Announcing the Fellowship for Research to Advance Global Health & Human Rights
The Center for Global Health Equity, Donia Human Rights Center, and Physicians for Human Rights are proud to announce the Fellowship for Research to Advance Global Health & Human Rights. This fellowship offers a unique, paid six-month research and advocacy opportunity for U-M graduate and professional students and aims to prepare future leaders dedicated to promoting justice and health equity through a human rights framework. Through the fellowship students will gain knowledge of current topics at the intersection of global health equity, human rights, policy, and advocacy, and will develop practical skills in interdisciplinary collaboration and problem-solving across policy, law, science, medicine, forensics, and global public health.
“We deeply value the transformative partnerships that pave the way for significant, impactful change,” said Joseph C. Kolars, Leslie D. Yamada and Tachi Yamada M.D. Director of the Center for Global Health Equity. “The new fellowship exemplifies this commitment. By working together with the Donia Human Rights Center and Physicians for Human Rights, we are not only investing in the future leaders of global health equity but also advancing a critical mission to improve health around the world.”
Two students per year will be selected by the University of Michigan’s Center for Global Health Equity via a competitive review process to work closely with Physicians for Human Rights under the mentorship of Michele Heisler, MD, MPA, PHR’s medical director and Kutsche Research Professor of Internal Medicine & Professor of Public Health at the University of Michigan. Fellows will co-design a research project aligned with the student’s interests and PHR’s global human rights work, gaining hands-on experience in health and human rights research and advocacy.
From DHRC Director Steve Ratner: “We're delighted to start this exciting partnership with the CGHE for the benefit of Michigan's graduate students interested in health and human rights. By working with Physicians for Human Rights, the world's leading NGO in this field, the student fellow will be able to expand their knowledge and contribute to PHR's important missions. It is a unique opportunity for Michigan students.”
We seek graduate students with demonstrated commitment to human rights and global health, with academic or professional interests that align with at least one of the program areas of Physicians for Human Rights. Focus areas for PHR include, but are not limited to, asylum and persecution, reproductive justice, attacks on healthcare, sexual violence, and more. Applicants should have previous research experience in their field. Note that while applicants’ interests should connect to a PHR focus area, our program mentor, Dr. Michele Heisler, does not supervise projects focused on children as the primary population due to her areas of expertise.
The fellowship can accommodate one student from June-November 2025 and one student from January-June 2026. Students may apply for one or both fellowship terms and should submit their application through M-Compass.
The deadline to apply for this opportunity is February 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST. For any questions please reach out to Alana Rodriguez, education project manager, at [email protected].
Center for Global Health Equity: The Center for Global Health Equity champions interdisciplinary, collaborative efforts to address health disparities in low- and middle-income countries. By uniting faculty, staff, and students at the University of Michigan with global partners, we amplify our impact on individuals and communities in need.
Donia Human Rights Center: The Donia Human Rights Center is a forum for intellectual exchange on issues around human rights among scholars, practitioners, students, and the broader public. We aim to promote deeper understanding of human rights issues in the contemporary world and to equip our constituents with the tools to tackle challenging human rights problems around the world. The International Institute brings together distinguished and diverse faculty and scholars with deep area studies and international expertise to enrich the university’s intellectual environment and provide the U-M community with the knowledge, tools, and experience to become informed and active global citizens. We advance this mission through education, engagement, and innovation.
Physicians for Human Rights: For more than 35 years, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) has used science and the uniquely credible voices of medical professionals to document and call attention to severe human rights violations around the world. PHR, which shared in the Nobel Peace Prize for its work to end the scourge of landmines, uses its investigations and expertise to advocate for persecuted health workers and facilities under attack, prevent torture, document mass atrocities, and hold those who violate human rights accountable.