Afro-Am PhD Student Karl Lyn Awarded Esteemed NSF’s Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant

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Karl Lyn, doctoral candidate in the W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies, has been awarded a $25,000 Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant within the Cultural Anthropology Program from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).  

This prestigious recognition is based on the intellectual merit and broader impact of Lyn’s research proposal, "Citizenship in the City: Everyday Possibilities and Constraints of Black Political Agency in South Central Los Angeles."  

"I feel fortunate that my dissertation project has garnered recognition from the National Science Foundation. It is a testament to the value of community-based research, specifically in exploring what it means to exercise citizenship in the face of escalating inequality," says Lyn. “The grant funds will enable me to delve deeper into this question, exploring new possibilities for political agency within and beyond American cities. This grant signifies more than a financial investment in my research; it reflects a broader commitment and need to support scholarly efforts that center the voices and experiences of historically marginalized communities. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to amplify my research through this grant, and I look forward to the journey ahead."  

“The W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies is incredibly proud of this amazing achievement. Karl represents the best principles of our department: hard work, dedication, and a commitment to uplifting the voices and perspectives of Black communities,” says Department Chair and Professor Yolanda Covington-Ward, PhD. “He truly embodies the values of our namesake, activist and scholar Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois. We look forward to seeing the results of this groundbreaking research.” 

The NSF's Cultural Anthropology Doctoral Dissertation Grant program supports doctoral research aimed at understanding the causes, consequences, and complexities of human social and cultural variability. In addition to its financial provision, the grant will also offer Lyn financial support and access to a network of fellow awardees. 

Lyn earned a bachelor’s degree in Africana Studies and Education from Dickinson College and holds a Master of Education from UMass Amherst. His recently published peer-reviewed article, “Negotiating African American Language, Identity, and Culture in the Urban Classroom,” released in the Journal of Black Studies, examines critical factors that advantage and disadvantage Black students in urban schools, and provides a pedagogical framework for supporting Black students’ academic success and positive identity development.  

Previously, Lyn was selected as one of 90 outstanding scholars to be named a 2023 Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellow by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. 

He is also the author of many other articles and book chapters, including a book chapter entitled “The Culture Wins: Continuing Black Cultural Traditions through Verzuz,” in Niya Pickett Miller’s anthology, “Sustaining Black Music and Culture during COVID-19: #Verzuz and Club Quarantine.”