The Visiting Scholar Program was an opportunity for scholars to pursue research projects relevant to women using the vast resources available through the Center for the Education of Women (CEW) and the University of Michigan. Scholars were required to hold a Ph.D. or equivalent degree. A scholar’s stay at the Center ranged from two to twelve months, usually occuring between the months of September and April. Visiting scholars were responsible for producing a written paper or summary of their work and presenting it at a research seminar or workshop.
Funding for visiting scholars was provided by the Jean Campbell Research Fund. A stipend of up to $7,500 per scholar was available to offset the visiting scholar’s travel, housing and other expenses. This funding was also used to arrange for student research assistance. An additional $1,000 was paid upon CEW’s receipt of the scholar’s paper.
Our visiting scholars have come from locations near and far and from a wide variety of disciplines. Recent examples include Juliet Perumal from South Africa – education; Jadwiga Pieper Mooney from Arizona – history; Renge Jibu from Japan – journalism; Leslie Bloom from Iowa – education; Lakshmi Lingam from India – women’s studies.
Eligible Research Topics
CEW conducted and sponsored research in a variety of areas important to women. The Visiting Scholar Program was one of several methods by which CEW advanced its research agenda. CEW’s primary research interests include:
- Women in Higher Education
- Women and Work
- Women of Color in the Academy
- Women in Non-Traditional Fields
- Leadership
- Gender Equity in Education and Employment
- Gender and Poverty
Available Resources
CEW: Office space, support and funding were provided through the Center for the Education of Women and the Jean Campbell Research Fund. Established by the University of Michigan in 1964, CEW quickly became — and has remained — a pre-eminent model of the comprehensive, university-based women’s center. CEW’s ground-breaking research, advocacy, policy development and service in the areas of women’s education, employment and leadership have contributed to the progress women have made over the past four decades.
Extensive Access to Information: CEW’s library provided information to researchers, program participants, and the University community in all the areas of CEW activity. Visiting scholars found the library collection particularly strong in the areas of women in the workforce, women in higher education, general statistical information on women, and materials of historical significance or specific relevance to the state of Michigan and the University of Michigan.
Visiting scholars also recei full access to the University of Michigan’s libraries, consistently ranked as one of the top ten academic research libraries in North America. Visiting scholars may draw upon a comprehensive library system that includes three main libraries (graduate, undergraduate and medical), nineteen divisional libraries, seven departmental and area collections, and the following special libraries: Law Library, William L. Clements Library of Americana, Michigan Historical Collections/Bentley Historical Library, and Kresge Business Administration Library. The total University holdings numbers over 7,000,000 volumes.
Another valuable resource at the University is the Institute for Social Research (ISR), established in 1948 for interdisciplinary research in the social and behavioral sciences. ISR is the largest university-based social research unit in the world. It includes four research centers: the Survey Research Center, the Research Center for Group Dynamics, the Center for Political Studies, and the Population Studies Center. It is also the location of the Inter-University Consortium of Political and Social Research, the world’s largest computerized social science data archive. Additional information is available about the University’s research resources.
Local Activities & Culture: Ann Arbor offers a cultural mix of people and activities unique for a small town in the Midwest. A variety of interesting restaurants, art spaces, musical offerings and other entertainment abound for scholars to enjoy outside of their research hours. The Michigan communities of Detroit, Flint, and Lansing, as well as Toledo Ohio are all within an hour’s drive of Ann Arbor. These locations provide additional opportunities for community-based research and/or after-hours entertainment.
Publications by Past Visiting Scholars
Publications from our Visiting Scholars can be viewed here.
Visiting scholars were responsible for producing a written paper or summary of their work while at CEW. This document was published on the CEW website and influenced outside publishers’ willingness to accept submissions on the same topic. The visiting scholar’s paper was aimed at a general or policy audience, briefly outlined the research topic and, where appropriate, indicated the policy or practice implications of the findings.
CEW’s Visiting Scholar program has been discontinued.