History of the Award
The James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia is given to honor the memory of Professor James S. Brown, a sociologist on the faculty of the University of Kentucky from 1946 to 1982, whose pioneering studies of society, demography, and migration in Appalachia (including his ethnography of “Beech Creek”) helped to establish the field of Appalachian Studies at UK and beyond.
Award Information
The James S. Brown Award supports graduate student research on the Appalachian region. To be eligible, students are actively enrolled in a master's or doctoral degree program at UK. The Award must be used to meet the costs of doing research relevant to social life in Appalachia including copying/printing, interviewing, data collection, archival research, transcribing, travel, and other legitimate research and subsistence expenses. (Please note that travel-related expenses must be in accordance with University of Kentucky's current travel guidelines). The Brown Award does NOT cover registration or travel costs for presentations or attendance at conferences. Several awards will be given this funding cycle. For 2024, up to $1000 will be awarded to each recipient.
Applications for the James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia that are NOT funded are automatically be entered into the competition for the UK Appalachian Center Eller & Billings Student Research Award. Those who receive the Brown Award are NOT be eligible for the Eller & Billings Award during the same funding cycle.
Recipients will be asked to give an update on their research in a SWAP (Sharing Work on Appalachia in Progress) presentation with Appalachian Studies faculty and students during the 2024-2025 academic year. Recipients will provide a copy of their presentation to be shared with the wider Appalachian Studies community.
Applications and recommendations for the 2023-2024 James S. Brown award Graduate Student Award are due Friday, March 8, 2024.
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