The Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) is pleased to announce the competition for the 2023–2024 Fesler-Lampert Chair in Urban and Regional Affairs, and invites interested faculty from across the University of Minnesota to apply for this award.
The Fesler-Lampert Chair in Urban and Regional Affairs provides one year of support for the research activities of a University of Minnesota faculty member on a project related to urban and regional affairs in Minnesota. Previous holders of the chair have used this support to complete projects on urban environmental policy advocacy in the Twin Cities, employee turnover and retention rates at Minnesota companies, and the impact of computer networks on civic life in rural Minnesota communities.
Regular faculty members are invited to apply. The Chair carries with it $40,000 in funding to be used in support of the proposed project as decided by the awardee. The Chair is held for a one-year period starting on July 1. The faculty member selected will be expected as part of their project to prepare a 3500-word manuscript for publication in the online edition of the CURA Reporter, our report of faculty research. Grantees are required to acknowledge support from the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs in all written materials and presentations that result from work funded by this grant.
Eligibility: Applications are invited from all University faculty members (professor, associate professor, assistant professor) conducting independent research and who hold (or will hold during the relevant academic year) full time (100 percent) tenured or tenure-track appointments (employee class FAR). The program is designed particularly for faculty who hold nine-month appointments (appointment term not equal to “A”), although we have supported projects of regular faculty on twelve-month appointments. Adjunct or contract faculty are not eligible for this program. Previous recipients of the Fesler-Lampert Chair in Urban Affairs are not eligible.
Application Requirements
Applicants for the Fesler-Lampert Chair in Urban and Regional Affairs must submit the following items:
- A letter of no more than four pages describing the project—including the specific work to be accomplished while holding the chair—and discussing the project’s importance for understanding urban or regional issues. The letter should include a statement of how the funds will be spent.
- A brief statement outlining the applicant’s experience and preparation for undertaking the proposed project and discussing how carrying out this project will strengthen the applicant's future teaching and research/scholarship.
- A current curriculum vitae.
Application materials should be e-mailed to cura-fl@umn.edu. NOTE: Applications sent to any other address may not be considered.
Deadline: Applications must be received in the CURA office by 4:30 p.m. on March 3, 2023. Grant recipients will be notified in April.
Grant Policies: For information on grant policies on extensions and budget changes, please review the Fesler-Lampert grant policies.
Please e-mail egoetz@umn.edu (with subject line: “Fesler-Lampert Chair”) if you have questions.
About the Program
The Fesler-Lampert Chair is one of four endowed chairs made possible through the generosity and vision of David and Elizabeth Fesler to honor Mr. Fesler’s grandfathers, Bert Fesler and Jacob Lampert. The endowment is intended to stimulate interdisciplinary research and teaching through the appointment of distinguished, broadly learned scholars to endowed faculty positions at the University of Minnesota. The award is given biannually or as endowment funds are available.
