Starting this January, four travel grants of $1500 each will be awarded to MIIS students conducting research on social change in Africa. The research can be either independent or part of established immersive learning programs such as IPSS, DPMI+ or Frontier Market Scouts. The research must be conducted in Africa for a duration of 3-4 months or more.
To receive this grant students must submit a research design that focuses on a social condition in Africa of the applicant’s choosing; e.g., poverty, environment, crime, armed violence, gender equality, conflict, disease, education, refugees, etc., with the goal of making policy/program recommendations that can change that condition.
The application must include the following elements:
- Dates of research
- Location of research, to include a letter of support from an organization which is hosting or assisting you with your project.
- A two page statement that includes a complete research design, to include a preliminary literature review that shows a need for this research, the who, what, where, and how of the project, and its potential impact on the social condition.
- A description of the deliverable and date of presentation.
Applications must be received between now and 15 January. A committee of faculty judges will evaluate all applications and determine the four recipients of the award by 20 January. Awards will be given as reimbursement for travel to Africa. If you have any questions or wish to discuss the eligibility of your planned research for this award, please make an appointment with Professor Ed Laurance at elaurance@miis.edu. He can also be reached at 831-402-2631.
These awards are made possible by a continuing donation from the family of Sarah Meek, a MIIS alum of 1996 whose life was cut short while working to improve social conditions in Africa.