Border Policy Research Institute now accepting fellowship applicants

Emerging researchers have the opportunity to delve into U.S.-Canadian border studies with applications now open for a visiting cross-border research fellowship co-hosted by Western Washington University (WWU) and the University of Victoria (UVic).

The fellowship, with an application deadline of February 12, will allow one candidate to work with faculty and students at both the Border Policy Research Institute (BPRI) at WWU and the Borders in Globalization program at UVic.

“Applicants should have a good idea of what their research project is and be able to make a case for why it’s important and relevant to do the project in the Washington-B.C. region,” said BPRI director Laurie Trautman.

The residency will last up to three months and include a stipend of as much as $10,000 depending on the length of the applicant’s stay. Expenses will be reimbursed for travel between the two campuses.

The applicant can elect to work at one or both universities depending on their academic needs but is expected to spend time at both programs, Trautman said. If chosen, the fellow will then complete one public seminar and one published article or organized event on the border region before finishing the program.

“It’s a great experience to have a fellowship that splits time between two different universities that are in two different countries but are in the same region,” Trautman said.

Research on immigration policy relating to the cross-border mobility of skilled labor will be given priority for the upcoming fellowship, BPRI’s website states. Applicants with backgrounds ranging from academia to the non-profit and government sectors are encouraged to apply.

Someone from the private sector or government with a strong background in policy will stand out as a candidate, said Trautman, whose institute is heavily policy-based. The project must relate to the Salish Sea or Cascadia region but also have broader implications.

In December, BPRI published a report from Trautman and the 2018 visiting fellow, Francesco Cappellano, on advancing the cross-border economy. The report examined current economic integration in the Cascadia region, and considered how advanced technologies like facial recognition might potentially improve regional economics in the next five to 10 years.

Past fellows have also worked on projects comparing European Union and U.S.-Canadian border policies, as well as researching cross-border tourism strategies. The multidisciplinary institute, founded in 2005 to inform policymakers on issues like human mobility and border security, is in its third year of hosting fellows.

Candidates will be contacted by February 28. More information can be found on BPRI’s website, wp.wwu.edu/bpri. Contact Natalie Baloy at natalie.baloy@wwu.edu for further information on the application process and fellowship.