Call for CRESS Graduate Fellows applications for 2017-18

The Centre for Research in Empirical Social Sciences (CRESS) supports empirical research and affiliated research labs in the Faculty of Social Sciences. Overall, CRESS aims to:

• catalyze and support collaborative, problem-oriented empirical social science research, including that requiring data collection and analysis infrastructure;
• enhance expertise and build capacity to support leading-edge social science research;
• develop and sustain networks and partnerships with both academic and external communities (e.g. governments and municipalities, non-profits and social services, NGO’s, industry); and
• provide students with the advanced analytic skills they need for their programs of research and for the academic, public, private and non-profit sector job markets.

In support of these goals, in 2018-18, CRESS is developing extracurricular training opportunities, research workshops & seminars, and supporting affiliated research labs in the development of programming to expand access to and use of existing research infrastructure. Part of this effort includes providing opportunities for PhD students through the CRESS Graduate Fellows Program.

Eligibility: PhD students registered in programs in the Faculty of Social Sciences who have reached candidacy status (i.e., have completed all program requirements, such as exams and proposal approvals, except the thesis, or who expect to achieve “all but thesis” status by the end of Fall 2017 term)

Benefits: 1 time stipend ($1000); assigned desk in CRESS space (WH 5021), renewable if used as expected; and opportunity to be part of an interdisciplinary research community interested in deepening understanding of a wide range of methodological approaches in the social sciences

Expectations and deliverables:

• Physical presence in CRESS workspace / labs (15 hours/week during terms)
• Provide input into CRESS programming and planning
• Regular participation in CRESS and/or lab workshops, seminars
• One deliverable as proposed in the project description, which will be shared on the CRESS website or internally among FSS researchers as appropriate, which will be due at the end of academic year 2017-18:
  • Presentation to CRESS community and other Fellows on tools or methods related to project
  • Annotated syntax files for common, public datasets
  • Plain language explanations (700-1000 words) of a research methodology or set of research tools related to the project (e.g., a review of qualitative software tools, an explanation of novel methods or approaches in your field)
  • Any other research tool or knowledge mobilization product that will benefit the project or CRESS community 

Application requirements:

• 1 page description of proposed deliverable and explanation of how CRESS Fellow status will benefit your research and career goals
• CV
• Unofficial McMaster transcript
• Name of 1 faculty sponsor, usually the thesis supervisor

Applications should be sent from the candidate’s official McMaster email address. Applications will be reviewed and ranked by an interdisciplinary committee of Faculty members.

Due: October 27 to dionm@mcmaster.ca