Call for Applications
The Enabling Program is accepting applications through this online portal between November 17, 2025 and January 16, 2026. The portal will close at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on January 16, and partially complete or late applications will not be accepted under any circumstance.
A total of 20 fellows will be selected. The fellows will form a community of scholars who will support each other and who will be advised and mentored by 10 leading hazards and disasters scholars as well as by the principal investigators and program advisors. The fellowship includes:
- Two required in-person workshops for the cohort of fellows and mentors, one in Central Florida (May 19-22, 2026) and one in Colorado in conjunction with the 2027 Natural Hazards Workshop.
- Registration will be covered to attend the 52nd annual Natural Hazards Research and Applications Workshop, June, 2027 (required).
- 13 months of access to two faculty mentors who will provide professional guidance through bimonthly virtual mentoring meetings.
- A modest stipend of $4500 total to cover travel expenses related to the two in-person workshops.
- A focus on the development of research proposals for funding by federal, state, and private entities, with an emphasis on National Science Foundation (NSF) awards and NSF CAREER proposals in particular.
- Learning opportunities in the hazards/disasters/risk field including access to free webinars and other research and applications resources.
- Guidance on publishing research in highly regarded disciplinary and interdisciplinary journals both within and outside the hazards and disaster field.
- Insight into how to make key contributions to the broader hazards/disasters/risk field, while retaining a strong identity and academic home in one’s respective discipline.
Testimonials from Previous Participants
“The Enabling Program helped me figure out how to navigate a career in academia. I connected with new colleagues and mentors, and I learned critical grant writing skills. The connections I made through the program were life changing. That network led to new ideas, classes, grants and papers.” - Alissa Cordner, Whitman College
“The Enabling Program and the vision of Bill Anderson, Dennis Wenger and others launched and enabled my work in disaster research. Mentorship and guidance by Peter May and Ray Burby helped me on this career path. I'm grateful that this experience has led to meaningful outcomes, including publications, funded research, and curriculum-building. It's been rewarding to translate this work into paying it forward by mentoring students who are navigating their own paths and whose work continues to enrich our discipline.” Alka Sapat - Florida Atlantic University
Contact Dr. Abdul-Akeem Sadiq at the University of Central Florida if you have any questions: abdul-akeem.sadiq@ucf.edu
