YOUNG RESEARCHERS FELLOWSHIP
Area: Education and Research
Beneficiaries: Undergraduate students from Ecuadorian universities
Timeline: 2024-2025 (8 month synchronous classes)
Location: All Ecuador (remote)
Budget: US$24,500
Funded by:
- Embassy and Consulate of the United States in Ecuador
Partners:
- Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab LAC (JPAL LAC)
- DataCamp
- Centro Ecuatoriano Americano (CEN)
Summary:
The LIDE Young Researchers Fellowship program aims to train the new generation of social scientists in Ecuador, who will contribute to reducing poverty gaps and social inequities through research and the dissemination of evidence-based policies.
Objective:
To train a new generation of social scientists in Ecuador who will contribute to reducing poverty gaps and social inequities through research and the promotion of evidence-based public policies.
Beneficiaries profile:
- Be enrolled in the final year of an undergraduate program or have obtained an undergraduate degree from an Ecuadorian university.
- Show a strong interest in social sciences, quantitative methods, and public policy evaluation.
- Demonstrate a high academic level, supported by their university transcript, motivation letter, and recommendation letters.
- Have a monthly family income below the national average or belong to underrepresented communities in academia, including women, Afro-Ecuadorians, Indigenous people, and members of the LGBT community.
Content:
The LIDE Young Researchers Fellowship Program aims to train the next generation of social scientists in Ecuador who will contribute to reducing poverty gaps and social inequalities through research and dissemination of policies based on scientific evidence. Through academic strengthening, the program seeks to open doors for motivated students to pursue graduate studies abroad, thereby promoting the academic inclusion of disadvantaged communities. The first cohort of the program was funded by the U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Ecuador through a grant of $24,500. Currently, we are seeking additional funding to provide more resources (computers and stipends) to our fellows and to finance the second cohort of the program.
Program Content:
The LIDE Young Researchers Fellowship is a comprehensive training program in quantitative research and social sciences, providing access to academic resources, English language training, and opportunities to connect with leading social scientists. The program includes synchronous classes and personalized mentorships to guide participants in developing research projects focused on social issues and public policies relevant to the Ecuadorian context. Further, the program aims to strengthen the academic profile of fellows to enhance their chances of admission to international graduate programs and scholarship opportunities.
Additionally, the program aims to strengthen the academic profile of fellows to enhance their chances of admission to international graduate programs and scholarship opportunities. To achieve this, participants receive specialized modules on building an academic CV, writing motivation letters, preparing for English exams like TOEFL and IELTS, and strategies for searching and selecting academic programs, universities, and funding options. This type of training is unique in the country as it addresses aspects of the “hidden curriculum” that are essential for accessing international graduate programs but are often unknown or inaccessible to disadvantaged communities
Program Curriculum:
- Introduction to Social Science Research
- Statistics and Econometrics
- Causal Inference and Public Policy Evaluation
- Field Research and Randomized Evaluations
- Programming and Coding in R and Stata
- Version Control with Git and GitHub
- Academic Writing, Bibliography Management, and Report Generation in LaTeX and Markdown
- Mentorship for developing a research project
- English classes taught by the Centro Ecuatoriano Norteamericano and volunteers from the University of Minnesota, USA
- Workshops focused on applying for graduate programs and scholarships.