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Dissertation-Year Fellowships - 2004-2005

Most dissertation-year fellowships at Research I Universities, including our own, reward excellence in research alone. In this, the second offering of the Dissertation-Year Fellowship program described below, the University of Virginia Faculty Senate wishes to include not only excellence in scholarly achievement as a criterion, but also outstanding performance in teaching. As a research university, U.va. regards teaching as a key component in the scholarly agenda of its graduate students as well as its faculty. With a long tradition of excellence in teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate level, the University is committed to the idea that the best researchers can be, and often are, the best teachers. Ideally the two activities go hand in hand, and it is in this spirit that the Faculty Senate invites applications for the 2004-2005 Fellowships. Up to five fellowships will be awarded throughout the University. Applicants must be deemed by their departments to be doing important research pointing towards a productive scholarly career. They must also have established a strong teaching record, indicating their high promise as instructors. The fellowships will reward graduate students who have taught extraordinarily well at U.va. while maintaining a record of excellence in their disciplinary research. Each fellowship will consist of funding for the final year of doctoral work, of approximately $20,000 to include tuition, fees, ,health insurance, and stipend. These Fellowships are funded by the Provost's Office, the Curry School of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences.

Selection criteria

  • Applicants should be scholars who have demonstrated excellence in teaching and research.
  • The selection committee will carefully consider the following characteristics related to teaching within each applicant's dossier:
  • overall effectiveness as an instructor in lectures, discussions, studios, problem-solving sessions, laboratories, and/or mentoring
  • command of the subject area
  • skills in organizing, developing and presenting material in class or in other pedagogical venues
  • capacity to motivate and inspire students
  • The selection committee will carefully consider the following characteristics related to research within each applicant's dossier:
  • intellectual rigor of dissertation project
  • importance of dissertation work to the academic discipline
  • clarity of purpose as demonstrated in the abstract

Eligibility

  • Applicants must have completed all course requirements and entered candidacy for the doctorate.
  • Recipients are expected to complete their dissertation within one year of receiving this fellowship.

Applicants should submit the following information

  • A curriculum vitae (limited to two pages)
  • A draft of the dissertation abstract (limited to two pages)
  • A proposed schedule by which the dissertation is to be completed in 2004-2005.
  • A reflective statement on teaching (limited to two pages)
  • A summary of courses the applicant has taught, together with details about the context of the teaching (for example: discussion or lab sections for a larger lecture; independent section of a multi-section course; independently taught course)
  • Synthesis of student course evaluations, if appropriate; if no course evaluation information is available, please explain the situation for the committee.
  • No more than three letters of recommendation from faculty members:
  • a letter from the Departmental Chair or Director of Graduate Studies
  • a letter from a faculty member familiar with the applicant's teaching
  • a letter from the applicant's dissertation director

Each letter should be submitted in an original sealed envelope, with the faculty member's signature across the seal.

Deadline for fellowship applications for 2004-2005: March 1, 2004.

  • Send five (5) copies of applications, including letters of recommendation, in paper format to Frances Peyton, Secretary, Faculty Senate, Garrett Hall BO34, PO Box 400221, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904.
  • Questions about the application process should be directed to Stephen Macko, Department of Environmental Sciences, sam8f@virginia.edu
  • Decisions will be made by April 15, 2004.