AERA-SRCD Early Career Research Fellowship in Middle Childhood Education and Development

The American Educational Research Association (AERA) and the Society for Research on Child Development (SRCD) collaborate in the creation and organization of this Early Career Fellowship in Middle Childhood Education and Development. This fellowship provides a 2-year collaborative opportunity for early career scholars to participate in a research network focused on middle childhood education and development. The purpose of this initiative is to build an early career cohort of scholars with integrative interests and expertise at the nexus of child development and formal/informal education and learning in their broader social context. It leverages the expertise and convening capacity of both organizations to create a context for early career scholars to expand their research competencies and enhance their research programs.

The fellowship will develop research capacity and engagement on research topics related to middle childhood education and development. Enormous changes occur during middle childhood that both affect and are affected by social and bio-behavioral factors as well as distinctive changes in the structure of schools, schooling processes, and how education and learning take place. Yet, this period is often overshadowed by the intense research focus on early childhood education and development on the one side, and on adolescence and high school on the other. From peer relations to andrenarche and puberty, from pre-algebra to homerooms and school engagement, middle childhood is a period of intense transitions. With this program, AERA and SRCD aim to foster a network of early career scholars who study middle childhood education and development. This network will extend over a 2-year span.

Fellows will pursue a topic of interest related to middle childhood education and development. This work may emanate from their ongoing research programs or reflect a new interest. Also, fellows will participate in virtual seminars for fellows and mentor/advisory committee members (2-3 times per year). It is expected that these seminars will provide an opportunity to share information and expand fellows’ knowledge on topics that will contribute to their research. Fellows will also benefit from special project opportunities that they might pursue individually or collaboratively. These projects are intended to complement fellows’ ongoing research programs; they could include an examination of extant data (e.g., longitudinal data, video data), analytic reviews, meta-analysis on a relevant issue, or additional data collection. 

The opportunities made possible through the AERA Annual Meetings and the SRCD Biennial Meetings are key to this fellowship. It is expected that fellows will attend and participate in the AERA Annual Meetings and the SRCD Biennial Meetings held within the 2-year timeframe of their fellowship term. These meetings will allow Middle Childhood Fellows to present their work, meet and network with experts, and have dedicated time and space to exchange ideas and build upon shared interests and closely connected research. Each meeting will include dedicated topical symposia for the fellows and informal meetings with leading research experts. Fellows will also have the opportunity to participate in professional development and training courses and workshops.

This joint effort will capitalize on the knowledge, skills, and research expertise of senior scholars across child development and education research. Each dedicated symposium will be followed by a networking event that includes current and former fellows and members of the AERA-SRCD Advisory Committee to provide opportunities to build upon the symposium discussion and to consider issues of shared interest at the intersection of middle childhood education and development. The cohort of fellows will also have opportunities to participate in video seminars, online forums, and networking meetings after in-person meetings. Through these activities, this initiative seeks to develop a cohort of early career scholars with greater capacity for synergistic and integrative research that spans education and development.

2019 Call for Applications

Eligibility:

Applicants are eligible if they have been awarded a doctorate in 2012 or later in education research, human development, or another behavioral or social science disciplinary or interdisciplinary field, such as economics, psychology, or sociology.

Some track record of research in child development, education research related to formal or informal education of children and youth, or research grounded in other behavioral and science fields with an emphasis on children, early childhood, or education and learning.

Underrepresented racial and ethnic minority researchers are strongly encouraged to apply. Early career scholars from or working outside of the United States are also encouraged to apply.

Membership in AERA or SRCD is not a requirement for application, but it is expected that accepted Fellows will become a member of at least one of the two associations as a condition of participation.

Award Components:

Fellows will attend meetings of both SRCD Biennial Meeting (2019 and 2021) and the AERA Annual Meeting (2019, 2020, and 2021). They will be reimbursed up to $1,000 for travel and conference related expenses to attend one of the two meetings in 2019 and 2021 (the one they were not otherwise planning to attend). Fellows may be selected who were planning to attend both meetings, but they only will receive reimbursement for one of the two meetings. Registration fees are an allowable cost. In addition, all Fellows will be reimbursed up to $1,000 to attend the 2020 AERA Annual Meeting.

Application Procedure:

Applicants must submit the following via AERA’s application portal.
Please combine documents 1-4 as one PDF.  Use the file name format “LastName_First_Name_MCE” (e.g., Smith_Marissa_MCE).

1. Statement of Interest (maximum 500 words), describing the applicant's background, career goals, and how the applicant would benefit from the Early Career Fellowship. The statement should include research interests and experiences related to childhood education and development.
2. Applicant's curriculum vitae (limited to 2 pages) that includes: research and academic employment history; relevant publications and presentations; relevant graduate courses in research methodology and statistics; relevant accomplishments, specialized training, professional affiliations, and/or memberships;
3. Indication of plans to attend either the AERA or SRCD 2019 meeting and anticipated participation at that meeting (please note if planning to attend both meetings, anticipated participation, and any sources of support for each); and
4. List of 2-3 AERA or SRCD senior scholars who could be contacted as references.

Review and Selection Process:

The AERA-SRCD Advisory Committee composed of senior scholars and researchers will review and evaluate the applications. Submissions are treated as confidential documents. The Committee is unable to provide feedback to all applicants.

Questions:

Please address any fellowship questions to George Wimberly, AERA Director of Professional Development fellowships@aera.net (202.238.3200). For questions regarding the SRCD Biennial registration, please email scholar@srcd.org.