Graduate Research Fellowships

The Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is open to masteral or Phd students and may be equivalent to academic for-credit or non-credit activity for students, depending on the research project and the university department that the student is enrolled in. The Research Fellowship may or may not have an honorarium or research budget, depending on the research topic or program. Research Fellows benefit from the program by getting connected to the community of practitioners in their field of specialization.

Objectives:

1. advance the theory, practice, and discourse on city development and and SDG in the context of cities 

2. cultivate trans-disciplinal research and collaboration across universities and countries

3. co-create relevant policies with stakeholders, constituents, and policy-makers 

Expectations & Responsibilities

Effort is required from all parties to make GRFP a rewarding educational endeavor. Participants should conduct themselves with the same integrity and high standards of conduct expected of all members of the academic community. The City Futures Lab is a broad and diverse network, and the ability to work with others is important.

In all cases, an approved GRFP project presumes active and regular communication and oversight between participating undergraduates and their faculty supervisors. Work at a corporation or other commercial entity, even under the supervision of a faculty member, and even if at a startup, is generally not eligible for the GRFP program.

Supervision by Teaching Fellows

As much as possible, GRFP students are supervised by faculty members who are also Teaching Fellows. If their supervisors are not yet members of the Teaching Fellowship program, students are requested to refer them to the Teaching Fellows website. 

http://teachingfellow.civika.com

There are two types of supervisors, remote and onsite.

Remote supervisors are usually faculty or practitioners from other universities or cities and guide students through online videos. They help by providing research questions and inputs at the frontiers of what is known, helping increase the relevance of student research. They may provide general feedback to a cohort of students and may not be able to provide one-on-one feedback.

Onsite or local faculty are based in the same university as the student and provide direct face-to-face guidance.

Students make some of their most meaningful connections with local faculty through GRFP collaborations. As such students should seek out local faculty contact and advice, and faculty supervisors should make themselves available to GRFP students at least once per term, if not more frequently.

Students are urged to meet regularly with their supervisors to discuss issues related to their project and research role, specific research practices, expectations, laboratory rules, etc.

Local faculty are expected to be available to students, to answer questions and treat student researchers fairly. Faculty supervisors are mentors and intellectual guides, who play an important role in a student's GRFP experience. Faculty ensure that projects meet departmental academic standards and that students satisfy all Institute and departmental safety requirements.

While most GRFP projects occur on-campus, in circumstances where a student is conducting university-approved research off-campus faculty supervisors should be prepared and available to provide regular guidance and oversight via email, phone, and other means.