Provides up to $4,000 to Ph.D. students in support of projects that develop academic expertise that crosses traditional disciplinary, geographic, and temporal boundaries. Examples of projects for submission would include, but are not limited to, acquisition of a second language or other skills, research trips exploring opportunities in Asia, work in new modes of inquiry into the region and its problems, and internships. Priority will be given to students whose projects that take them to East Asia, assist in the development of a student’s dissertation through field or archival work or the acquisition of new skills, are undertaken during the first and second years of a student’s matriculation at Columbia (and up to third year in the case of students entering without a master’s degree), or link to WEAI projects that promote collaboration with scholars and institutions in the region.
- Purpose:
- Funds summer projects focused on East Asia
- Provides:
- Up to $4,000
- Approximately 20 awards per summer
- Eligibility:
- Ph.D. students
- Summer projects focused on East Asia
- Projects that develop academic and/or professional expertise that cross traditional disciplinary, geographic, or temporal boundaries, and/or combines regional and functional expertise.
- Examples of projects include research trips, unpaid internships, and summer acquisition of a second language in the region.
- Students seeking funding for an unpaid internship may apply for the grant even if they have not yet secured an internship; however, any grant offer would be contingent upon confirmation of the internship. If arrangements with a potential organization are at an advanced stage at the time of the application deadline, students are encouraged to provide relevant documentation (email correspondence, letter from the potential host organization, etc.) with the rest of their application materials.
- Preference given to applicants whose projects:
- Take them to East Asia and/or Southeast Asia
- Assist in the development of a student’s dissertation through field or archival work or the acquisition of new skills
- Are undertaken during the first and second years of a student’s matriculation at Columbia, and up to the third year for students entering without a masters degree
- Link to WEAI projects that promote collaboration with scholars and institutions in the region
- Priority is given to students who have not secured multiple years of funding.
- Recipients of the award must report to the Weatherhead East Asian Institute any additional funds, such as another grant, that they receive in support of the same activities. The total amount of funding received for the project must not exceed the limits dictated by the student’s school. Should a student receive multiple sources of funding for the same project, the WEAI will adjust or withdraw the amount granted to the student so as to remain below the cap dictated by the student’s school.
Application Procedures
Students may submit an online fellowship application at http://weai.smapply.io. This fellowship requires the following:
– Application Form
– Project Proposal
– CV
– Official Columbia University Transcript
– No Letter of Recommendation is Required for this Fellowship
