“The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding.”
– Leonardo Da Vinci
The Center for the Protection of Intellectual Property (CPIP) at George Mason University School of Law announces the Leonardo Da Vinci Fellowship program and calls for proposals for researching and writing on topics within intellectual property (IP) law.
ABOUT CPIP: CPIP is a new academic center dedicated to the scholarly analysis of IP rights and of the technological, commercial and creative innovation they facilitate. Through its annual conferences, roundtables, scholarship grants, fellowship programs and other academic and policy events, CPIP promotes a balanced discussion about IP rights and their fundamental role in securing the creative innovation that drives both a free market and a flourishing economy.
LEONARDO DA VINCI FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM DETAILS: Proposed research topics can be in any IP or IP-related field, such as patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, right of publicity, etc. The research proposals can address any topic or issue within these fields, providing economic, philosophical, historical, scientific, or doctrinal analysis, among others.
Proposals will be reviewed by a committee of academics with broad knowledge and experience in IP law. The Grant Committee will review proposal submissions for their quality as an academic research project, considering such issues as novelty of the research topic, viability of the thesis, and contribution to the diversity of academic and public discourse about IP policy.
Any scholar may apply for a Leonardo Da Vinci Fellowship, as they are not restricted to full-time, tenure-track or tenured law professors. Since CPIP is dedicated to the scholarly analysis of IP rights, it will provide funding to professors in any field or to individuals working outside of official academic institutions who can provide scholarly analyses. For instance, graduate students, VAPs, policy analysts at a think tank, or lawyers aspiring to become academics may apply for a Leonardo Da Vinci Fellowship.
Leonardo Da Vinci Fellowship recipients will have additional opportunities to present their research at one of CPIP’s annual conferences, which are hosted at George Mason University School of Law in the Washington, D.C. area and which will be attended by academics, as well as by government decision-makers, representatives from IP stakeholders and thought leaders in think tanks and other institutions. CPIP will also work with Leonardo Da Vinci Fellows to publicize and promote their work to the scholarly and policy communities, including discussing or highlighting their work, where appropriate, in podcasts, teleconferences, press interviews, blogging, and other public engagements.
Grant amounts will be in the four- to five-figure range. Factors determining the amount awarded will include the nature and scope of the proposed research project and resulting work-product (e.g., essay, article, book, or book chapter), whether it requires data collection or experiments, the timeliness and relevance of the research projects, and other appropriate factors. Amounts available for grants may vary from year to year, depending on a number of variables, including the quantity and quality of proposals and the availability of funding.
Leonardo Da Vinci Fellows will receive a small percentage of the grant following approval of the research project with the remaining amount paid upon the acceptance for publication of the article resulting from the research project. Funded articles are expected to be submitted for publication within one year or at the next spring law journal submission cycle, whichever is later. For articles submitted for publication to peer-reviewed academic journals outside of the legal academy, the recipient and the committee will agree on an appropriate publication deadline.
APPLICATION DETAILS: To apply for a Leonardo Da Vinci Fellowship, applicants should email their proposals to: scholar@gmu.edu. All proposals will be treated confidentially.
Deadline. There is no deadline, as proposals will be accepted for review by the Grant Committee on a rolling basis. However, the Grant Committee expects to meet to make the first round of grants shortly after April 20, 2013, so scholars with current proposals are encouraged to submit by that date to receive prompt consideration.
Applications for a Leonardo Da Vinci Fellowship should include the following information:
– A precis of no fewer than 700 words that identifies:
– The subject matter of the research.
– The thesis asserted or hypothesis to be tested.
– The motivation for the project, identifying how this project fills a current gap in the literature or otherwise addresses a compelling research question.
– The methodology to be employed.
– A brief summary of the supporting analysis.
– If they wish, applicants may also include other things, such as an outline, a table of contents, or results of pilot studies.
– A proposed budget, with a brief justification.
– A copy of the applicant’s CV or resume.
– A list of prior publications (if not part of resume).
FURTHER INFORMATION: Information also available at: http://cpip.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/da-vinci-fellowship.pdf
If you have further questions about CPIP, please see our website at http://cpip.gmu.edu
