Social Responsibility Initiative Fellowship Opportunity

Training in Sustainable Sciences
Through an Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Rural Sociology (IGPRS)

Global warming, biotechnology, obesity and famine, loss of farmland, water shortages, organic and local food systems, the loss of rare animal species, fair trade coffee, deforestation, geopolitical struggles over oil and gas supplies, and desertification – these are some of the major issues of our time. They raise important questions about how we should organize the relationships between people, society and the natural resources and environments upon which they depend. The Training in Sustainable Sciences Through an Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Rural Sociology (IGPRS), a new fellowship opportunity addresses these and many other topical issues. The program will cultivate a new and diverse generation of scholars committed to and capable of a broad understanding of the four primary dimensions of food and agricultural systems: social responsibility, environmental compatibility, economic viability, and production efficiency. The goal of the master’s degree fellowship is to train skilled, engaged, committed scholars who will make use of and contribute to the food and agricultural system by engaging in basic and applied interdisciplinary research and policy making and analysis. It is targeted at two primary audiences: those wishing to pursue a career in food, agricultural, and environmental sciences; and those wishing to do further academic study and research on these topics.

The fellowship opportunity is distinctive in several ways:

First, it builds on the concept of the ecological paradigm, which considers the whole spectrum of approaches to food, agricultural, and environmental systems – consisting of social responsibility, environmental compatibility, economic viability, and production efficiency.
Secondly, the IGPRS makes the connections between the dimensions of the paradigm and social spheres where innovation, adoption and policy-making appear - such as production, distribution and consumption.
Finally, the program is highly interdisciplinary and will expose students to ideas and practices developed in a range of subject areas rather than one alone.

The Social Responsibility Initiative (SRI) invites recent undergraduate degree holders in the fields of sociology, agriculture, economics, biological and environmental sciences and other related fields to apply for a two-year master’s degree fellowship in Rural Sociology focused on the interdisciplinary nature of food, agricultural, and environmental issues.

The IGPRS fellowships cover tuition, stipend ($18,000 per year), and benefits for the duration of a 2-year master’s program in Rural Sociology. Academic standards must be met to maintain eligibility. Two fellowships are available for studies beginning Fall 2008. The Application deadline is January 1, 2008.

Fellowships are restricted to U.S. citizens or nationals of the United States. Candidates must have completed their bachelor’s degree by the time of appointment. For application materials go to the Ohio State University Graduate School admissions website at http://gradadmissions.osu.edu/. As part of the application process, you will be asked to send your transcripts, three letters of reference, and a statement of interest in this fellowship opportunity directly to the Rural Sociology Graduate Studies Committee Chair (208 Ag. Admin. Building, 2120 Fyffe Rd., Columbus OH 43210-1067).

Additional information is available about the SRI and the Rural Sociology Graduate Program by visiting: http://www.sri.osu.edu and http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~hcrd/rural_sociology/index.php

For more information about admission to the Rural Sociology Graduate Program, contact: Professor Linda Lobao, Rural Sociology Graduate Studies Committee Chair ( lobao.1@osu.edu).

For additional information about the IGPRS fellowships, contact: Molly Bean Smith, Research Associate, Social Responsibility Initiative ( bean.21@osu.edu).