The Center for Public Policy Research (CPPR) has established a Dissertation Fellowship program to encourage a new generation of scholars from a wide range of disciplines to undertake research that aligns with political economy and public policy themes. This fellowship supports Tulane doctoral candidates whose dissertation research projects bring innovative and insightful approaches to addressing how public policy impacts complex societal challenges, including but not limited to health, education, public finance, housing, the environment, and the economy. This funding allows CPPR Fellows to focus their time on their dissertation research, participate in Murphy seminars, lectures, and conferences, and contribute to the broader intellectual life of The Murphy Institute.
2026-2027 Call for Applications: Closed
The application for the 2026-2027 Dissertation Fellowship is now closed. The deadline to apply was February 1, 2026. We anticipate the application cycle for Fall 2027 will open in October 2026. Please check back then for updated guidelines and deadlines. Click the button below for application details.
APPLY FOR THE CPPR DISSERTATION FELLOWSHIP
CPPR seeks applicants from any discipline who have excelled in their fields of specialization, have demonstrated an interest in multidisciplinary approaches that advance public policy research, and are likely to make significant contributions to teaching and scholarship in their field. We especially welcome applications from students who will defend their dissertations during the fellowship period.
During the fellowship, CPPR Fellows are expected to make substantial progress towards completing their degrees. They are required to participate in the broader intellectual life of The Murphy Institute by attending seminars, public lectures, workshops, and research conferences. Fellows are also encouraged to network with Murphy faculty and scholars to further their research and professional development.
CPPR Fellows receive a stipend for one academic year, with the option to apply for a second year of funding. Awards are announced by early March.
For more information, email murphy@tulane.edu.
Current Fellows
| Yu Liu Yu Liu (Kelly) is a PhD candidate in the Department of Economics. Liu's research interests are in Health Economics, Economics of Education, Economics of Aging, and Applied Microeconometrics. Her dissertation, Essays on Aging and Health in China, written under the direction of Prof. Kevin Callison, tries to understand how life-cycle institutional factors, specifically education, technology adoption, and retirement policies, shape health capital and population well-being. |
| Milena Petrovic Milena Petrovic is a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science. Her research explores the role of public bureaucracies in public policy design and delivery. Her dissertation, titled, Binding through Ideas: Bureaucratic Statecraft and Germany’s Bureaucratic Statecraft and Institutional Change in Advanced Democracies, is written under the direction of Prof. Thomas Oatley. |
| Nuzulul Putri Nuzulul Kusuma Putri is pursuing her PhD in International Health and Sustainable Development. Her dissertation titled, Institutions, Incentives and Inequality in Maternal Health Care under Universal Health Coverage: Evidence from Indonesia, is written under the direction of Prof. David Hotchkiss. Her research focuses on primary healthcare management, mainly in public health program design and health financing. |