Groundbreaking Research Fellows Program

Established in Fall 2024 by Faculty Director Stephanie Barclay, the newly named Scott and Cyan Banister Research Fellows Program is a cornerstone of the Center’s commitment to cultivating the next generation of constitutional law professors. This premier non-residential fellowship program provides 27 early-career academics with unparalleled support and mentorship, bridging the gap between emerging voices and the nation’s most distinguished legal minds.

The hallmark of the program is its rigorous review process, granting junior scholars direct, dedicated commentary from preeminent faculty at elite institutions—including constitutional leaders such as Cass Sunstein (Harvard Law), Eugene Volokh (UCLA Law), Justin Driver (Yale Law), Nicole Garnett (Notre Dame Law), Larry Solum (UVA Law), and Will Baude (UChicago Law)—through both our in-person conference and virtual workshops throughout the year.

Georgetown-Stanford Research Fellows Annual In-Person Conference 

Starting in 2026, the Center is joining forces with Stanford Law School’s Research Fellows Program to co-host the annual in-person conference. Alternating each year between Georgetown and Stanford venues, this symposium brings together junior scholars and senior faculty from both programs for intensive feedback on selected papers.

Learn more about the 2026 – 2028 Banister Research Fellows Program and meet our current fellows here.

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Applications for the 2026 – 2028 Research Fellows Cohort are now closed. Check back Fall 2027 for the 2028 – 2030 cohort application.

ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS

The Goal: This non-residential research fellowship is intended to support early-career academics who have not yet been in a tenure-track position for more than ten years, and who have scholarship focused on constitutional law or constitutional theory. The fellowship will allow for such scholars to receive dedicated commentary from senior scholars with expertise in their field, and to build a network with both junior and senior scholars working on constitutional law issues.

The Research Fellowship: This non-residential fellowship typically lasts two years. It is open to aspiring academics as well as early-career scholars with ten or fewer years of tenure-track experience.

Fellows participate in an annual joint gathering with Stanford’s Research Fellows to present works-in-progress. For each draft article presented, the Center invites senior scholars in the Fellow’s field to provide dedicated commentary and feedback.

Fellows will also have the opportunity to present an article in monthly Zoom gatherings, which will also include dedicated commentary from a senior scholar with expertise on their article’s topic.

Applicants should have a JD or doctoral level degree (PhD) in a relevant area. Successful applicants typically also have either a current tenure-track position, or experience in a federal appellate clerkship and a demonstrated aptitude for original research in constitutional law, typically in the form of past publications or student notes.

Successful applicants must commit to draft one original article during the duration of their fellowship and commit to attend the annual gathering.

Application Process: Applications open in Fall 2027 for the 2028–2030 cohort. Please check back then for the application link and updates.

When the portal opens, applicants submit:

• A current CV (including contact information for three references)
• A writing sample
• Optional: A research proposal (maximum 2,000 words)

Questions? Contact Maia Katsnelson at mk2632@law.georgetown.edu.