African Futures - Call for Faculty Mentors Cohort 3 [pdf]

The Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) is seeking MSU faculty mentors for the third cohort of the AAP African Futures Research Leadership Program. This competitive visiting scholar program supports early career women researchers from the ten AAP African member universities to work for one year at MSU under the supervision of faculty members from MSU and their home institution, focusing on building skills in research for impact, writing scholarly and/or policy publications, disseminating of research results, and developing grant proposals. Scholars will also participate in a structured professional development program while building bridges and lasting connections with MSU contacts and across their cohort.

This year, the cohort will be centered around two themes: global health and climate change. These priority global challenges require global solutions that are addressed through multiple disciplinary approaches (interdisciplinary, multi-disciplinary and transdisciplinary), that provide different perspectives on problems, inform comprehensive research questions, develop consensus, and provide innovative solutions. Five scholars will be selected for each theme, allowing for north-south-south research collaborations with other scholars and faculty mentors in the program.

Mentor applicants will submit a proposal that includes a CV, letter of interest, endorsement from their department chair, and a research project overview for potential scholars to review to determine which mentor would be a good fit. Successful mentor applicants will supervise a scholar over a one-year period at MSU, as well as take part in an exchange visit to the scholar's home institution at the end of the program. Scholars will receive a small grant for their research and professional development activities. Eligible scholars will be current early career faculty members at MSU AAP member institutions who have received their PhD within the past ten years. The scholar will receive a salary during their time at MSU, along with airfare and visa application fees.

Eligibility

• MSU Faculty at the Associate or Full Professor Level
• Experience working in Africa is preferred, but not required. We encourage those who have never worked in Africa but are interested in exploring partnerships to apply
• Early career researchers will come from one of the 10 AAP African consortium universities including Egerton University, Makerere University, University of Dar es Salaam, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Botswana, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, University Cheikh Anta Diop, University of Arts and Humanities, Bamako, United States International University-Africa, and University of Pretoria.
• Faculty members may only submit one proposal to AAP for this cohort
• Proposed activities should be expected to begin August 15^th, 2022.

Proposal Requirements

1. An up-to-date curriculum vitae (CV) of the mentor that provides a chronological review of professional accomplishments including research interests and expertise, mentorship experience (graduate students and postdoctoral fellows), and publications
2. Mentors should have a specific research project to engage the scholar. The proposal should provide a brief overview of the research, publication, or grant proposal writing work that will be conducted and which of the priority areas of the AAP that will be addressed and the specific work activities that the scholar will be expected to perform (1 page)
3. Written endorsement from the applicant's department chairperson demonstrating their support for the MSU faculty members’ participation in the African Futures Early Career Research Leadership Program
4. Headshot to feature alongside proposal description

Submitting a Proposal

Submit proposals here: https://msu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a42VIvtaNxifP26

Applications to be an MSU faculty mentor are due February 4^th, 2022

Additional program deadlines:

• Call for Applications from Early Career Researchers open: February 18^th, 2022
• Application deadline: March 31^st, 2022
• Final selection: April 29^th, 2022
• Expected start date: August 15^th, 2022

Please note that these deadlines are tentative and subject to change due to COVID-19 related travel restrictions.

Please contact Jose Jackson-Malete at jacks184(at)msu.edu or 517-353-6989 with any questions.