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The National Center for Digital Government (NCDG) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is the pre-eminent research center in the United States to focus on information technology, institutions, and governance. NCDG’s mission is to build global research capacity, to advance practice, and to strengthen the network of researchers and practitioners engaged in building and using technology in government.

A key part of this mission is to bring together and train the next generation of social scientists, information scientists, and computer scientists on the governance challenges of the 21st century. NCDG, therefore, offers a limited number of doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships.

For information about NCDG's current fellows, click here.

FELLOWSHIP OPTIONS

1. Doctoral Residential Fellowship
2. Visiting Faculty Residential Fellowship/ Post-Doctoral Residential Fellowship

ELIGIBILITY

Doctoral Residential Fellowship

1. Applicants must have passed their general examinations
2. Applicants must have their dissertation proposal formalized prior to applying
3. Applicants must be able to write and speak in English
4. Applicants may come from a range of disciplines and fields bearing on information, technology, institutions, and governance
5. Applications from women, minorities, and international scholars are encouraged

Visiting Faculty Residential Fellowship

1. Applicants must hold a Ph.D.
2. Applicants must have a research proposal formalized prior to applying
3. Applicants must be able to write and speak in English
4. Applicants may come from a range of disciplines and fields bearing on information, technology, institutions, and governance
5. Applications from women, minorities, and international scholars are encouraged

REQUIREMENTS

• All Fellows are expected to devote some portion of their time to collaborative endeavors, as arranged by the appropriate program or project director.
• All Fellows are expected to take up residence in Amherst, Massachusetts or nearby towns/cities.
• All Fellows are expected take up their positions at the start of the University of Massachusetts Amherst fall semester (September).
• All Fellows are expected to contribute to the NCDG Seminar Series and/or Brown-Bag Lunch Series.
• All Fellows are expected to contribute to the NCDG Working Paper Series.
• Pre­doctoral fellows are expected to work on - and ideally complete - their doctoral dissertations.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Fellows are expected to find financial support through their own affiliated corporations, governmental agencies, foundations, nonprofit associations, etc.

RESOURCES

All Fellows will have access to office space and office supplies, computers with LAN and Internet connections, and access to University of Massachusetts Amherst's library and other facilities. For more information about the facilities available at the University please review the University’s website: www.umass.edu. Fellows are responsible for finding their own housing.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Interested applicants must send the following materials to NCDG:

1. A 3 to 5 page, double-spaced statement summarizing the dissertation prospectus or research proposal,
2. A curriculum vitae,
3. Three sealed letters of recommendation (not emails) attesting to the applicant’s scholarly promise and professional competence,
4. A short writing sample pertinent to the application,
5. A sealed graduate school transcript.

There is no physical application to fill out.

The applicant is responsible for collecting all materials, including sealed letters of recommendation and transcripts and submitting them as one packet to NCDG at the following address:

Jane Fountain, Director
ATTN: Fellowship Applications
National Center for Digital Government
Gordon Hall
University of Massachusetts Amherst
418 North Pleasant St
Amherst, MA 01002
USA

Emailed materials are not accepted, unless specifically indicated by the Director.

Materials submitted will not be returned to the applicant.

DEADLINES

Fellows are accepted on a rolling admissions basis, but applicants should aim to have their applications completed by no later than May of the year they wish to begin their fellowship. Please contact the Program Manager for more information.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Questions about the Fellowship Applications may be mailed to the address above or emailed to ncdg @ pubpol . umass . edu (remove spaces). Please do not email your applications to this address.