Summer Research Scholars Program

Deadline for summer 2024 is March 22, 2024 by 5 P.M EST.

Through its Summer Research Scholar Program, the European Studies Center (ESC), a Jean Monnet EU Center of Excellence (JMEUCE), in collaboration with the University Library System (ULS) at the University of Pittsburgh, seeks to facilitate and further research on all aspects of European integration and the European Union.  The ESC and ULS are offering two research grants to pre-doctoral, post-doctoral, junior and senior scholars to be in residence at the University of Pittsburgh.

Applicants for the Summer Research Scholars Program should be pursuing a research project on any aspect of European integration or the European Union.  Proposals should emphasize how the time in residence at the University of Pittsburgh will advance their research project.

Selected Scholars will reside in Pittsburgh for periods of one to four weeks between May 1, 2024 and August 15, 2024.  Awards will range between $2,000 and $3,500 USD and will take the form of reimbursements of eligible travel and accommodation costs (based upon submitted receipts). (Please note that depending on tax treaties in existence, awards may be subject to US tax withholdings.)  In addition, ESC staff will arrange for scholars to meet with faculty with similar interests (depending on availability) and the ULS will provide access to and bibliographic assistance in the unique and comprehensive Barbara Sloan European Union Document Collection. Summer Research Scholars are expected to acknowledge support of the ESC, the ULS, and the EU in any work resulting from this research, and to deliver a presentation of their research and preliminary findings while in Pittsburgh.

Barbara Sloan European Union Document Collection:  In 2007 the EU Delegation donated its library collection to the ULS at the University of Pittsburgh. The gift is a virtually complete collection of European Community documents produced from the early 1950s to 2004 which were meant for distribution.  The highlight of the collection is the research files which are about 650 linear feet of folders documents arranged by subject.  Most of the documents in these folders are smaller stapled documents, many of which would be difficult to locate elsewhere. A “finding aid” for the Sloan Collection is available on the ULS website. 

Note:  Applications will be evaluated based upon the suitability of materials in the Barbara Sloan European Union Document Collection to the proposed research objectives.  Questions regarding the Sloan Collection should be directed to the ULS bibliographer who oversees the Collection, Dan Pennell.

To apply, please submit the following materials through Submittable. Only complete application packets will be accepted.

  • A project description (not to exceed 5 pages, double-spaced, and which includes a description of the research to be undertaken and specifically addresses the research project’s relevance to European integration and the European Union);
  • A current C.V.
  • A budget of all estimated costs (JMEUCE Summer Research Scholar grants may not cover all costs.)

For further information about this program, please contact Associate Director Erica Edwards.

PAST RECIPIENTS:

2023 SUMMER SCHOLARS

  • Dr. Christopher Bannister, for his project: “Historicising Brexit: the UK outside of the European Institutions, 1950- 1973”
  • Dr. Stefan Fritsch, Bowling Green State University, for his project: "Artificial Intelligence for the Greater Good Exploring the European Union’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Policies as Entangled Assemblages"

2022 SUMMER SCHOLARS

  • Dr. Annie Niessen, University of Pennsylvania, for her project: "EU institutions' legitimation discourse, taking four modern crises as case studies: the Eurozone, Brexit, rule of law, and Covid-19 crises."
  • Dr. Julia Simon, Helmut Schmidt University, Hamburg, Germany, for her project: "Early pro-integration politicization in the European Union: The case of migration and border policy."

2020 SUMMER SCHOLARS (deferred to 2022 due to the pandemic)

  • Dr. Kolja Raube, University of Leuven for his project: "The European Union as a Legitimate Foreign Policy Actor"

  • Dr. Thomas Smith, Chadron State College for his project "The EU and Post-Apartheid South Africa: New Directions?"

2019 SUMMER SCHOLARS

  • Dr. Boyka Stefanova, University of Texas at San Antonio for her project: "European Integration and Cold-WAr Economic Liberalism: Did the EEC Fail to Encourage Economic Reform in Eastern Europe While Embracing China's Economic Openness of the 1980s?"
  • Dr. Ryan Phillips, Lycoming College for his project "The European Union and Constitutionalization of Democracy"

2018 SUMMER SCHOLARS

  • Dr. Matthew Broad, University of Turku for his project "The Other Europe: The History and Development of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), 1958-92."

  • Dr. Jamie E. Scalera, Georgia Southern University for her project "A Renewed Project for Europe: Brexit and the Future of EU Foreign Policy."

2017 SUMMER SCHOLARS

  • Dr. Cristina Blanco Sio-Lopez, New University of Lisbon for her project “Navigating Schengen: Historical Challenges and Potentialities of the EU’s Free Movement of Persons from European to Global Governance, 1985 to the present.”

  • Dr. Maria Victoria Alvarez, National University of Rosario, “Euroscepticism in the European Parliament: Understanding Opposition to Regional Integration among European Parliamentarians (1979-1994).”

2016 SUMMER SCHOLARS

  • Dr. Ida Musialkowska, Poznan University of Economics and Business, Poland for her project “EU-Latin America Dialogue on Territorially-Oriented Development Policies – Country Case Studies”
  • Dr. Robert Talaga, Regional Administrative court in Poznan, Poland for his project “Evolution of Legal Character of Decisions on State Aid in the European Union”


2015 SUMMER SCHOLARS

  • Laura Allison, Research Fellow, Public Policy and Global Affairs Programme, Nanyang Technological University, Associate Fellow, EU Centre, Singapore for her project "The EU’s Bilateral and Inter-Regional Relations With Southeast Asia"
  • Margherita Matera, Sessional Lecturer, Swinburne University, the University of Melbourne for her project "Reassessing European Security and Defence Integration: A Transatlantic or European Perspective?"


2014 SUMMER SCHOLARS

  • Antoine Rayroux, postdoctoral researcher, European Union Center of Excellence, McGill University, Université de Montréal for his project "Managing Europe’s Reputation in Canada and the US"
  • Umberto Tulli, postdoctoral fellow, the University of Trento for his project "Containing the European Parliament? The Political Debate on the First Direct Elections to the European Parliament and Its Impact on the EC Decision-making".


2013 SUMMER SCHOLARS

  • Monika Sus, Willy Brandt Center for German and European Studies at Wroclaw University for her project "The External Perceptions of the European Neighbourhood Policy and the EU as an International Actor. Is the EU Losing its Power?"
  • Branislav Radeljic, Associate Professor in International Politics & School of Law and Social Sciences, the University of East London for his project "European Community and Yugoslavia (1968–1992): Documents that Mattered"
  • Alexandru Grigorescu, Associate Professor, Political Science, Loyola University Chicago for his project "Democratic Intergovernmental Organizations? Normative Pressures and Decision-Making Rules"


2012 SUMMER SCHOLARS

  • Peter Debaere, University of Ghent for his project "Explaining Variation in EU Membership Status in International Organizations"
  • Shelley Grant, Queens College, London, for her project "European Born or Bred:  Examining the Integration of EU Social Policy through the Regulation of Cross-Border Reproductive Practices"
  • Alessandra Bitumi, University of Bologna
  • Karolina Pietras, University IV Sorbonne, Paris for her project "The 'Europeanization Process' and the Vision of Europe Among Politicians and the European Media"
  • Daniel Thomas, Queens College, Dublin