Mariam K. Chamberlain Dissertation Award

The Mariam K. Chamberlain Dissertation Award was established through a $100,000 matching grant from the Ford Foundation to honor Dr. Mariam K. Chamberlain, the founding president of the National Council for Research on Women. The award creates an opportunity for first-generation doctoral students, including immigrant students, to continue working on their dissertation under the close supervision of a senior dissertation advisor over an academic year. The student's dissertation must be related to ICRW's mission to advance gender equity, social inclusion, and shared prosperity, with main thematic focus areas including gender and climate change, economic empowerment and opportunity, health and reproductive rights, and equitable social and gender norms. The award provides $10,000 annually: $8,500 to a Ph.D. graduate student (preference given to students who identify as women) and $1,500 to the student's dissertation advisor. The sum awarded to the student may be used to help fund ongoing research and associated education costs, including travel expenses related to the award for both the student and advisor. The award winner is expected to make a dissertation presentation at an ICRW event prior to the award period ending. Applicants must be first-generation doctoral students (the first individual in their family to enroll in a doctoral program) who are U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, or non-citizens enrolled at an accredited institution based in the U.S. and pursuing a Ph.D. Students must have completed all coursework, have a dissertation advisor, and expect to have passed all preliminary examinations (ABD status) by the time the application is submitted. The Ph.D. must not be completed before May of the award period. The award continues Dr. Chamberlain's legacy of promoting mentorship as well as high-level scholarship in the field of gender equity and international development. Nominees are evaluated by an initial internal screening panel, with shortlisted candidates evaluated by an independent selection committee of development practitioners, academics and researchers, business professionals, policy experts, and civil society leaders.