NSF Award
2215500
Over the past several years, the Empirical Study of Gender Research Network (EGEN) has hosted nine workshops in the US and abroad, providing feedback on research papers presented by junior scholars in addition to forming new research collaborations and providing professional mentorship. This award provides funding to EGEN for six research prizes to be awarded over the next three years. These prizes encourage participation in the network activities and contribute to broadening participation in STEM.<br/><br/>Despite the critical role gender plays in shaping every aspect of politics--and a long history of insightful gender and politics research--research on gender and politics has historically been under-valued. By mentoring junior scholars and intensively workshopping research in progress, the EGEN network capitalizes on the growth in scholarly and public interest in gender and politics topics. The prize program funded by NSF is intended to enhance the intellectual contribution of prize winners. In consultation with the applicants’ designations, each winner is assigned a senior mentor who commits to read the work of, and meet with, the prize winner at several points throughout the prize year. This type of external feedback and vertical mentorship is one way that the program differs from other research networks. Additionally, during the prize year or shortly thereafter, the winners are invited to present their work in progress during one of the workshops, which guarantees more extensive feedback and discussion by some of the field’s most committed and respected members.<br/><br/>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
