START Summer Fellowships for Young Professionals and Graduate Students

The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) is pleased to announce the Summer Fellowship on Illicit Networks. Through this competitive two-month summer fellowship, selected participants will conduct qualitative and/or quantitative network research on illicit trafficking networks in support of multi-year research project funded by the Department of Homeland Security.

During the first week of the fellowship, participants will receive a multi-day training on qualitative methods and case study analysis that will be offered at START and led by top scholars in the field. For the remaining portion of the program, selected participants will work with faculty researchers at START to develop independent case studies on the key mechanisms by which smuggling/trafficking (ST) networks operate and are interdicted. Written case studies will be presented to the broader START community at the end of the program, and co-authorship opportunities are available.

The fellowship will be located at the START Center at the University of Maryland in College Park, MD, and will run from May 27th to July 31st, 2014. Dates are fixed and participants are expected to be in College Park during the entirety of the fellowship.

Qualifications: The fellowship is designed for graduate students and young professionals with a strong background in research methodology and interest in security-related issues. Students must be enrolled in or have already obtained a graduate degree in political science, criminology, security studies, economics, sociology or other related social sciences. In addition, the participants must have:

• Outstanding writing skills
• Excellent research skills and completion of graduate courses in research methods
• 2+ years’ experience working on faculty-supervised research projects (qualitative or quantitative)
• Ability to work collaboratively in team settings
• Work under tight deadlines.

Funding: Each participant will receive a $4,000 stipend to cover room, board, transportation and other expenses.

Application Requirements: In order to apply, applicants are required to submit:

1. Cover letter detailing how the summer fellowship would benefit the applicant’s career / academic goals
2. Writing sample of 10 pages or more
3. Resume or Curriculum Vitae
4. 2 Academic References

Applicants must submit their application and supporting documentation via email by March 15, 2014 to mjacome@umd.edu. The email should have the following subject line: “[Your Name] Summer Fellowship Application.” Applicants will be notified of START’s interest to interview after the application period has ended. Phone interviews will be conducted during March and offers will be made by March 31st.