The Africana Research Center (ARC) provides monetary support for scholars whose primary research centers on the African Diaspora. Our mission is to encourage and support research and scholarship that enhances the lives of African people across the Diaspora, and serves as a catalyst for promoting an enabling environment where cultural production and discourse on diversity can be nurtured to advance the research, teaching, and outreach mission of Penn State. We strongly encourage the development of interdisciplinary work.
Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
In the fall of 2005, Penn State initiated a postdoctoral Fellowship program for scholars conducting research on Africa and the African Diaspora. Housed in the Africana Research Center (ARC), this initiative is intended to foster a world-class community of early career scholars. Scholars selected as Fellows have opportunities to showcase their research and scholarship as well as to engage with noted scholars in their respective fields. Both contribute to the academic and cultural environments at PSU.
Program
The program runs from July through June each year, with a two-year option. The ARC matches each Fellow with a senior faculty mentor who provides guidance and support throughout the Fellowship year. Fellows are expected to be in residence and to be active in PSU’s community of scholars; however, they are not assigned teaching or administrative responsibilities during their residencies. Fellows take part in a series of professional development seminars as well as writing-for-publication sessions. The Fellowship provides a salary of $56,484, plus health insurance and funds for research and moving expenses. The hosting department also provides office space and a computer.
The ARC is now accepting fellowship applications via PSU careers: https://hr.psu.edu/careers; REQ_0000048865 Postdoctoral Scholar, Africana Research Center.
Eligibility
Applicants must conduct research that centers on or is related to Africa and the African Diaspora. Ideally, applicants will have been awarded the doctorate within the past five years or will earn the doctorate before the start of the Fellowship year. Applications are accepted from all disciplines; however, as the ARC is housed in the College of the Liberal Arts (CLA), preference is afforded to applicants with research that aligns with the CLA departments. For a complete listing of CLA academic departments, please see: Academic Departments in Liberal Arts
Selection Process
Applications will be evaluated by a committee composed of the ARC Director and other Penn State faculty. Up to six candidates will be invited to campus to participate in the Emerging Scholars Speaker Series (ESSS), during which they will showcase their research and meet with faculty and administrators. The next ESSS event takes place in February-March 2024. Two fellows will be chosen from among the ESSS participants for the academic year in April.
Notification of Fellowship Award
Notifications will be made in early April of 2024.
Dissertation Fellows Program
The Dissertation Fellows Program is for graduate students who have passed their comprehensive examinations. The program partners with centers like the ARC to provide students $1,500 in research funds. If selected, scholars will be affiliated with the ARC. Scholars will have opportunities to take part in or plan some of its activities, share common experiences with others affiliated with the ARC, and share work-in-progress with faculty and other graduate students. Those wishing to apply should have research that centers on or furthers the ARC’s mission.
For complete College of the Liberal Arts requirements, please visit: https://la.psu.edu/graduate-students/graduate-funding/.
Applicants should send one copy of application materials, as a pdf, to:
Sinfree Makoni (sbm12@psu.edu)
The ARC interim director, together with a committee, will make the selections. Notification will be made by December 1.
Note: Because we are part of the College of Liberal Arts and the Humanities umbrella, we only consider candidates outside that umbrella if we receive no viable Humanities candidates. Please check back after the deadline if you are outside of the College of the Liberal Arts and are interested in applying for a fellowship. Applicants must be ABD and already receiving dissertation support through their College, which this award would supplement.
Research Grants - now accepting proposals!
The Africana Research Center (ARC) provides monetary support for scholars whose primary research centers on the African Diaspora. Our mission is to encourage and support research and scholarship that enhances the lives of African people across the Diaspora, and serves as a catalyst for promoting an enabling environment where cultural production and discourse on diversity can be nurtured to advance the research, teaching, and outreach mission of Penn State. We strongly encourage the development of interdisciplinary work.
