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2019 DHS Fellows Program for Afghanistan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe
 
The Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program is now accepting applications for the 2019 DHS Fellows Program. The DHS Fellows Program, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is designed to increase the capacity of countries to conduct further analysis of DHS Program data. The primary objectives of the program are: 
  • To teach Fellows to analyze and conduct research with DHS Program data;
  • To strengthen skills that Fellows will use to integrate DHS Program data into their teaching;
  • To increase the ability of Fellows to strengthen the capacity of others to use DHS Program data at their home institutions
Eligibility and Requirements
  • Applications are accepted from faculty members at universities and researchers from non-governmental research institutions in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
  • Applicants from research institutions are required to submit a letter of intent for pre-screening before submitting a full application.
  • All team members must be based full-time at the home institutions. 
  • Applications must be from teams comprised of three members from the same institution who teach and/or conduct research in demography, public health, economics, sociology, geography, or other social sciences. 
  • Individuals who have already participated in a data analysis workshop conducted by The DHS Program are not eligible, although individuals who have only participated in a Service Provision Assessment (SPA) or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) workshop facilitated by The DHS Program are still eligible to apply.
  • Teams must include one senior1 faculty member or one senior researcher. All three team members must be available to attend two workshops organized by The DHS Program (see anticipated timeline below). Each fellow must bring a laptop that will be used for the duration of each workshop. The most recent statistical software package Stata will be provided for use during the workshops.
The language for the program is English. Each team will be expected to jointly complete a publication-quality manuscript in English on policy-relevant questions that are primarily related to one or more of the following topic areas: sexual and reproductive health, family planning, fertility, maternal and child health, nutrition, HIV/AIDS, or gender issues. Papers must use data from The DHS Program surveys. Completed manuscripts that meet the required standards will be published by The DHS Program in the Working Paper series2.Fellows will also be required to submit their completed papers to peer-reviewed journals for publication. 
 
In addition, each team will be expected to design and implement a plan for strengthening capacity in the use of DHS Program data for teaching and research at their home institutions. Teams are required to report back on the implementation of capacity-strengthening activities prior to completion of the program.
 
Anticipated Timeline
November 19, 2018
Applications are due
Mid-December, 2018
Selected candidates are notified
January 21– Feb 1, 2019
First workshop to prepare Fellows to use DHS Program datasets, refine research questions, and begin data analysis
March 4, 2019
Fellows submit interim drafts of their papers 
March 22, 2019
Fellows submit first report on capacity-strengthening activities 
March 27 - April 3, 2019
Second workshop for Fellows to finalize their papers
May 10, 2019
Fellows submit final papers and respond to reviews and edits throughout the publication process
August 16, 2019
Fellows submit second report on capacity‐ strengthening activities 
August 23, 2019
Fellows submit the working paper to a peer-reviewed journal
 
Awards
Selection of Fellows will be primarily based on the merits of their research proposal and on the applicants’ potential for strengthening the capacity of their home institution to use DHS Program data. Additional factors considered will be gender balance and previous experience in data use and statistical analysis. 

Each fellow will be awarded a $2,000 honorarium to cover research expenses which will be paid in installments based upon satisfactory completion of the deliverables. The DHS Program will cover economy airfare from the home institution, lodging, and per diem expenses for each fellow to attend both workshops.
 
Application Procedure
Each team should submit a single application that contains the following items in PDF format:
  1. A completed team application form (apply online below)
  2. A brief, original research proposal (3 to 4 pages) with the following sections clearly described: 1) introduction and rationale, 2) short literature review on the topic, 3) research question(s), 4) scope of analysis (including how DHS Program data will be used to answer the research questions), and 5) potential policy implications. 
  3. A brief plan for internal capacity-building (1 to 2 pages) that describes realistic activities the applicants will undertake at home institutions during the fellowship. These activities should enable fellows to pass on knowledge and skills learned through the program to students, faculty, and research colleagues at their home institution. Brief descriptions of each proposed activity should include a summary of the objective, target group, timing, measurement of progress, and outcomes. The proposed activities should be implemented before August 16, 2019, as detailed in the timeline.
  4. In addition, the joint application should include the following from each team member:
    • A curriculum vitae with complete contact information, a list of publications, and names and contact information for three references
    • Proof of status as a current faculty member at home university or a researcher at home research institute and duration of employment
 
If selected, each candidate will be asked to provide evidence, such as a letter of approval from their department/institution agreeing to her/his participation in the fellowship program, including full-time participation in both workshops.
 
Contact Information
Applications must be completed online below. Please send all other inquiries to DHSFellows@dhsprogram.com.
 

1 A senior faculty member is someone who is an Associate Professor (or equivalent) or higher.
2 Please see our publication search and search for publication type “Working Papers” for examples.
 
  Please see our privacy policy for workshop applications.
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