Providing the time and space for ambitious research projects.
“A CCSS fellowship offers exactly what junior faculty need most: time, space, resources, and community. The support and investment in the fellows made it easy to be productive and creative. Being at CCSS is easily one of the most valuable experiences I’ve had at Cornell.”
-Jane Mendle, Associate Professor, Psychology and 2015–16 Faculty Fellow
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Deans are asked to nominate their most promising faculty in the social sciences. In the past, Deans’ offices have often worked with department Chairs to identify viable candidates and to create the nomination files. Candidates may also speak to their Chairs and/or Deans to request to be nominated. CCSS does not limit the number of nominations a college submits, though the total number of fellows is limited.
The process and internal timelines for considering faculty for nomination and compiling files vary by college. As a result, it is best practice for Chairs and candidates to be in touch with their Dean or appropriate Associate Dean early in the search process.
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Roughly 10-12 fellows will be selected for the program. The applications will be reviewed by the CCSS Director and a review committee. Selection will be based on the following criteria: quality of scholarly publications; level of productivity; creativity and intellectual merit of the applicant’s work; the current impact of the work; and the potential for future significant contribution to the field. The selection process will also take into account the diversity, on many dimensions, of the fellows’ cohort. We hope to share decisions with the Deans by early February.
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- The CCSS Faculty Fellows program is a year-long fellowship with one semester in- residence at the CCSS.
- Fellows are expected to spend the majority of their time working on a chosen research project during their residency.
- Fellows are expected to be granted one-half year of teaching release by their Deans and Chairs to coincide with their residency semester.
- Fellows are also excused from heavy administrative responsibilities for their residency semester.
- Fellows attend regular meetings during the entire academic year of the fellowship, where they discuss each other’s research, professional development topics, and current themes and new directions in the social sciences.
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- The primary purpose of the CCSS Faculty Fellows Program is to nurture the careers of Cornell University’s most promising faculty members in the social sciences.
- The goal is to provide time and space for high-impact social scientific scholarship with the potential to result in the completion of ambitious projects.
- The program is also designed to create an environment of intellectual exchange and an appreciation for interdisciplinary scholarship.
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- Fellows can each request research funds up to $8,500 to be used for expenditures directly related to the research and scholarly activities proposed in their applications.
- Fellows will also receive $500 per year for three years following the fellowship to compensate them for reporting on their results and progress.
- CCSS will provide $10,000 to the primary department or primary college of the Fellow, depending on the practice of the Fellow’s college/school, to partially offset costs associated with course release.
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How are fellowship funds disbursed?
The CCSS transfers fellowship funds to a new account in the Fellow’s department. Please work with your departmental finance liaison to access your funds. Please note that CCSS Fellowship funds are subject to the same restrictions as any other university spending. During your account term, the University may restrict some expenditures, such as travel. Please work with your finance manager to ensure your expenditures are in line with evolving policy. For reference, see here.
What do I do if my project budget needs to be reallocated after I receive my award?
At any point after funding, Fellows need CCSS approval to reallocate more than 25% of the funds in the original budget. Please contact Amanda King to request a budget review and provide a brief explanation for the change, updates in the relevant areas: a revised research plan (2-5 sentences), a simple revised budget, a revised timeline, and a revised project title.
How do I request an extension on my funds?
Fellowship awards have a roughly 2-year term. Funds not used by the term date will be returned to the pool of funds that the CCSS uses to award grants unless an extension is requested and granted. You may request an extension by using this Qualtrics form.
What are the reporting requirements for the fellowship?
Every year for three years after the completion of the fellowship, each Fellow is asked to provide an updated 45-word impact statement and brief information regarding research progress, outcomes, and disposition of awarded funds. After completion of each report, the CCSS will transfer $500 to the Fellow as thanks for participating in reporting.
When Fellows publish research supported by the CCSS Fellowship, CCSS should be acknowledged using the phrase, “This research was supported by a Cornell Center for Social Science Faculty Fellowship.”
What is the CCSS Data Archiving and Replication Policy that all Fellows must adhere to?
The CCSS Data Archiving and Replication Policy can be found here.
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Please contact Amanda King, Program Coordinator, with questions about the CCSS Fellows Program.
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Did your research benefit from a Cornell Center for Social Sciences Faculty Fellowship?
Please acknowledge CCSS with the following language when publicizing or presenting your research results: “This research was supported by a Cornell Center for Social Sciences Faculty Fellowship.”