Dissertation Fellowship

The Dr. W. Burghardt Turner Dissertation fellowship program assists eligible doctoral students in the timely completion of their dissertations and engages them in the Turner Fellowship and Center for Inclusive Education communities. Candidates will contribute to the diversity of the student body by demonstrating their commitment to facilitating and enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in their academic programs and activities.

This fellowship is one of the many programs coordinated by the Center for Inclusive Education at Stony Brook University and is funded by the SUNY Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI). This fellowship directs aid to graduate students who have demonstrated academic achievement and overcome a disadvantage or other impediment to success in higher education. Candidates will contribute to the mission of the Center for Inclusive Education (CIE), which is to increase awareness of issues related to diversity at the university level by collaborating with faculty and staff to enhance the diversity of their respective departments, identifying and working to remove barriers to underrepresented scholar success, and at the national level, engaging in scholarly research activities and program assessment - all with the ultimate goal of contributing to a greater body of knowledge related to issues of inclusion and diversity.

Awards

• PhD students can apply for 1-year or 2-year awards of $10,000 per year to be disbursed in two annual, one-half installments.
• In the case of 2-year applications, departments are required to supplement the Turner support with other departmental funding for a minimum of one year in the form of a TA, GA or RA appointment.
• Recipients must be registered for full-time study by day 15 of each semester in order to maintain eligibility.

We're excited about the upcoming application cycle! For now, applications are closed.

Eligibility

To participate in the Turner Dissertation Fellowship program at Stony Brook, candidates are required to meet the following criteria:

1. United States Citizen or Permanent Resident
2. Doctoral student at Stony Brook University
3. Advancement to Candidacy (G5) prior to the start of the requested semester of fellowship distribution
4. Have NOT received any previous funding support from the Dr. W. Burghardt Turner Fellowship Program. Students who have received previous Turner Program funding are NOT eligible for this Fellowship.
5. Demonstrate how they have overcome a disadvantage or other impediment to success in higher education.
6. Demonstrate a commitment to contributing to the diversity of the student body by facilitating and enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in their academic programs and campus activities.

Even though financial need is not a requirement for program eligibility, departments may utilize economic disadvantage as a basis for eligibility.

Preference Requirements 

Preference will be given to nominees who are: 

1. From a low-income background (e.g., Pell-eligible as undergraduates, eligible for Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program for 2+ years, received support from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, have experienced homelessness, have been in the foster care system, or grew up in a U.S. rural area as designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration)
2. Were first-generation college students
3. Have overcome adversity
4. Are AmeriCorps alumni
5. Are veterans or active/reserve duty military service members

Non-Discrimination Law

This fellowship program is open to any and all prospective candidates regardless of race, color, national origin, or sex, and is consistent with all current governing federal and state nondiscrimination law. All application submissions will be assessed and evaluated in accordance with the required eligibility criteria.

Current Stony Brook University graduate scholars who wish to be nominated for the Turner Dissertation Fellowship should consult with their Graduate Program Director.