The US Agency for International Development Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/BHA) is the lead US federal coordinator for international disaster assistance, and a leading participant in the global humanitarian community.
USAID/BHA currently seeks to enhance its leadership efforts, improve its response programming in the humanitarian Shelter and Settlements (S&S) sector, increase the awareness of the sector in North America, and expand career options for those interested in S&S sector activities. USAID/BHA views S&S sector activities broadly to include not only provision of shelter to disaster/crisis-affected populations, but also the linked activities of settlements planning, disaster risk reduction, natural resource management, climate change adaptation, and proximate economic factors. USAID/BHA has also contributed to emerging humanitarian community interest in the Settlements Approach (integrated, multi-sector activities in socio-economically defined space), particularly in urban areas, and the linkage of this approach to follow-on recovery and reconstruction efforts.
Looking for fully-funded opportunities, install the Youth Opportunities Android or iOS App here.
The topic of this graduate student research would be focused on any of the following topics of interest:
- Wider Impacts – Measuring the contribution of shelter and settlements assistance to wider humanitarian outcomes in conflict and disasters contexts, especially with regard to livelihoods, physical and mental health, social cohesion, gender and society, risk from hazards and access to basic services.
- Long Term Recovery – Managing the transition of crisis affected households to longer term recovery in conflict and disasters contexts.
- Housing, Land and Property (HLP) – Ways of navigating land and property rights, security of tenure, and administration issues to support households to secure their rights to use, occupy, own, rent, or transfer shelter in conflict and disasters contexts.
- Space Standards – How to establish a more contextualized measures of shelter density in settlements in conflict and disasters contexts.
- Self-Recovery – How can markets support shelter self-recovery in conflict and disasters contexts.
- Cash and Markets – How households effectively use cash to secure and support their shelter and settlements in conflict and disasters contexts.
- Measures to increase “coverage”: the level of assistance in response to identified humanitarian shelter and settlements needs, or to more effectively use resources.
- Environment – Linking and incorporating climate change adaptation measures and hazard mitigation efforts into settlements planning to promote disaster risk reduction.
Location:
United States, OnlineBenefits
- USAID/BHA anticipates three awards of up to $19,000 each (made up of $10,000 for stipend and up to $9,000 for travel related expenses if necessary) to support graduate research.
- Awards will support fellowship research for approximately ten months and cover basic expenses that might include travel, lodging and research-related costs (e.g., medical evacuation insurance, visas, vaccinations, etc.). USAID/BHA, through HFHI, will provide basic administrative support for the graduate students.
- All fellowship activities must be undertaken expeditiously and completed by January 30th, 2023.
Eligibilities
USAID/BHA seeks to motivate fellows to professionally engage in the humanitarian S&S sector by supporting the thesis or professional report writing efforts of three fellows during 2022. Fellows will be graduate students currently enrolled full-time in accredited North American graduate school programs or US citizens studying abroad in similar graduate programs, in the following disciplines:
- City, Urban, Environmental, or Regional Planning, and Architecture or Architectural engineering
- Civil or Environmental Engineering or similar disciplines
Ideally, successful candidates would be first-year, Masters-level, graduate students, in the programs listed above, who are interested in commencing work on a thesis or professional report as a requirement for graduation.
Eligible Regions: Open for AllApplication Process
- Candidates will submit a CV, a two-page statement of proposed work (including an executive summary), a reference from their thesis or professional report advisor, and a statement from the advisor confirming that the statement of proposed work will directly support the candidate’s thesis or professional report topic. A review committee representing HFHI, USAID/BHA and the InterAction Shelter & Settlements Working Group will be formed to identify successful candidates for this fellowship. Applications and supporting documents must be submitted by 5:00 PM EST, Friday, February 18th, 2022. Applications from women and minority candidates are strongly encouraged.
- Please attach the above-mentioned documents (pdf or MS Word) to [email protected] with the subject line “SHELTER FELLOWSHIPS-LastName”. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. No phone calls or email inquiries, please.
- Please attach the above-mentioned documents (pdf or MS Word) only to [email protected] with the subject line “SHELTER FELLOWSHIPS-LastName”. Don’t use the “APPLY NOW” bottom. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. No phone calls or email inquiries, please.
Looking for fully-funded opportunities, install the Youth Opportunities Android or iOS App here.
Application Deadline: February 18, 2022
Application ClosedOfficial link
