories, fellows from other institutes, as well as faculty from Notre Dame, are invited to apply.

Current graduate students are eligible to apply only if they will receive their terminal degree by August 1, 2021. 

One goal of the fellowship selection process is the creation of a diverse and collaborative community of scholars with a range of disciplines and academic ranks. Applicants who are members of traditionally under-represented groups are encouraged to apply. There are no citizenship requirements for fellowships: non-U.S. nationals are welcome to apply.

Some preference is given to those who can join the NDIAS for the entire academic year (August - May), but fellowships for shorter periods of time may be possible.

Fellowship Expectations

Fellows are expected to be free of their regular commitments and to have their primary office at the Institute so they may devote themselves full time to the work outlined in their research proposal and participate fully in the engaging and cooperative community of scholars at the Institute.

All NDIAS Fellows are expected to reside in the South Bend area and to remain in residence at the University of Notre Dame during the period of their fellowship (except for vacation periods, holidays, and University breaks). To facilitate productivity and collaboration, Fellows attend weekly seminars, present their research twice during these seminars, and attend NDIAS retreats, communications workshops and other special events.

During the 2021-2022 academic year, our presumption is that our Faculty Fellowship program will remain a residential program (with scholars residing on campus at the University of Notre Dame), pending University health and safety regulations.

Application Requirements

Applications for Faculty Fellowships must be submitted through Interfolio and should include the following: 

1. Completed online application form;
2. Cover letter;
3. Curriculum vitae (no more than four pages, single-spaced);
4. Proposal abstract (no more than 400 words);
5. Fellowship research proposal (no more than six pages double-spaced, not including the works cited or bibliography page);
6. Two letters of reference (though applicants are welcome to submit up to three). Please see FAQ document for common questions about reference letters;
7. One writing sample (from applicants who have completed doctoral or other terminal degrees within the past five years);
8. (Optional) up to two pages of non-text materials supporting the research proposal.

In the research proposal, applicants should provide an explanation of the project they intend to pursue at the NDIAS, including:

1. How the proposed research aligns with the mission of the Institute (see ndias.nd.edu/about);
2. Preliminary objectives for the research to be conducted (this section should include an overview of the project, intended results—such as whether the research might result in a book, refereed journal article, art work, etc.—and the expected audience);
3. The proposed work plan (including what research or work has already been accomplished, what will be done during the fellowship period, the methodology to be employed, and the organization of the scholarly project, book, or other work expected from research conducted during the fellowship).

Research proposals may include a works cited or bibliography page, which does not count toward the 6-page limit.

Because our application reviewers are scholars from a wide range of disciplines, applicants should ensure that the significance and originality of their project and explanations of relevant methodologies and project objectives are stated clearly for specialists outside of the applicant’s field.

Faculty Fellowship Online Application

All 2021-2022 NDIAS Faculty Fellowship applications, including letters of reference and supporting documentation, must be received by 11:59 p.m. (EST) on Monday, October 5, 2020.

If you have questions about the the application process for our Faculty Fellowships, please visit our FAQ page. Additional questions may be directed to Kristian Olsen, NDIAS Fellowships Program Manager, at kolsen1@nd.edu.