The Modern War Institute at West Point is pleased to invite applications to its research fellows program. MWI research fellows are nonresident volunteers committed to pushing the boundaries of policy-relevant research related to the study of modern war. They contribute to MWI’s mission by expanding our ability to conduct rigorous research, amplify expert voices, and offer relevant programming.

Expectations

We seek fellows with the capacity to actively contribute to MWI through publications, event planning, and collaboration with MWI-affiliated West Point faculty, especially military officers teaching in the Defense and Strategic Studies program. Research fellows may also be asked to support planning for and participate in MWI events, like the USMA Class of 2006 War Studies Conference.

In additional, we aim to create opportunities to mentor fellows’ own research projects by facilitating relationships across MWI’s professional network and developing synergies across the fellows cohort. Fellows may have additional opportunities to publish articles, reviews, reports, or podcasts with MWI, as well as to participate in other MWI events.

Application Instructions

Applicants should send a CV, a published writing sample, and a one-page cover letter. The cover letter should include the following:

  • Details of relevant work and research experience
  • Specific research agenda and product to be completed by the end of the fellowship period
  • Demonstration of ability and interest in collaborating with West Point junior faculty and developing relevant event themes and content
  • How MWI and the West Point and US Army communities would benefit from their scholarship or vice versa

Please send all items in PDF format with “MWI Fellows Application” in the subject line to mwi@westpoint.edu no later than 5 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. You may also contact us using this email address if you have any other questions about MWI or its programming. Please note that we are currently unable to reply to every submission to confirm receipt, but you should expect to hear about acceptances no later than the end of August.

Additional Considerations

Preparing the Army to succeed in future conflict requires drawing on a diverse team of critical and creative thinkers with a variety of viewpoints. We seek a diverse pool of talented applicants from a variety of backgrounds: military and national security professionals, analysts, and academics, from the United States as well as its allies and partners. A major consideration in selecting fellows is not only the merits of their own research, but also how well their expertise complements each other as a cohort as well as those of MWI-affiliated and Defense and Strategic Studies faculty.

Competitive applicants will have demonstrated an ability to carry out innovative and original research and to advance discussions about the ethical design, generation, support, and application of landpower—as part of a broader, multi-domain system—in contemporary tactical, operational, and strategic environments. They will be able to identify how their specific experiences, research interests, and expected contributions for the coming year align with the MWI mission and research themes. This program is open to individuals of any age and citizenship who are committed to the ideals of the institute and the US Army, although we are particularly interested in developing junior or mid-career professionals who seek an active but temporary relationship with MWI.

All positions are unpaid and accepted on a purely voluntary basis. Fellows will serve a one-year term that begins on September 1, 2024. We will consider single-term renewals on a case-by-case basis.