ExpertXchange Fellowship

The University of Cincinnati Graduate College’s ExpertXchange Fellowship supports thesis-track master’s and doctoral students seeking specialized training outside UC. Through collaborations with other universities, organizations, companies and community sites, students can gain hands-on experience with new techniques, methods and approaches that advance their research, scholarship or creative work.

Students are expected to bring their newly acquired expertise back to their home programs at UC, expanding research capabilities and creating opportunities for future scholarship and innovation.

Each exchange must produce a tangible outcome that demonstrates its value to the broader UC community. Outcomes may include a new technique, skill, method or course adopted by the home program; a pilot project; a creative work; a presentation; or a publication.

The fellowship provides up to $5,000 per recipient for domestic travel to an approved training site for up to two weeks (14 days). Eligible expenses may include transportation, lodging, per diem and research-related costs associated with the visit.

The fellowship does not fund attendance at courses or workshops. All funds must be used by June 30, 2027.

Applicants must:

• Be enrolled in a thesis-track master’s or doctoral program at UC.
• Have a faculty advisor who is a member of the Graduate Faculty and holds a tenured or tenure-track position with a primary appointment at UC.
• Have a faculty advisor who demonstrates financial support for scholarship that engages graduate students, appropriate to their discipline. This support may include grants, awards, fellowships, association funding or other discipline-specific sources.

Graduate students must work with their faculty advisors to develop a proposal. The graduate student submits the application on behalf of the faculty-student pair.

The proposal must be no more than three pages and include:

1. Research or discovery question: Summarize the research or discovery question, project needs and current project status.
2. Training site and goals: Describe the host institution, lab, studio, site, research group or expert, including the capability to be learned and the anticipated benefits to the discovery process, student and home lab or research group.
3. Budget: Provide a budget not exceeding $5,000, including the proposed length of stay and a rationale for the requested amount. Transportation and lodging selections must follow university travel policies.
4. Implementation plan: Explain how the student will implement the newly acquired capability within their home program. The plan must be signed by the faculty advisor and graduate student.

Applicants must also submit:

• An abbreviated, two- to three-page curriculum vitae for both the faculty advisor and graduate student.
• A letter of support from the applicant’s unit head addressing the significance of the proposed exchange.
• A letter of support from the partnering institution or host site.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. A review committee led by the dean of the Graduate College and including members of the Fellows of the Graduate College will evaluate applications and select up to four recipients per semester based on alignment with Graduate College and university priorities.

The student’s academic unit or college will coordinate travel authorizations, bookings, expenses and reimbursements, as appropriate.

Students must follow university travel policies, submit receipts for reimbursement within 14 days of returning from travel and implement the newly acquired capability within their home program.

The student and faculty advisor must work together to prepare and submit a report to the Graduate College within three months of completing the exchange. 

Please email Omotayo Banjo, Graduate College associate dean for research and student development, at gcdean@ucmail.uc.edu with questions.