The American Association of University Women (AAUW) has awarded a 2013-14 American Fellowship to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Katrin E. Sjursen, Ph.D. She is an assistant professor of historical studies within SIUE’s College of Arts and Sciences.
American Fellowships, AAUW’s oldest and largest funding program, date back to 1888 and support women scholars who are completing doctoral dissertations, conducting postdoctoral research or finishing research for publication.
“I was shocked when I learned that the AAUW had awarded me one of their postdoctoral fellowships,” said Sjursen. “The grant is extremely competitive, with a lot of really excellent projects submitted.
“I plan to use the grant to produce a book based on my research into the military obligations of medieval noblewomen. Hopefully, young girls today will learn that there were many roles open to women in the past and that women were an important part of all sectors of life.”
A native of Old Lyme, Conn., Sjursen earned a doctorate in medieval history from the University of California Santa Barbara in 2010. She joined the SIUE faculty in 2009 as an instructor, advancing to her current position in 2010, and now resides in Edwardsville.
“The American Fellowship program affords scholars the ability to become leading thinkers in their fields and have an impact across multiple disciplines,” said Gloria Blackwell, AAUW vice president of fellowships, grants and international programs. It also recognizes their great potential, because they are receiving support from one of the nation’s most respected women’s organizations.”
For the 2013–14 academic year, AAUW awarded a total of $3.7 million to 245 scholars, research projects and programs promoting education and equity for women and girls through six fellowships and grants. AAUW is one of the world’s leading supporters of graduate women’s education, having awarded nearly $100 million in fellowships, grants and awards to more than 12,000 women from more than 130 countries since 1888.
As part of the 125thanniversary celebration of the fellowships and grants program, AAUW created a new video and interactive timeline, which feature historic photos and documents from the program’s rich history.
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) empowers women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research. The nonpartisan, nonprofit organization has more than 165,000 members and supporters across the United States, as well as 1,000 local branches and 800 college and university partners. Since AAUW’s founding in 1881, our members have examined and taken positions on the fundamental issues of the day – educational, social, economic and political. Learn more at www.aauw.org.
Photo: SIUE Assistant Professor Katie Sjursen.