CPHLR Fellowship Program

Become a Center for Public Health Law Research Fellow!

The Center for Public Health Law Research (CPHLR) supports the widespread adoption of scientific tools and methods for mapping and evaluating the impact of law on health. The Center works by developing and teaching public health law research and legal epidemiology methods (including legal mapping and policy surveillance); researching laws and policies that improve health, increase access to care, and create or remove barriers to health (e.g., laws or policies that create or remove inequity); and communicating and disseminating evidence to facilitate innovation.

The Center’s new research fellowship program expands CPHLR’s work, and provides opportunities for researchers at all stages in their careers. For researchers, the program offers a few valuable benefits:

  • The Center for Public Health Law Research’s reputation, particularly for more junior faculty, may support professional advancement, publication and grant awards. Researchers will be listed on the CPHLR website and may use their designation on their CV and bio-sketches
  • Use of the Center’s dissemination capabilities to enhance their ability to share their work
  • Support from the Center’s grants administration capacity for collaborative projects
  • Mentoring from more senior researchers.
  • Use of CPHLR data and tools

Apply now >>

Eligibility and Expectations of CPHLR Research Fellows

Research Fellows may be Temple University faculty or staff members who are actively engaged in research related to the Center’s mission. They may also be researchers who professionally reside outside Temple University at an academic institution or a research-focused institution. Research Fellows may be faculty, staff members, PhD candidates or post-doctoral fellows at Temple or other universities. Regardless of home institution, these individuals must be active researchers (i.e., actively conducting a public health law research-related project, and/or actively funded to conduct or begin a public health law research project), and should be able to demonstrate a clear history of related research (e.g., published papers, conference presentations, and/or grants). For junior faculty, PhD candidates, or post-doctoral fellows, letters of recommendation may stand in for experience.

The Center’s leadership appoints CPHLR Research Fellows for two-year terms, and appointments are renewable.

Research Fellows are expected to engage with the Center in at least one of the following ways:

  • Create a policy surveillance dataset to be published to LawAtlas.org
  • Use an existing CPHLR dataset or created dataset to evaluate the impact of law or policy on health
  • Use an existing CPHLR dataset or created dataset to contribute to the literature and establish a research agenda by publishing a legal mapping paper
  • Take the lead on a joint grant proposal (featuring the Fellow and Center staff) that supports the creation of legal data or evaluation of public health law (funded through the Fellow’s institution or through the Center if no grants administration capacity is present)

Research Fellows located at Temple University are also expected to support the Center’s effort to engage with the Temple and surrounding community in Philadelphia by organizing an event (e.g., discussion panel, symposia) related to their research at some point during their tenure as a fellow.

Research Fellows have access to the Center’s grants management staff and communications staff for dissemination, and are expected to report any and all related products or outputs to the Center’s communications staff (e.g., papers, media engagements, interaction with policymakers, etc.). Additionally, Research Fellows are expected to make themselves available as subject matter experts for media or policymakers requesting technical assistance or comment.

Research Fellows will participate in twice-yearly meetings of all researchers once each fall and spring semester. These meetings are an opportunity to present research and receive feedback, engage with other public health law researchers, and periodically consult on strategic issues in the field and help guide the Center as it grows.

The option to renew a Fellow’s status is contingent upon evidence of progress related to the project or projects the Fellow proposes at the time of their application.

The Center’s leadership will consider all new applicants and renewal applicants based on the applicant’s CV and supporting materials.

Application Process

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.

Interested applications should complete an application form that includes the following fields:

  • Full name and degrees
  • Institutional affiliation (Temple vs. outside institution)
  • Contact information
  • The way in which they plan to engage with the Center
  • A short proposal (500 words max) that describes a plan for engagement with the Center based on the expectations above
  • Upload their most recent CV
  • For junior researchers: upload a Letter of Recommendation

Applicants will be contacted by the Center to schedule a short conversation with the Center’s leadership to discuss their plan and interest in the Fellowship program before a final decision about their application will be made.

Current Research Fellows

Past Research Fellows

Temple University Faculty Fellows

  • Jennifer Ibrahim, PhD, Dean, Temple University College of Public Health
  • Nancy Knauer, JD, Director of the Law and Public Policy Program, Sheller Professor of Public Interest Law, Temple University Beasley School of Law
  • Jennifer Lee, JD, Associate Clinical Professor of Law, Temple University Beasley School of Law
  • Pricila Mullachery, PhD, Assistant Professor, Health Services Administration and Policy, Temple University College of Public Health
  • Rachel Rebouché, JD, Dean, Temple University Beasley School of Law
  • Ross Silverman, JD, MPH, Asociate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Professor of Health Services Administration and Policy, Temple University College of Public Health
  • Patty Skuster, JD, MPP, Beck Chair in Law, Temple University Beasley School of Law 
  • Elizabeth Van Nostrand, Associate Professor, Temple University College of Public Health