As part of an ongoing commitment to diversifying our programs, the professoriate and the research workforce, the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Virginia solicits applications to the Rising Scholars Postdoctoral Fellows Program.  This program seeks to recruit postdoctoral scholars who have the potential to assume a tenure-track faculty position and who would benefit from a mentored professional development opportunity.   

There are two components to this program:  

• The Rising Scholars Postdoctoral Fellows Program is intended to support under-represented scholars in any field; applicants in STEM fields are particularly encouraged to apply. 

• The Rising Scholars Postdoctoral Fellows in the Arts and Humanities and Social Sciences 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 to the Mellon-funded component should specify a home department in the Arts and Humanities or Social Sciences and they must work on RJE-related questions.  

Professional Development ​

The goal of this program 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 will be appointed for two years (subject to annual review) and will carry out research, teaching and professional development activities directed toward securing a tenure-track position.  The Fellows funded through the Mellon grant will carry out transformative, cross-disciplinary research; contribute to the understanding of the legacy of racial inequity; and strengthen existing initiatives that address RJE issues. In addition to mentoring within the departments, the Fellows will join a university-wide cohort for additional career development programs and opportunities.   

Teaching is an important part of preparation for a faculty position, and the appropriate amount of teaching varies with discipline. During the two-year appointment, fellows in the Arts and Humanities and the Social Sciences will participate in course development training and mentoring during their first semester and teach one independent course in each of the following three semesters. In the Sciences, the training and mentoring would lead to an expectation of one independent course per year. Different types of teaching opportunities may be available, and the specific course content will be consistent with the Fellow’s interests and expertise.   

With the aim of building professional research networks and community, Fellows are encouraged to engage and interact with one (or more) of UVA’s many research centers and networks while in residence at UVA. Some examples include: The Equity Center, the Carter G. Woodson Institute for African-American and African Studies, IndigenousStudies@UVA, 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 Fellow Support​

Postdoctoral Fellows funded under this program will be appointed for two years contingent on a successful annual review. These are 12-month 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.   

For more information click "LINK TO ORIGINAL" below.