Doctoral Student Fellowship

The Pozen Human Rights Doctoral Fellows Program provides an intensive yearlong interdisciplinary forum for University of Chicago doctoral students whose research intersects with human rights themes.

Fellows meet throughout the academic year, typically three times per quarter, for interdisciplinary conversations and scholarly exchange with each other and Center and University faculty. These seminars function as a reading group where students introduce work from their respective disciplines, as well as a space where they workshop part of a dissertation or an article in preparation. At the end of the year, students workshop their papers again with invited scholars from around the world.

In addition to mentorship, Pozen Fellows receive a $3,000 stipend and grants to support research (including field work) as well as conference attendance.  All Fellows that successfully complete the program are awarded a Human Rights Certificate by UChicago.

Applicants must be doctoral students at the University of Chicago and have a research topic/interest that intersects with human rights. Applicants at any stage of a research project/idea are welcome to apply, but preference is given to those who have defended their PhD dissertation proposal.

• Applications will re-open in Spring 2026.

Browse a gallery of the 2025-25 fellows and their research interests.

• For more information, please contact Professor Kathleen Cavanaugh.