Fellowship for Junior faculty - 2011 Demographic and Health Surveys

ICF Macro is seeking applications from junior faculty in demography, public health, economics, sociology, geography, and other social sciences at universities in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda to participate in the 2011 Demographic and Health Surveys Short-term Fellows Program for Junior Faculty. Since 1984, the Demographic and Health Surveys project has been providing accurate, nationally representative data on population, health, and nutrition for the developing world. The program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the MEASURE DHS contract.

Fellows selected for the program will be expected to complete a publishable-quality manuscript on policy-relevant questions related to one or more of the following topic areas: fertility; mortality; family planning; reproductive, maternal or child health; gender; HIV/AIDS; malaria; and/or nutrition using data collected in the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) or Service Provision Assessment (SPA) Surveys in one or more countries. Fellows will work at their home institutions but must be available to attend two workshops organized by ICF Macro, one at the beginning and one toward the end of the program (see schedule below). Manuscripts that meet the required standards will be published by ICF Macro in their Working Paper series. Fellows will be encouraged to submit their completed papers to a peer-reviewed journal for publication. The language for the program is English.
Candidates are invited to submit a brief research proposal (3-4 pages), clearly outlining the research question(s), scope of analysis, how DHS or SPA data will be used to answer these questions, and potential policy significance of their proposed study. Applications must be accompanied by:
a brief personal statement that includes information on the courses the applicant is teaching, research areas she/he plans to explore in the next five years, and prior experience with DHS data, if any; a curriculum vitae including list of publications, if any, and information on experience in using statistical analysis software such as SPSS, STATA, or SAS; names and contact information for three references; and proof of status as current university faculty and duration of employment. Once selected, candidates will need to provide evidence, such as a letter of approval from their department chairperson, that the university/department is agreeable for them to participate and successfully complete the fellowship program including participating in both ICF Macro organized workshops.
The program for 2011 will select 12 applicants for the fellowship based on the merits of their research proposal and on an assessment of the potential for growth of the applicant from an evaluation of all accompanying materials. Preference will be given to junior faculty—those who have completed five or fewer years in the faculty position.

Applications are due no later than March 15, 2011. The following is the expected timeline for the program:
May 1, 2011 Selected candidates notified.
June 15, 2011 Fellows submit a detailed outline and analysis plan for their study.
July, 2011 Two-week workshop organized by ICF Macro in Kenya to work with Fellows to prepare data sets, learn about weights, create variables, and start data analysis.
July-October, 2011 Fellows conduct analysis at their home institutions and send, at specified intervals, their completed tabulations and first complete draft of their paper for review by the expert team assigned to them.
October/November 2011 Workshop at ICF Macro, Calverton, Maryland, USA, for fellows to finalize their paper for publication. Fellows will also be required to prepare and make brief presentations of their research.
Each selected fellow will be awarded a $5,000 stipend to cover his/her research expenses, which will be paid in three installments, upon submission of a detailed analysis plan, after completion of the first complete draft manuscript, and after satisfactory completion of final revised manuscript. In addition, ICF Macro will cover travel, lodging, and per diem expenses for each fellow to attend the workshops.
Please send applications to Dr. Sunita Kishor, Director of Research (Acting), International Research and Development Division, ICF Macro, 11785 Beltsville Drive, Suite 300, Calverton, MD 20705, USA. Email: skishor@icfi.com with a copy to swang@icfi.com; Tel: +1 301-572-0200; Fax: +1 301-572-0999. For information on Demographic and Health Surveys and Service Provision Assessment Surveys, visit www.measuredhs.com.