PURPOSE

The College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Virginia established the Rising Scholars Postdoctoral Fellows Program in 2021.  It is part of the university’s ongoing commitment to diversify UVA programs, the professoriate, and the academic workforce in general. 

The  goal of fellowship is to provide a mentored professional development opportunity to train the next generation of scholars for future tenure-track positions -- at UVA or elsewhere. Postdoctoral Fellows selected under this program are appointed for two 12-month terms, contingent on annual review. They engage in scholarship, creative, research, teaching and professional development activities that align with their preparation to successful transition to a tenure-track position. The Rising Scholars Postdoctoral Fellows are funded by a University-wide Race, Place and Equity grant from the Mellon Foundation and UVA matching funds to advance research, creative practice, and teaching related to race, justice, and equity (RJE). Applicants  should specify a home department in the Arts & Humanities or Social Sciences and must work on RJE-related questions, specifically those in Black and Indigenous Studies of the United States.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT ​ 

Postdoctoral Fellows selected under this program will carry out transformative, cross-disciplinary research, develop a strong teaching portfolio, contribute to the understanding of the legacy of racial inequity using place-based methodologies for research or artistic expression, and strengthen existing initiatives that address RJE issues.  In addition to mentoring within departments, Fellows will join a university-wide cohort for additional career development programs and opportunities.    

With the aim of building professional research networks and community, Fellows may choose to connect with one of the many organizations at UVA working on issues of race and equity. Some examples include: The Equity Center, the Carter G. Woodson Institute for African-American and African Studies, the Native and Indigenous Relations Community, the Institute for Humanities and Global Cultures, the Democracy Initiative, the Memory Project, the Center for the Study of Race and Law, the Center for Race and Public Education in the South, Digital Humanities@UVA and Environmental Humanities at UVA. 

Postdoctoral Fellows funded under this program will be appointed for two years contingent on a successful annual review. These are 12-month residential appointments in a host department which will provide full research, teaching, and administrative support.  In addition to salary and benefits, the program will provide a research fund allocation for each Fellow.    

CONTACTS 

Applicants who seek additional information regarding this program are welcome to contact the department for their specific field of interest listed in the directory on this page, as well as Keisha John, Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion in Arts & Sciences; and Irtefa Binte-Farid ([email protected]), Associate Director for Community Development and Recruitment.