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The NAEd/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship supports early career scholars working in critical areas of education research. Through professional development, funding, and mentorship from senior scholars, the fellowship enhances the career and research opportunities of the fellow. As a highly competitive initiative, this fellowship annually identifies and supports 25 of the most exceptional researchers conducting postdoctoral studies relevant to education. This non-residential fellowship supports scholars who promise to make significant contributions to the field of education and advances the careers of the recipients. Scholars may conduct their research at their home institution or at another research site that they have arranged. The fellowship comprises three key components: Fellows receive $70,000 for one academic year, distributed in two installments; Fellows participate in three professional development retreats facilitated by NAEd members and other distinguished scholars; and Fellows choose an NAEd member or another esteemed scholar as a mentor, providing guidance and support throughout the academic year.

The NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship encourages a new generation of scholars from a wide range of disciplines and professional fields to undertake research relevant to the improvement of education. This fellowship supports candidates whose dissertation projects bring innovative and insightful approaches to the history, theory, analysis, or application of formal and informal education. As a highly competitive initiative, this fellowship annually identifies and supports 35 of the most exceptional researchers conducting dissertation studies relevant to education. The fellowship supports fellows with the writing phase of their dissertation and alleviates the need for significant employment. Fellows receive $27,500 for one academic year, distributed in two installments, participate in two professional development retreats facilitated by NAEd members and other distinguished scholars, and choose an NAEd member or another esteemed scholar as a mentor. The dissertation topic must focus primarily on education, but the fellowship welcomes graduate students from any academic discipline or professional field, including anthropology, architecture, art history, communications, economics, education, history, linguistics, literature, philosophy, political science, psychology, public health, religion, and sociology.