UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Rock Ethics Institute is now accepting applications for its 2021–22 Faculty Fellowship program. These fellowships provide up to $10,000 for a two-course release from teaching to support ethics-related projects by Penn State faculty. Faculty and established research scientists at all Penn State campuses are eligible to apply.
The Rock Ethics Institute began its Faculty Fellowship program in 2015. “These fellowships have helped kick-start projects that developed into books, high-impact articles, external grants, and new tools for teaching,” said the institute’s assistant director, Ben Jones. “Most importantly, funded projects have taken innovative approaches to deepen our understanding of critical ethical issues, which is what we’re looking for when evaluating applications.”
The program especially welcomes proposals that intersect with the work of the Rock Ethics Institute’s core faculty and current research themes: gender and sexuality, global issues, health, public life, race, sustainability, and technology. Proposals that engage with community partners, incorporate students as collaborators, or lead to curricular innovations are also encouraged.
Fellowship applications are due Oct. 26, and successful applicants will be notified by Dec. 11. For more details on how to apply and the cover sheet to include with the application, visit the Rock Ethics Institute’s Faculty Fellowship page. Contact Ben Jones at [email protected] with questions about the Faculty Fellowship program or application process.
2020-21 Rock Ethics Institute Faculty Fellows
The Rock Ethics Institute Faculty Fellows for 2020-21 are Evan Bradley, associate professor of psychology, and Laura Evans, associate teaching professor of human development and family studies, both at Penn State Brandywine. Their joint project will conduct a series of experiments that examine gender-neutral pronoun use and test what interventions are most effective in promoting equity and eliminating bias in interpersonal communication. The plan is to use their findings to develop materials for ethical education and inclusion initiatives at Penn State and beyond.
A complete list of past fellows can be found on the Rock Ethics Institute’s webpage.
The Rock Ethics Institute was established in 2001 through a $5 million gift from Doug and Julie Rock. Its mission is to promote engaged ethics research and ethical leadership from its home in Penn State’s College of the Liberal Arts.
