Finalists have been announced for the William T. Grant Foundation Scholar’s Program, including University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Deadric Williams, assistant professor of sociology.
The William T. Grant Foundation is dedicated to funding high-quality research aimed at reducing inequality and improving the use of evidence-based decision making, focused specifically on youth outcomes. Each year the foundation selects a cohort of four to six William T. Grant Scholars.
Selected Scholars are early-career researchers nominated by their respective institutions, and will receive up to $350,000 over five years. Each institution may only nominate one researcher from any major division, such as the College of Arts and Sciences.
Williams is one of 11 national finalists for the next class of William T. Grant Scholars. Williams’s larger body of research has historically addressed the themes of racism and families, and the intersections of stress, couples’ relationships, and health. He hopes to apply this basis of knowledge to the foundation’s focus on reducing inequality.
“My proposal focuses on structural racism and racial inequality in poverty among families with children,” said Williams. “The goal of the project is to understand racial inequality in poverty by combining state-level data as a means of measuring structural racism, with individual level data addressing poverty over time.” If selected, Williams will look at data ranging from 2000 to 2020.
Potential William T. Grant Scholars must have a demonstrated history of high-quality research and submit a five-year plan for their proposed work, including work with mentors. The William T. Grant Foundation Scholar’s Program provides early career researchers an opportunity to take risks and broaden their expertise into new and expanding areas. The next class of Scholars is expected to be announced in March 2022.