Buffett Institute Graduate Scholars Program Seeking to Fund Innovative Research Projects

University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) doctoral students can now apply for a $25,000 fellowship to fund research on any aspect of early childhood or early development.

The Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska is accepting applications for its Graduate Scholars program, a one-year fellowship annually awarded to up to three University of Nebraska doctoral students.

Now in its fifth year, the Buffett Institute program has funded a range of doctoral research projects, including the development of early math skills, a study of racial and socioeconomic health disparities in young children, assessments of autism spectrum disorders, and research focused on teacher stress management.

Three UNO students have won this fellowship and used it to do cutting-edge research:

• Andrew Riquier, a neuroscience student, tested a drug therapy protocol in lab rats that could lead to the future prevention and treatment of autism.

• Jordan Wickstrom, an exercise science student, worked to improve early assessment of autism spectrum disorders by identifying early differences in sitting posture and eye gaze behavior.

• Jon Cavanaugh, a neuroscience student, researched the effects of oxytocin levels on social motivation and social attractiveness in early development.

The Institute encourages diverse candidates to apply and is seeking out research projects across a wide range of disciplines—public health, education, social work, music, art, psychology, and many others—with ties to early childhood.

Applications for the 2021-22 academic year are due March 31. The award winners will be notified by the end of June.

“We’re bringing unique projects to the forefront,” said Greg Welch, the Buffett Institute’s associate director of research and evaluation. “We’ve expanded this program to include fields that aren’t necessarily represented in early childhood research.”

View application materials

About the Buffett Early Childhood Institute and the Graduate Scholars Program

The Buffett Early Childhood Institute is a University of Nebraska-wide institute that works closely with all four campuses, including the University of Nebraska Medical Center, as it researches and promotes the development and learning of children from birth to age 8.

The Buffett Institute’s Graduate Scholars program is the first financial support program for doctoral students who have reached Ph.D. candidacy at the University of Nebraska that focuses solely on these first years of life.