David Redlawsk understands the importance of graduate student research. Graduate students often push boundaries, explore questions that have never been asked before and introduce new ways of thinking. As the James R. Soles Professor and Chair of Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Delaware, Redlawsk has seen dissertation work that delves into global politics, communication, psychology and much more.

“What graduate students learn and disseminate can have real impacts on how governments operate, how decisions are made, for our understanding of international relations and what’s going on in different parts of the world,” Redlawsk said.

This year alone, one student is headed to Ghana to study archival documents and conduct interviews to trace the processes leaders use to make decisions. Another traveled to India to conduct interviews with corporate leaders as part of his dissertation work. 

However, graduate students often face significant barriers in pursuing their work because of a lack of funding, which has been exacerbated in recent years as federal and state research funding has decreased. As Redlawsk wrapped up his final year as chair of the department, he and his wife, Aletia Morgan, knew they wanted to leave a legacy, one that reflects the importance of research and can help students overcome obstacles. 

That’s why they created the David P. Redlawsk and Aletia H. Morgan Research Fund. During the spring and summer semesters, political science and international relations graduate students are using the support from the fund to pursue qualitative and quantitative research. 

“I think that communication and being aware of what's going on is so critical,” said Morgan, who previously worked as an institutional data manager at UD. “This kind of research is a lot about how to communicate. Faculty research tends to be funded, but the student research, while critical to their training, often isn’t well funded.”

Danbi Lee, AS27PhD, is using the support she received from the fund to travel to Japan and Korea to compare the experiences of Japanese and Korean atomic bomb survivors. Although Korea was under Japanese rule during World War II and a significant portion of survivors were Korean, Lee noted that their experiences have often been less recognized.

“Funding opportunities like this are incredibly important for graduate students, especially for research that depends on in-person interviews, archival work and travel across multiple countries,” Lee said. “I am deeply grateful for Dr. Redlawsk and Aletia Morgan’s generosity and support, which made it possible for me to carry out research that I believe is not only academically important, but also morally meaningful to preserve the voices of marginalized wartime victim groups.” 

Being able to conduct research without financial barriers opens doors for graduate students to fully delve into their work, which is vital for creating an original, significant scholarly contribution to the field. Research support like the Redlawsk and Morgan Fund also signals to prospective students that they’ll have the resources and support needed to pursue their work.

But why incur the expense of traveling around the world? Couldn’t interviews and archival studies be done virtually? In theory, yes. In reality, no. Not all documents are available digitally, and the subtlety of in-person interactions are often vital to the research. 

That’s certainly the case for Lee. Survivors’ experiences are deeply personal, and speaking with them face-to-face helps foster a much deeper connection than virtual interviews would. And because most survivors are in their 80s and 90s, Lee felt a sense of urgency in ensuring she could hear their experiences firsthand. 

Thanks to support from the fund, Lee was able to conduct those interviews in person. She also spoke with activists and scholars, traveled to major field sites and visited archives and museums connected to the atomic bombings. 

“These experiences greatly strengthened my dissertation and allowed me to engage directly with voices, communities, and materials that are central to my work.” Lee said. “Being able to sit with survivors, listen to their memories in their own words and visit the places connected to their experiences gave my research a depth that would not have been possible from a distance.”

When his students are preparing to defend their dissertations, Redlawsk tells them that they’re the experts—they know more about their research than he or any other faculty member ever will. They’ll use that knowledge to advance research, to impact the way governments and organizations operate and to pursue successful career paths in and out of academia.

Prior to coming to UD 10 years ago, Morgan and Redlawsk only had fleeting knowledge of the University and the state. They hadn’t been looking to move, but it seemed like an interesting opportunity. It’s more than paid off, and the couple are leaving an indelible mark on the University and current and future students who will go on to change the world.

“UD has been a fantastic capstone to my career,” Redlawsk said. “It’s been the best move that I’ve made. I have an incredible faculty, incredible colleagues and I want to see this department succeed. In what little ways we can do, Aletia and I want to add to the value that UD provides as an educational institution.” 

Inspired to create your own research fund? Contact Katharine Wiseman at kwiseman@udel.edu.