Applications Invited for Structural Transformation of Agriculture and Rural Spaces (STARS) Fellowship

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About the Organization

The Cornell SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University unites the strengths of three top-ranked business schools. Together, we’re contributing to a new era of business through mission-driven, community-centered learning.

About the Fellowship

The STARS Fellowship Program pairs early-career researchers with faculty mentors to advance rigorous, policy-oriented research on the causal determinants of productivity and income growth, asset accumulation, rural employment and risk management in agriculture and rural spaces. The core objectives of the program include:

• Build and reinforce an effective policy research culture among early-career researchers that can help build and sustain research capacity at their institutions beyond the STARS program.
• Provide mentorship to early-career researchers by Cornell University and other affiliated institution faculty and researchers.
• Conduct professional development activities to supplement the research process, including trainings, seminars, and feedback sessions.
• Create an active network of equipped, policy-engaged, collaborative researchers, connected to leading global authorities in the development research space.
• Heighten the exposure and rigorous analysis of high-quality, publicly available data, such as LSMS-ISA data and other micro-level panel data sets.

STARS Research Themes

STARS research broadly encompasses topics relating to the structural transformation of agriculture and rural economies in low and lower-middle income countries. More specifically, topics include:

• Dynamics of agricultural inputs use, technological change, and productivity growth.
• Rural factor (e.g. credit, labor, land) and product market performance.
• Agri-food systems and value chains.
• Food security, nutrition, health, and education linkages.
• Poverty dynamics, risk management, and resilience against shocks.
• Sustainable natural resources management.

Eligibility

• Early career researchers, either Ph.D. students in their final year prior to degree completion or those who completed their Ph.D. no earlier than 2020.
• Familiarity with and demonstrated access to data sets in your research proposal. STARS does not provide funding for new data collection.
• Strong working knowledge of appropriate software, typically Stata and/or R, and an interest in quantitative analysis of high-quality data sets. Knowledge of Stata and/or R will be assessed at the finalist stage.­
• Priority given to:
• Researchers who have earned at least one degree from an institution in a low- or lower-middle income country[1][2]
• Researchers planning to work professionally in low- and lower-middle income countries in the future
• Proposals relating to one or more of the research themes indicated above
• Qualified female researchers

How to Apply

The deadline to submit a research proposal is January 16, 2026 at 11:59 PM New York time. Applicants should submit their completed proposals via the STARS online application link. Accepted applicants will be notified by early April 2026 and are expected to begin remote collaboration with their mentor and be prepared to join launch activities immediately upon acceptance. Any questions about the application process or program should be directed to stars-fellowship@cornell.edu.

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Tags Food, Agriculture and Nutrition Research Others