March 8, 2022

The Social Science and Humanities Research (SSHR) Fellowship was established by the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) as part of its efforts to nurture local talents and strengthen the social science and humanities research ecosystem in Singapore. As SSRC’s first talent development scheme, the SSHR Fellowship aims to support promising Singaporean social science and humanities researchers in the early stages of their academic careers in our Autonomous Universities. The grant also seeks to help build their expertise and careers as researchers. Awardees of the SSHR Fellowship will receive a research grant of up to S$1m over five years for any research project in any social sciences and humanities discipline. Learn more about the SSHR Fellowship here.

Assistant Professor Jack Meng-Tat Chia (NUS Department of History) recently spoke to us about applying for his SSHR Fellowship awarded in 2021, titled  “Diplomatic Dharma: Buddhist Diplomacy in Modern Asia, 1950s–Present”. The book project is the first large-scale study to provide empirical evidence on the lesser-known relationship between Buddhism and international relations in modern Asia. It will explore Buddhist diplomacy in China, Japan, Myanmar, and Singapore which have Buddhist majority populations, as well as India, which is home to many Buddhist sacred sites. More details on the project are available in a dialogue with NUS News.

 

 

Why did you decide to apply for a SSHR Fellowship rather than another type of grant (e.g. Book Grant, Tier 1, Tier 2, HSS Faculty Research Fellowship etc.)?

To be honest, when I first heard of the SSHR Fellowship, I did not think that the Fellowship was for me. This was because previous recipients of the SSHR Fellowship at the time were social scientists. I’m grateful to my senior colleagues, Prof Brenda Yeoh and A/P Elaine Ho, for encouraging me to represent humanities scholarship and give the Fellowship a shot. Without their encouragement and support, I would probably not have applied for it.

 

 

 

What do you think were the strengths of your SSHR Fellowship application that led to it being funded?

I think the greatest strength of my SSHR Fellowship application was the uniqueness of the topic. It was probably the first time that SSRC received a proposal on Buddhist Studies. My project on Buddhism, one of the major religions in our region, has potential to offer actionable insights that will have far-reaching implications on areas in Singapore’s foreign and domestic policy. I guess my academic background and research track record, especially my well-received book, also helped with my application. I’m grateful to the selection committee for willing to take a chance on my project.

Have you faced any challenges thus far in carrying out the SSHR Fellowship? If so, what did you do to overcome those challenges?

I just started the Fellowship in December 2021 and have yet to encounter any real challenge so far. I hope it stays that way. Fingers crossed.

 

 

What do you think the SSHR Fellowship is enabling you to achieve that you would not have been able to do without it?

The SSHR Fellowship enables me to recruit a Postdoctoral Fellow, a full-time Research Assistant, and an MA Research Scholar. I am truly delighted that the Fellowship gives me a valuable opportunity to recruit and mentor younger researchers in my field. I would not be able to do so without a large and generous grant.

What would you like to do differently if you could start the project all over again?

It’s still too early to tell.

 

Thank you very much for sharing your experiences with the SSHR Fellowship, Jack! We wish you the best in your current and future research projects!

 

Read a conversation with Assistant Professor Lin Weiqiang on his SSHR Fellowship, “Peopling Infrastructure: Aeromobilities, Automation, and Labour Mobilisations in Asia”.

For HSS Fellowship Success Stories, check out the following:

• Associate Professor Ian Chong’s “Buying Out, Cashing In: Non-Leading States, Aggregated Reactions, and the Problems of Power Transition”

For Tier 1 Success Stories, check out the following:

• Associate Professor Jinping Wang’s “A Cultural History of Quanzhen Daoism in Thirteenth-Century North China”
• Assistant Professor Alex Mitchell’s “Exploring ‘Literary’ Devices for Poetic Interactivity” and “Understanding Repeat Engagement with Dynamically Changing Computational Media”
• Assistant Professor Juwon Seo’s “Randomization Tests of Copula Symmetry” and related papers

Stay tuned for forthcoming features on FASS Book Grant Awardees and additional SSHR Fellowship Success Stories!