Research Assistantships

DEADLINE: January 31, 2023
CIS will fund a limited number of Research Assistantships (RAs) for 2023–24 to tenured and tenure-track faculty in POIR specializing in international relations or comparative politics. Two key goals of this program are to support research of faculty members and professional development experience for POIR graduate students, with an emphasis on collaboration.
Please submit proposals to CIS by email: cis@dornsife.usc.edu.
Please describe your research project and specify the duties the PhD student will perform and how the project will benefit the student in terms of training; please also be clear in indicating expectations around possible co-publication opportunities. CIS will not accept requests for a specific student but will work closely with the POIR PhD office to identify a qualified student with appropriate skills. Faculty are asked to demonstrate a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusivity in this process.
Full CIS funding ($34,000) supports one RA for two semesters. A $17,000 award can be used to support an RA for (a) one semester; or (b) two semesters with co-funding from an external source in the amount of $17,000. (Current funding of $17,000 for one semester and $34,000 for one year is based on 2022–23 support levels; CIS will adjust this support in the event of an increase to graduate student funding levels in 2023–24.)

Eligibility
Tenured and tenure-track (TT) faculty in POIR (including incoming TT faculty) specializing in international relations or comparative politics.
● Junior faculty in their first three years at USC receive priority for one year of full funding ($34,000) and two years of partial funding ($17,000).
● Assistant professors in and beyond their fourth year qualify for $17,000 RA awards as funds are available following disbursement of awards to junior faculty in their first three years of service.
● Tenured faculty qualify for $17,000 RA awards as funds are available following disbursement of awards to junior faculty.
CIS will consider other factors, such as an applicant’s participation in CIS programming or level of prior CIS funding, in attempting to ensure an equitable distribution of resources to faculty. Faculty and PhD students who receive CIS RA funding will be expected to attend the weekly IR & CP workshops throughout 2023–24 and contribute to the intellectual community of the center.
Faculty who have previously received CIS funding must also show the direct impact past RAships have had on both the graduate student and on their own research. Grantees are expected to submit an impact report to CIS at the conclusion of the year (by July 31, 2024) to remain eligible for the following year’s CIS funding.

The Center for International Studies is committed to ensuring equity in its mission to support scholarship in international studies.
Click to download the “2023–24 Call for RA Proposals“. Email cis@dornsife.usc.edu with any questions.