PRIVACY SCHOLARS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR 2016-17 PRIVACY SCHOLARS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

The Program on Economics & Privacy (PEP) at George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School invites applications for the 2016-17 Privacy Scholars Fellowship Program.

The PEP’s mission is to inject sound economic analysis into policy discussions surrounding privacy, data security, and other competition and consumer protection issues facing the digital economy. We pursue this mission through research, education, and hosting public policy programs that bring together academics, thought leaders, and government officials to discuss cutting edge issues involving the digital economy.

The Privacy Scholars Fellowship Program is designed to support research on the economics of privacy and data security. Topics of special interest include: consumer valuation of privacy; the measurement of privacy harms; the proper role of privacy harms in tort, consumer protection acts, or other legal actions; biometrics; the impact of privacy disclosures; the relationship between privacy and data security; issues relating to data security in the payment cards industry; tradeoffs between information flows and data security; and the impact of privacy and data security regulation on information flows. Empirical or experimental projects are strongly preferred to theoretical or doctrinal research.

The PEP will provide lodging and meals at all events. Participants will be responsible for their own transportation arrangements and expenses, but they will receive honoraria designed to defray travel and opportunity costs. Total honorarium payments of $12,000 per paper will be available to those who complete all stages of the program. The Fellowship Program is structured in five stages that are designed to lead to the completion of an original piece of scholarly work suitable for publication.

  1. Submission of Research Proposal – Submission Deadline of October 14, 2016:
  • Research proposals should include a statement of issue to be addressed, the proposed methodology, as well as a discussion of the feasibility for completion by Summer 2017. Proposals should be no longer than three pages (not including charts, graphs, or bibliography). The PEP will notify those chosen to present a more fully developed draft at the December roundtable by October 24, 2016. Those authors chosen to present will be provided an honorarium of $3,000 after attending the December roundtable.
  1. Research Roundtable at Antonin Scalia Law School (Thursday-Friday, December 8-9, 2016):
  • Selected authors will present expanded drafts at a research roundtable to be held at Antonin Scalia Law School on December 8-9, 2016. Revised drafts should be no more than 20 pages (excluding charts, graphs, and bibliography). This research roundtable is a workshop designed to provide authors with constructive feedback from expert academics and practitioners in the field. The PEP will make final decisions on which research it will support with a Privacy Scholars Fellowship by December 16, 2016.
  1. First Draft (February 17, 2017):
  • Each Fellowship recipient is required to submit a First Draft of his or her paper by February 17, 2017. These drafts should be substantially revised from those presented at the December research roundtable, and should provide reviewers with a clear sense of the approach and direction of the paper. Each First Draft will be subjected to anonymous peer review designed to provide constructive feedback. Comments will be sent to Fellowship recipients by March 13, 2017, and should be used to improve the second draft.   Fellowship recipients will receive an honorarium of $3,000 for timely submission.
  1. Presentation of Second Draft at Digital Information Policy Scholars Conference at Antonin Scalia Law School (Late April 2017):
  • Privacy Fellows will submit a revised draft of their paper that responds to comments from peer reviewers for the Second Annual Digital Information Policy Scholars Conference, to be held in late April, 2017, at Antonin Scalia Law School. Fellowship recipients will present revised drafts of their papers and serve as a discussant for one paper during the conference. Fellowship recipients successfully participating in the Scholars Conference will receive an honorarium of $3,000.
  1. Completion of Final Draft and Submission to an Academic Journal (Summer 2017):
  • Following presentation at the Scholars Conference, Fellowship recipients are expected to revise their paper and to seek publication in a suitable academic journal. Upon completion of this requirement, Fellowship recipients will receive a final honorarium of $3,000.

To apply to the PEP Privacy Scholars Fellowship Program, please click below.

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You may also call or send an email to James Cooper, Associate Professor of Law and Director, Program on Economics & Privacy, at 703.993.9582 or jcoope20@gmu.edu.