The Lender Center for Social Justice is now accepting applications for the 2026-28 Lender Faculty Fellowship. The two-year research fellowship, now in its eighth year, supports faculty work on the causes of and solutions to complex contemporary social justice issues.

Application Deadline Is April 10

• The fellowships are open to full-time Syracuse University faculty.
• Applications are due by Friday, April 10, at 5 p.m.
• Details about the submission process and required materials are available on the Lender Center website.
• Questions can be directed to lendercenter@syr.edu.

What Support Does the Fellowship Provide?

• A stipend of $15,000 covering the faculty member’s work for two summers.
• An additional $5,000 per year allocated to support research initiatives ($10,000 total).
• Another $5,000 dedicated to cover costs of hosting a public symposium at the conclusion of the fellowship, when faculty and student fellows present their work.

Who Are Recent Faculty Fellows and Their Research Topics?

Recent fellows studied these issues:

• Nicole Fonger, associate professor of mathematics and mathematics education in the College of Arts and Sciences and School of Education, looked at how data literacy skills can be developed and how data can provide insights into community quality-of-life issues.
• Miriam Mutambudzi, assistant professor of public health in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, examined economic policies that shaped housing and employment opportunities in Syracuse and the importance of community input and engagement in social issues
• Nausheen Husain, assistant professor of magazine, news and digital journalism in the Newhouse School of Public Communications, studied post-9/11 news media coverage and how it impacted specific communities.
• Mona Bhan, professor of anthropology and Ford-Maxwell Professor of South Asian Studies in the Maxwell School, led a team that studied how AI systems can transform the concepts of autonomy, accountability, human rights and justice.
• Seyeon Lee, associate dean for strategic initiatives and research and Georgia Miller Associate Professor in the School of Design at the College of Visual and Performing Arts, assessed how building design impacted accessibility and use of a new women’s wellness center.
• Jonnell Robinson, associate professor of geography and the environment in the Maxwell School, who examined the issue of food justice, and whether the food systems in Syracuse were meeting the needs of the community, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Good Results, Engaging Research

“Over the past eight years, Lender faculty fellows and their student teams have taken innovative approaches to exploring a wide spectrum of social justice issues,” says Kendall Phillips, Lender Center director. “We are grateful for their good work and the up-to-date knowledge they have produced, and we are pleased that they have regarded their projects as engaging and transformative research opportunities.”