Evelyn L. Pruitt Fellowship for Dissertation Research

The Society of Woman Geographers (SWG) Evelyn L. Pruitt National Fellowship for Dissertation Research is made possible by a generous bequest from Ms. Evelyn L. Pruitt. Ms. Pruitt was a research geographer with the United States Navy. Her work greatly advanced the study of coastal environments, the use of remote sensing in geography, and field research in international settings from the 1940s into the 1970s.

Eligibility

The SWG invites applications for this fellowship from woman students in Ph.D. programs in geography or in geographical aspects of allied fields. The competition is open to Ph.D. candidates in all geographical specialties enrolled in doctoral programs in the United States. Preference will be given those students who have completed comprehensive examinations, have an approved dissertation research proposal, and will be engaged in their research in 2025-2026.

Criteria

Proposals must demonstrate high standards of scholarship. A review committee will select candidates to receive the Pruitt Dissertation Research Fellowship based on the overall quality of applications. Evidence of the potential significance of the research, promise of future impact on the candidate’s area of geographical specialization, and of professional involvement will be considered. Need is also considered in the final round of the selection process.

Past competitions for the Pruitt Dissertation Research Fellowship have elicited a significant number of excellent applications. Applicants are strongly encouraged to work with their doctoral committee members to develop their applications.

Applications must be emailed no later than 11:59 pm (EST) April 1, 2024, to fellowships@iswg.org. Candidates will be notified of decisions in May 2024.

For more information, download the 2024-2025 Pruitt National Fellowship for Dissertation Research application guidelines. 

Budget

SWG expects to make approximately 8 awards of this fellowship annually up to U.S. $12,000. Applicants should present a full budget for the fellow’s academic year 2025-2026, indicating clearly what expenses would be covered by the SWG Pruitt Fellowship.

Eligible expenses include those for travel and other research-related expenses including data gathering, data analysis, and writing. Living expenses (room and board, food and rent) for the period of the research whether field, university, or home-based are acceptable.

Ineligible expenses include tuition and fees and university overhead (indirect expenses).

Awards will be transferred to the fellow’s university for disbursement to the fellow following receipt of an approved dissertation proposal and documentation of enrollment in 2025-2026.

Application Packet

Assemble an application packet that includes items 1 through 6:

  1. A cover sheet that includes the applicant’s name, contact information, and dissertation title in the upper left corner.
  2. A one-page letter of application indicating the Ph.D. program in which the candidate is enrolled and briefly describing the nature and potential significance of the proposed research. Indicate how the research is related to your long-term career goals.
  3. A dissertation research proposal: five pages maximum for narrative, 1-inch margins, 12 point, Times New Roman, 1.5 or double line spacing; plus five single-spaced pages maximum for citations.
  4. A budget and budget narrative. Provide information on other sources of funding, on hand and applied for, including the applicant’s salary and other sources of income.
  5. A copy of the candidate’s curriculum vitae: five pages maximum, single spaced.
  6. A copy of your official transcript.

Please assemble packet into one pdf document and label with your last name first, first name.

In addition to the application packet:

  1. Letters of support from two of your dissertation committee members that include an explanation of the significance and importance of the dissertation research and indicate the status of the approval process for the research. Letters are limited to two single-spaced pages. Ask each of your referees to email their letter to fellowships@iswg.org to the attention of SWG’s Fellowship Committee.

Send application packet and letters of support to:

Society of Woman Geographers
fellowships@iswg.org

Application Deadline

Applications must be emailed no later than 11:59 pm (EST) April 15, 2025. Candidates will be notified of decisions in May 2025.

 

Reports & Acknowledgements

By accepting an SWG Evelyn L. Pruitt National Fellowship for Dissertation Research, a fellow agrees to submit to the Society of Woman Geographers (address above) interim and final reports that summarize research progress, results, and expenses underwritten by the grant and a write-up for the Society’s website. The fellow is asked also to acknowledge the support of the Society of Woman Geographer’s Evelyn L. Pruitt National Fellowship for Dissertation Research in presentations and publications of research results.