Lightning Scholars
Lightning Scholars supports untenured, tenure-track faculty in developing a major global affairs research project or book while engaging with scholars and policymakers to connect academic work with policy.
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Funder: Perry World House
Due Dates: December 1, 2026 (2027–28 fellowship application)
Funding Amounts: Compensation negotiated case by case for a semester or full academic year
Summary: Supports untenured, tenure-track faculty in residence in Philadelphia to produce a major global affairs research project or book while engaging with scholars and policymakers.
Key Information: Applicants must be untenured, tenure-track faculty at leading research universities and undertake an in-residence fellowship.
Description
Lightning Scholars is a residential fellowship at Perry World House, part of the University of Pennsylvania. It brings faculty from around the world to Philadelphia for a semester or full academic year of research, writing, and exchange with Penn’s community. Fellows use the residency to produce a major research project or book on global affairs while bridging academia and the policy world.
The program combines sustained writing time with opportunities to collaborate with an interdisciplinary community of scholars and practitioners. Preference is given to work broadly related to climate, democracy, global justice and human rights, and security. Perry World House is especially interested in faculty whose research connects to important global policy conversations and who want to engage with visiting policymakers from around the world.
