Encina commons arch with foliage.

Stefanie Pietkiewicz (2019)

The Steven and Debi Wisch Fellowship for Graduate Research in South Asian Studies

The Steven and Debi Wisch Fellowship is awarded to outstanding Stanford doctoral students who have demonstrated potential to advance scholarship in South Asian Studies. Applicants are nominated by their faculty advisor and are expected to undertake doctoral research during their fellowship term. 

The fellowships provides tuition support at the TGR rate regardless of whether a student has moved to TGR status. If the student is not yet TGR at the start of the fellowship, the department may provide supplemental funds to cover tuition shortfall. Fellows are expected to be enrolled in research units at Stanford for all three quarters of the academic year while conducting their research.  Both disciplinary and interdisciplinary research projects focusing on South Asia are considered.  

Eligibility:

All doctoral candidates enrolled in Stanford School of Humanities & Sciences whose work focuses on the study of South Asia are eligible to apply. Note that in awarding fellowships, preference will be given to students who will be entering year 6 or 7 of their doctoral studies. Ideally, the nominees should have advanced to candidacy and have a research proposal approved by their dissertation committee by the end of summer quarter before the start of the fellowship. Students who are TGR or in a graduation quarter status must enroll in the appropriate zero unit TGR course.

Any outside employment during the Wisch Fellowship must be in accordance with University policy (GAP 7.1.1). 

Further inquiries shall be directed to the CSA Associate Director Dr. Lalita du Perron with cc to southasiainfo [at] stanford.edu. 

Application Procedure:

Stanford faculty members are invited to nominate exceptional doctoral candidates by February 27, 2023. The nomination letter shall discuss the student's research, its potential contribution to South Asian Studies, the student's candidacy status, and the (expected) proposal approval date. 

Nominated students will then be invited to submit:

  1. An academic C.V.
  2. 2-page double-spaced statement, explaining how they plan to spend their fellowship year if chosen.

Applications are due by 5 pm (Pacific Time) on March 20th, 2023 and shall be submitted by email to CSA Associate Director Dr. Lalita du Perron (lalita [at] stanford.edu) with cc to southasiainfo [at] stanford.edu. 

A faculty committee will review the applications. The selected fellow will be required to submit a report at the end of the fellowship year.