MARK Q. SAWYER, Ph.D. - Political Science
"I was a fourth-year faculty member when I applied to the Program. It was my second time applying. I had known several previous fellows and all had had a positive experience in the Program. I cannot overemphasize how much the Program helped me. In my fourth year at my home institution I was buried with responsibilities. I was in two units, I had several graduate students and, as a minority faculty member, mentoring and committee duties had become overwhelming. I needed the time to focus on my work. In fact, I was so stressed that my health had begun to suffer.
The fellowship came just in time. I had a lot of projects in progress but not enough had been completed. The fellowship and the Berkeley site were a perfect place to complete them, and to work, think, and really focus on working with ideas. It was my most productive period. In my first year, I found learning about the health care system not only interesting but stimulating. The interdisciplinary nature of the seminars challenged me to think in new ways about my own work. Further, I had the most precious commodity, time.
In the early part of my first year, I completed a revision of my book manuscript and several articles. The program and mentors nurtured my existing research but also encouraged new possibilities. I began to home in on an RWJ project but also continued my own research and completed some new articles that I got feedback on from my colleagues in the Program. It was an incredibly supportive environment that did not get in the way of me completing my work.
The time was intellectually stimulating, and while it may seem silly, I worked on my health and fitness as a means of relaxation. In my first year, after hearing about the relationship between health behaviors and outcomes, I was able to lose over 50 pounds that I have largely maintained since my time in the Program. Having been overwhelmed by the initial push and demand of being a faculty member, the Program gave me a chance to reconnect with my work and develop a healthier balance between taking care of business and taking care of me.
By the end of my first year, my book had been accepted, several R&Rs had been turned around and I was able to submit a number of new articles. After the wonderful experience presenting my first-year research at the Program’s Aspen meeting, I consulted with my chair and decided to go up for tenure early in my fifth year.
While tenure is always stressful, the Program and my cohort were always supportive. I kept my work going and also had time to apply to several jobs. I continued my RWJ work, which helped immensely as it represented progress toward a second project and a signal of my standing in the discipline. I received several tenure offers that year and ultimately was granted tenure and remained at my home institution. The Program made that all possible.
I returned to UCLA refreshed and having completed a solid body of work. I also had a new network that has been very valuable. RWJ fellows and people involved with the Program are always helpful and really care to help you if you need advice or want to understand how to formulate research, conduct a job search or any other important aspect of participating in the Program. My view of research has also expanded. Health presents infinite opportunities to connect with political science and expand resources. I cannot overstate how much the Program has benefited my career and me personally."
MARK Q. SAWYER, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Political Science,
Bunche Center for African American Studies, and
Director, Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity and Politics
University of California, Los Angeles
| DARRICK HAMILTON, Ph.D. - Economics |
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"When I joined the Program, I was fortunate to have been offered a deferred tenure-track faculty position in economics. However, upon leaving the Program, because of a regional preference, I conducted a search for an assistant professor position in the New York metropolitan area and decided that the best fit for me was at Milano-The New School for Management and Urban Policy, where I am currently an assistant professor of economics and urban and health policy. As an applied microeconomist who examines racial and ethnic inequality, a great deal of my teaching, research and service has been directed toward the measurement of inequality, and the analysis of the causes, consequences and remedies associated with these inequalities. The Program afforded me the time and resources, as well as a network of advocates and advisors, to enhance my career opportunities while subsequently helping me to become a better educator and scholar.
My experience during the Program in learning from and collaborating with colleagues of varying experiences and norms helped me to become successful in developing a balanced and appropriate course curriculum that challenges, motivates and stimulates a diverse pool of students with varying experiences and norms. My experience in the Program also helped me to contribute more directly to the development of students by serving as an advisor, mentor and dissertation committee member. Moreover, I am now able to expose students to research and ideas that they may not otherwise be exposed to in their normal course of disciplinary studies. In addition, my development as an effective teacher and mentor has enabled me to think, teach and conduct research using theories and tools from a variety of disciplinary perspectives while increasing the breadth of my work concerning race, ethnicity, poverty, and health policy.
Thanks in large part to my training as a RWJF Scholar, I have made contributions to the economics and policy fields, as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications, book chapters in edited volumes, editorials, funded research, presentations, symposia, service to professional organizations, and appearances in the media. My work has examined inequality in multiple arenas, including education, employment, health, home ownership, marriage, and wages. Since these arenas are likely to influence and be influenced by one another, my broad examination of all of them has provided me with a more complete depiction of inequality. Moreover, I obtained this broad understanding without sacrificing rigor or depth. A great deal of my understanding was developed during my time as a Scholar.
I currently serve as a co-Associate Director of the American Economic Association Summer Training and Minority Fellowship Program, which is charged with the task of increasing the number of minority scholars entering and completing doctoral programs in economics. I believe that my involvement in this effort was greatly influenced by my time in the Scholars Program. The Program put me on my professional development path and augmented my economics training with insights from other disciplines. I continue to expand my knowledge base in order to grow as a scholar."
DARRICK HAMILTON, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Economics, and Urban and Health Policy
Milano-The New School for Management and Urban Policy
New York, NY
