Postdoctoral Fellows

The Watson Institute offers a range of postdoctoral opportunities for outstanding young scholars in the social sciences. The aims of the program are to support participants in their own research, enhance their interdisciplinary literacy and contribute to meaningful and enduring collaborative exchange. Our current fellows are listed below, and a list of former postdoctoral fellows is also available.

  • Laura Acosta

    Laura Acosta

    Postdoctoral Research Associate in International and Public Affairs
    Areas of Expertise Ethnic Conflict & Civil War, Social Movements
  • Volha Biziukova

    Volha Biziukova

    Postdoctoral Fellow in International and Public Affairs
  • Foroogh Farhang

    Foroogh Farhang

    Postdoctoral Fellow in International and Public Affairs
    Areas of Expertise Ethics, Gender, Human Rights, Immigration, Displacement & Borders, Inequality & Poverty, International Institutions, Political Economy, Social Movements
  • GabreĆ©lla Friday

    GabreƩlla Friday

    Postdoctoral Fellow in International and Public Affairs, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Race and Ethnicity
    Areas of Expertise Criminal Justice, Gender, Law Enforcement & Policing, Race, Identity & Ethnicity
  • Valerie Michelman

    Valerie Michelman

    Postdoctoral Fellow in International and Public Affairs
    Areas of Expertise Education, Inequality & Poverty, Labor, Technology & Innovation
  • Sonia Planson

    Sonia Planson

    Postdoctoral Research Associate in International and Public Affairs and Sociology
    Areas of Expertise Children & Families, Education, Immigration, Displacement & Borders, Race, Identity & Ethnicity
  • Blair Sackett

    Blair Sackett

    Postdoctoral Fellow in International and Public Affairs
    Areas of Expertise Bureaucracy, Immigration, Displacement & Borders, Inequality & Poverty, International Institutions
  • Aalyia Sadruddin

    Aalyia Sadruddin

    Postdoctoral Fellow in International and Public Affairs, Postdoctoral Fellow in International and Public Affairs, 2020-2021, Assistant Professor of Cultural Medical Anthropology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Areas of Expertise Children & Families, Ethnic Conflict & Civil War, Gender, Global Health, Immigration, Displacement & Borders, Political Economy
  • Catherine Sirois

    Catherine Sirois

    Postdoctoral Fellow in International and Public Affairs
    Areas of Expertise Bureaucracy, Children & Families, Criminal Justice, Health & Welfare, Inequality & Poverty
  • Latoya M. Teague

    Latoya M. Teague

    Postdoctoral Fellow in International and Public Affairs, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Simmons Center
    Areas of Expertise Children & Families, Education, Gender, Human Rights, Race, Identity & Ethnicity
  • Yan Xu

    Yan Xu

    Postdoctoral Fellow in International and Public Affairs
    Areas of Expertise Entrepreneurship, Political Economy, Science & Technology Policy, Supply Chains, Technology & Innovation