Institute for Social Research

Jerald and Virginia Bachman Research Fellowship on Change in American Youth

The Jerald and Virginia Bachman Fellowship is a prestigious award offered to graduate students from various social science departments at the University of Michigan. It supports research focused on examining patterns and changes in the lifestyles and values of American youth and young adults using data from the Monitoring the Future (MTF) project. MTF provides a rich source of data through large-scale, nationally representative surveys conducted annually on students in 8th, 10th, and 12th grades, as well as graduates followed into young- and mid-adulthood. The MTF project, initiated by Jerald Bachman and Lloyd Johnston, has been continuously funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse since 1975. While MTF is renowned for its comprehensive reporting and analysis of substance use and related attitudes and behaviors, many other areas of data remain underexplored. The fellowship aims to encourage graduate students to analyze and shed light on various dimensions, such as racial attitudes, sex roles, marriage preferences, military views, environmental concerns, and more. Recipients of the fellowship may collaborate with MTF staff and investigators, including Professor Bachman and other principal investigators, for guidance and support in their research endeavors.

Expectations

  • At the one-year mark, recipients will be asked to share an update about the status of their research.
  • In publications and presentations, recipients must acknowledge ISR and this award’s support.
  • Awards are intended for use within one year, but may be extended upon request for an additional six months

Eligibility and Scope

  • Graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, or junior faculty members from the University of Michigan social science departments (e.g. Psychology, Sociology, Political Science, Economics), the School of Social Work, the School of Education, the Law School, and more.
  • Deadline: To be determined
  • Award Amount: To be determined

Application Process

  • Documents required for submission
    • Curriculum Vitae
    • Proposal Document
  • If you have any questions about the award process, please contact [email protected]

Previous Bachman Fellowship Recipients

  • Brooke Arterberry, 2023, Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research
  • Delvon Mattingly, 2022, U-M Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health
  • Berenice Castillo, 2019, U-M Department of Psychology and the School of Social Work
  • Michael Fang, 2018, U-M Joint Doctoral Program in Public Policy and Social Science and the Population Studies Center
  • Yuan He, 2017, U-M Department of Sociology

To support this fund and make future awards possible, please visit our Next Generation Giving Page.

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