Overview

The Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity at Duke University invites applications for its Affiliated Postdoctoral Fellowship, a professional development and community engagement opportunity for postdoctoral scholars whose primary salary support comes from external sources (such as NIH, NSF, foundations, or institutional fellowships). This program allows postdoctoral researchers to receive mentorship, deepen their scholarship, expand their networks, and contribute to the Cook Center’s mission of advancing social equity.

The fellowship is designed to bring exceptional early-career scholars into the Cook Center community without requiring full financial support from the Center. Affiliated fellows gain mentorship, resources, and intellectual community while enriching the Center’s research environment, supporting students, and contributing to ongoing initiatives across our core pillars.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

  • Hold a postdoctoral appointment with external funding that covers their primary salary. Preference is given to postdoctoral fellows at Duke University; however, postdoctoral fellows from local institutions—including North Carolina Central University, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill—are also encouraged to apply.
  • Conduct research that aligns with the Cook Center’s mission and thematic pillars
  • Demonstrate a commitment to equity-focused scholarship, collaboration, and mentorship

Fellowship Structure

  • Mentorship: Fellows are paired with two faculty mentors (at least one of which is already engaged with the Cook Center) who provide guidance on research development, publication strategy, career planning, and professional visibility.
  • Integration into Center Life: Fellows receive workspace (as available), administrative support, and access to center resources, including data, analytic tools, and collaborative opportunities.
  • Colloquia & Pillar Working Groups: Fellows are expected to attend Center research colloquia and seminars and actively participate in at least one of the Cook Center’s pillar working groups (e.g., Educational and Economic Opportunity, Health Equity, Carceral Justice).
  • Student Mentorship: Postdoctoral Fellows engage in mentorship of at least one student fellow (graduate or undergraduate), post-baccalaureate fellow, or student intern, contributing to a robust training pipeline and supporting the development of equity-focused scholars.

Benefits

Affiliated Postdoctoral Fellows receive:

  • A $2,000 professional development fund that may be used for conferences, methods workshops, data acquisition, fieldwork, research-related travel, or other approved expenses that directly support the fellow’s research and professional development
  • An additional $5,000 annual stipend recognizing their contributions to the Center
  • Access to the Center’s interdisciplinary intellectual community, collaborative projects, and research infrastructure
  • Opportunities for co-authorship, working group co-leadership, public scholarship, and engagement with local and national networks
  • Visibility through Center events, newsletters, and featured scholar spotlights on social media

Expectations

Fellows are expected to:

  • Participate regularly in Cook Center events, including the research colloquium and seminars
  • Contribute actively to at least one pillar working group 
  • Mentor junior scholars
  • Share progress periodically with their mentors and the Center’s leadership team
  • Uphold the values of collaboration, equity, and community engagement

Term

The fellowship is a one-year appointment with the possibility of renewal based on engagement and available resources.

Application Instructions

Interested applicants should submit materials via email to tyson.brown@duke.edu. Finalists may be invited for a short conversation with Cook Center leadership to discuss mutual fit and potential contributions to ongoing initiatives.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with priority given to scholars whose work closely aligns with one or more of the Cook Center’s thematic pillars and who demonstrate a commitment to collaboration, mentorship, and equity-focused scholarship.

MATERIALS

Applicants should submit the following materials to the Cook Center:

  • Curriculum vitae
  • A 1–2-page statement of interest describing the applicant’s research agenda, how it aligns with the Cook Center’s mission, and what they hope to gain from the fellowship
  • A brief description of current funding support (e.g., NIH, NSF, institutional fellowship) confirming the applicant’s primary salary support
  • A writing sample (published or unpublished)
  • Contact information for two references, including at least one current mentor
  • Names of at least one Cook Center–affiliated faculty member (e.g., a faculty affiliate or member of the Cook Senior Leadership Team) whom the applicant identifies as a potential co-mentor, alongside the mentor supporting their primary funding. Applicants are encouraged to briefly describe the complementary expertise or collaboration they envision with the Cook Center co-mentor.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to include one letter of support from their proposed primary mentor and, if possible, the prospective Cook Center co-mentor (e.g., a single, 1 to 2-page letter signed by both mentors). The letter should outline the anticipated mentorship structure, the fellow’s professional development plan, and how affiliation with the Cook Center will enhance the fellow’s training and scholarly trajectory.