Now in its fifth year, the Strauss Center's Brumley Next Generation Graduate Fellows program is an exciting opportunity open to graduate students from any program at UT who share our interest in international affairs and who wish to participate more directly in the intellectual life of the Strauss Center. Selection is highly competitive.

What Does the Program Entail?

The mission of the Brumley Next Generation Graduate Fellows program is to provide a transformative experience for UT graduate students from an array of disciplines, accelerating their path towards career success with an emphasis on building professional and scholarly skills and networks. Selection is not merely honorific; students selected for the Brumley Next Generation Graduate Fellows program will participate in the life of the Strauss Center, and receive support, in several ways:

Research, writing, and professional mentorship: First, each graduate student selected to be a Fellow will be linked to one of the Strauss Center’s many current research programs (based on the preferences expressed by the student in his or her application). More specifically, each Fellow will be paired with a Distinguished Scholar associated with that particular program. Under that scholar’s guidance, and backed by the financial support detailed below, the Fellow will conduct their own research and writing project(s). The Strauss Center scholar also will serve as a professional mentor, advising on career matters.

Graduate Fellows Colloquium: The Graduate Fellow Colloquium is a monthly luncheon during which Fellows and Strauss Center Distinguished Scholars will convene for two purposes: ongoing discussion of one another’s work, and engagement in a private setting with a visiting policymaker, practitioner, or scholar (selected by the Fellows themselves) in order to discuss both substantive issues and career development.

Resources: Fellows will receive a fellowship stipend for the 2020-2021 academic year. Fellows will also be eligible to apply for funding to support travel for conferences, research, and other scholarly or professional activities.

Participation in Other Aspects of Strauss Center Life: Fellows are expected to maintain a deep level of engagement with the Strauss Center, including by assisting in selecting a speaker on their relevant research topic for a Strauss Center public talk and acting as co-host for that speaker’s visit.

Click here to learn more about our current 2019-20 Fellows.

How to Apply?

Applications for the 2020-2021 cohort are now open. The application deadline is April 30, 2020. Selection results in an appointment for the upcoming academic year (with the possibility of renewal for Fellows who will have a subsequent year in residence in their graduate degree program). Please see below for eligibility and application information.

Eligibility:

1. You must currently be enrolled as a graduate student in good standing at the University of Texas at Austin. All graduate-level programs (Master’s, Ph.D., JD) at the University of Texas at Austin are eligible, regardless of their area of study. Students in programs that are not typically perceived as linked to international affairs, such as business or the natural sciences, should not hesitate to apply.
2. You must be enrolled as a full-time graduate student for both fall and spring semesters of the 2020-21 academic year, and you must be in residence in Austin during that time.
3. You must have a GPA of at least 3.5.
4. You must have demonstrated interest or experience in, and a desire to learn more about, one of the Strauss Center’s existing program areas. Those programs are described on our website at https://strausscenter.org/programs. Examples include:
   • Cybersecurity
   • Artificial Intelligence
   • U.S. Intelligence Activities
   • Terrorism and Counterterrorism
   • National Security Law
   • Complex Emergencies and Climate Security
   • Security and Migration in Mexico and Central America 
   • Understanding China
   • State Fragility
   • Space Security and Safety

Applications should include:

1. A detailed cover letter that explains your academic and professional interests, your career plans, and why you are interested in participating in the intellectual life of the Strauss Center. Your cover letter must identify the particular Strauss Center research program(s) on which you wish to work.
2. Resume, with your complete contact information, including email address and phone number.
3. Names and contact information for two references. At least one of these references should be a faculty member.
4. Unofficial graduate school transcript. If offered acceptance into the program, you will need to supply an official graduate school transcript.

Please email application materials to Lindsay Stanek at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.