Fellowship for Research to Advance Global Health & Human Rights

Fellowship Overview

The Fellowship for Research to Advance Global Health & Human Rights (FRAGHH) offers a unique, paid six-month research and advocacy opportunity for U-M graduate and professional students. This joint initiative between the University of Michigan’s Center for Global Health Equity, Donia Human Rights Center (DHRC), and the Nobel Peace Prize-awarded Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) aims to prepare future leaders dedicated to promoting justice and health equity through a human rights framework.

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, 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.

Program Activities:

As part of the fellowship, students will:

• Join a team of experts on human rights projects at PHR under Dr. Michele Heisler's guidance.
• Complete an independent research and advocacy project and present findings to stakeholders.
• Participate in CGHE and DHRC communities of practice and programming (e.g., impact scholar sessions, research intern training).
• Contribute to at least one PHR research report and submit an authored paper, as well as possible op-eds, articles, and policy briefs.

Benefits to Students:

Through this fellowship, participants will:

• Gain knowledge of current topics at the intersection of global health equity, human rights, policy, and advocacy.
• Learn CGHE’s and PHR’s principles for building global partnerships, co-designing solutions for health challenges, documenting human rights abuses, building local capacity, and advocating for justice and accountability.
• Develop practical skills in interdisciplinary collaboration and problem-solving across policy, law, science, medicine, forensics, and global public health.
• Expand professional networks within U-M, PHR, and global partners, opening pathways in human rights and global health equity.
• Receive mentorship in conducting and writing up original research on selected topics.
• Participate in CGHE, PHR, and DHRC activities and present completed research in these fora.

Program Details

Eligibility:

Open to U-M graduate (Masters, PhD) and professional students (MD, JD, etc.) from any discipline and from any U-M campus (Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Flint). Students must be enrolled for at least one term following their mentored research experience and, therefore, students planning for a May or August 2026 graduation are ineligible.

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 (PHR). 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.

Please note: While fellows will work closely with Dr. Michele Heisler on PHR-aligned projects, they will not represent PHR directly or engage as formal PHR staff. Their work will support PHR’s mission through independent research sponsored by the University of Michigan.

International Students:

F&J students sponsored by the University of Michigan must have on-campus employment eligibility. Please consult the International Center (icenter@umich.edu) if you have questions about your status.

Program Structure

Program Duration: The fellowship spans approximately six months, requiring an average commitment of 10 hours per week. A condensed schedule may be negotiated based on the specific needs of the project, student, and mentor. 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. 

Funding Structure: Graduate students accepted into the fellowship may receive up to $10,000 to support their research. Fellows can request up to $6,000 as a stipend, with an additional $4,000 available for travel and research expenses. Alternatively, the entire $10,000 may be allocated solely for travel and research expenses, reducing or forgoing the stipend amount.

Location: Initial two weeks based in Ann Arbor, with office space at the North Campus Research Complex (NCRC) Building 16. Fellows may continue from NCRC, work remotely, or work at PHR’s office in New York City.

Deliverables: At the end of this fellowship, students will produce:

• Authored research reports, articles, or policy briefs for PHR.
• Program reflections and a final project report submitted to CGHE and DHRC.

How to Apply

Application Components:

• CV
• Transcript
• Application Form: Applicants are required to complete a brief application form that includes details about their academic program, anticipated graduation date, and the name of their thesis or dissertation advisor. Additionally, applicants should indicate whether they will need or would prefer to earn academic credit for this experience (e.g., directed research, independent study). This information will support both program planning and mentor alignment, ensuring an enriching academic experience tailored to the student’s academic goals and timeline.
• Statement of Interest: Applicants should submit a statement of interest (500 - 1,000 words) explaining their commitment to human rights and global health, detailing possible research areas or questions they are interested in exploring. This statement should outline prior research experience but is not a formal project proposal. Instead, it should provide a foundation for co-creating a research project with the program mentor upon selection.
• Funding Proposal: Applicants are not required to submit a detailed budget as part of their application; however, we ask that applicants briefly outline their intended plans for travel. Please indicate if your research goals include travel and specify any region or country of focus. Once selected, the fellow will co-design a research plan with the faculty mentor and finalize a budget.
• One recommendation letter from a faculty member or research supervisor. 

Dates & Deadlines

• Application deadline: February 15, 2025
• Decision notification date: April 18, 2025
• Confirmation deadline: May 2, 2025

Students should apply through M-Compass.

Questions?

Contact Alana Rodriguez
Education Project Manager
alanarod@umich.edu

About

The Center for Global Health Equity

The University of Michigan has a long tradition of international engagement and individual global health programs that have often been centered within its numerous colleges and institutes. The Center for Global Health Equity aims to enhance the ongoing work of these existing efforts by fostering connectivity to increase cross-campus initiatives and programming. Global health leaders from across our academic units provided input to help define the Center's thematic priorities and overall approach to impact.

Donia Human Rights Center (DHRC)

The Donia Human Rights Center is a forum for intellectual exchange on issues around human rights among scholars, practitioners, students, and the broader public. Toward that end, we invite leading practitioners and scholars to share their insights and expertise on human rights gained through their experiences and research. We also offer internship and study-abroad opportunities to students that would enhance their understanding of contemporary human rights issues and equip them with the tools to tackle challenging human rights problems around the world.

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. We investigate and document human rights violations, give voice to survivors and witnesses, and plant seeds of reconciliation by ensuring that perpetrators can be held accountable for their crimes. We believe that medical ethics are deeply bound to the protection of human rights. PHR uses our core disciplines – science, medicine, forensics, and public health – to inform our research and investigations and to strengthen the skills of frontline human rights defenders. We work closely with hundreds of partners around the world, using facts to wage effective advocacy and campaigning and providing critical scientific evidence so that survivors can seek justice.