School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy
Critical Urban Research Fellowship (CURF)
The Critical Urban Research (CUR) Fellowship program embeds highly qualified doctoral students in the Urban Affairs program with leading community development organizations in Memphis to develop empirically sound and actionable research. CUR Fellowships 1) contribute to a local knowledge base of data, policies, and innovation in the Memphis metro area; 2) co-develop research that supports local organizations in addressing the socioeconomic challenges that face Memphis and other cities like it; and 3) contribute to doctoral students’ training and experience in advanced methods, community engagement, and problem-solving; 4) generate and disseminate locally-focused research for academic and non-academic audiences in Memphis and beyond.
Applications close on March 1, 2026.
** You are encouraged to complete your responses in a word document and then cut and paste them into Qualtrics when you are ready to submit your application. Download application template.
Innovate Memphis
Innovate Memphis is an independent nonprofit organization that partners with government, nonprofit, and philanthropic partners to solve civic problems. Innovate serves as a data partner for the Greater Memphis Housing Justice Project (GMHJP). A major goal of GMHJP is to collect data that explores housing as a social determinant of health to inform advocacy and policy efforts to improve tenants’ access to stable, high-quality housing. The CUR Fellow will support the development of a formal GMHJP data plan, facilitate the planning process with partners, provide expertise on data collection methods, such as survey design and interviewing, as well as identify, prepare, and analyze secondary data, and produce reports. The ideal candidate will have experience in mixed-methods research, ability to work with multiple stakeholders, strong communication skills, and have an interest in exploring the intersection of housing and health. Apply for the CUR Fellowship with Innovate here.
Knowledge Quest
Knowledge Quest (KQ) is committed to vigorously equipping youth and their families to maximize their potential through education, wellness, and economic stability. KQ, located in historic South Memphis, is situated in a complex urban context where schooling, community resources, family stability, and neighborhood conditions are interconnected. The CUR Fellow will be embedded in KQ’s Extended Learning Academies (ELA), open-enrollment, non-fee-based afterschool program opportunities provide academic support, enrichment, recreation, and wellness activities for students in grades PK–12. KQ has identified a need to better understand how students engage with the program, what aspects of the experience are most meaningful, and how these opportunities shape belonging, motivation, and skill development over time. These questions are central to urban affairs as they focus on how place-based interventions function within the everyday lives of youth and their communities. The CUR fellow will support this work through an integrated evaluation that combines longitudinal data analysis with qualitative inquiry. The fellow will examine patterns in attendance and participation, and gather insights from students, staff, and families through interviews, focus groups, or observations. The goal is to understand how ELA operates as a community resource, how relationships and networks are formed within the program, and how these experiences relate to broader educational and social outcomes. Findings will be shared with KQ leadership and staff to inform planning and continuous improvement while contributing to practical knowledge about place-based programming in urban communities. Apply for the CUR Fellowship with Knowledge Quest here.
The Memphis Applied Research and Community Action (MARCA) Institute
MARCA is an interdisciplinary community development research Institute housed in the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy at University of Memphis. The institute supports local government, public service and nonprofit organizations, as well as grassroots groups to use and leverage data and empirical findings in their practices, policies, planning, advocacy, and decision-making. The CUR Fellow will contribute to the Ask MARCA initiative, which responds to research requests from community-based organizations on a range of issues including housing, transportation, blight, food access, and neighborhood improvement. The ideal candidate will have an interest in actively exploring community development policy and urban well-being, have experience doing mixed-methods
research, and an interest in working collaboratively with multiple stakeholders. Other criteria include having a sense of curiosity and strong communication skills. Apply for the CUR Fellowship with MARCA here.
Additional information - CUR Fellowships require students to work 20-hours a week from late August 2026-June 30, 2027. Students will be selected and matched with an organization on the following criteria:
· Appropriateness of research interests.
· Demonstrated and potential ability to conduct research on critical issues important to the organization.
· Ability to work independently with minimal oversight
· Existing research skills (confidence in producing literature reviews, library research, writing, and presentation skills)
· Existing statistical skills or the ability to learn necessary skills for analyzing data
BENEFITS: Students will receive a monthly paid stipend of approximately $1900, student health insurance, and tuition remission. Students will be assigned a faculty mentor and receive $1000 allocation for professional development. QUALIFICATIONS: Full-time or part-time graduate students in the Ph.D. in Urban Affairs are able to apply and will be selected based on their academic and professional promise and their potential to contribute to selected placement agencies.
NOTE: Applicants will be required to complete an in-person or phone interview as well as submit a background check if required by the host agency.