Mexico Public Policy Scholar's Program

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations (COMEXI) are pleased to announce the eighth year of the Mexico Public Policy Scholars Program. The objective of the Program is to allow a period of advanced research and a publication about political policy, in order to bring together the academic and policy communities in the United States and in Mexico.

Two scholarships are available, one for the spring period of January 9- June 1, 2012 and the other for the summer period of July 2- August 31, 2012; both are based at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. The application deadline is September 1, 2011.

Eligibility

The competition is open to high-level professionals, residents in Mexico, in a wide variety of disciplines and sectors (including academia, the media, the business sector, public administration, law, and related fields), who are currently pursuing research on key public policy issues facing Mexico, including Mexico-U.S. relations, which would be enhanced by a period of residence in Washington, D.C.

Applicants must have the terminal degree in their field (for academics, this should be a Ph.D.; for other professionals, this will vary by field). Applicants should be at least 35 years old and have a minimum of eight years of professional or research experience. Preferences will be given to applicants who have published scholarly books or substantial articles in specialized journals.

The selected candidates must be able to obtain a J-1 visa and have a valid passport. The selected candidates should have health insurance that is valid abroad. The Wilson Center can suggest insurance companies that can provide the appropriate health insurance for short-term stays.

The selected candidates will be responsible for the cost of their health insurance and their air and ground transportation. Although scholars are responsible for locating their own housing in the Washington, D.C. area, the Wilson Center provides written material to help facilitate the search process.

Applicants must be fluent in both written and spoken English.

Benefits/Responsibilities of the Program

The scholarship consists of a $5,000 USD per month stipend to cover the costs of housing and food. In addition, the selected candidates will be given an office or library carrel space with a personal computer; they will also have access to the Library of Congress and to specialized libraries and universities in the area.

While at the Wilson Center, the scholarship recipients will be expected to carry out a schedule of rigorous research based on the topic outlined in the research proposal.
They will also be expected to participate in workshops, seminars, and conferences organized by the Wilson Center’s Latin American Program and Mexico Institute. In addition, they should participate in the intellectual life of the Wilson Center and of the larger community of Mexico scholars in Washington.
Upon returning to Mexico at the end of their stay, recipients should submit a report about their experience at the Wilson Center and develop a 20- to 30-page essay from their research, which will be jointly published by the sponsoring institutions in English and in Spanish.

Selection Criteria

a) significance of the proposed research, including the originality of the project;
b) quality of the proposal in definition, organization, clarity and depth;
c) capabilities and achievements of the applicant; and
d) relevance of the project to contemporary Mexican public policy and U.S.-Mexico policy issues.

A panel of experts from both institutions will review all applications and make recommendations for appointment to the Wilson Center’s president.

Procedures and Deadline for Applications

The application deadline is September 1, 2011. Applicants should submit the following materials electronically to Comexi to comexi.wilsoncenter@consejomexicano.org.
a) a brief (4 - 6 double-spaced pages) description of their proposed research project. Project descriptions should be in English and include:

- a detailed explanation of the research topic;
- a description of the project's originality;
- a description of the methodology, approaches, sources and materials to be used, and, where appropriate, the importance to the research of Washington, D.C. resources; and
- a description of the significance of the project and of its relevance to contemporary Mexican public policy and impact on U.S.-Mexico policy issues.

b) a C.V. or resume (in English)

c) two letters of recommendation (in English)

Applicants should request that the two letters of recommendation be sent to comexi.wilsoncenter@consejomexicano.org. Recommendation letters should address the quality of the research proposal; the capabilities and achievements of the applicant; and the relevance of the project to contemporary Mexican public policy and impact on U.S.-Mexico policy issues.