Harry E. and Bernice M. Moore Fellowship

For doctoral students at UT Austin completing a dissertation relevant to the mental health needs of Texans.

The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health invites eligible students from The University of Texas at Austin, pursuing a doctorate, to submit a proposal for the 2026 Harry Estill Moore and Bernice Milburn Moore Fellowship.

To be eligible for the fellowship, candidates should be completing a dissertation on the human experience in crises, including those resulting from natural or other major disasters or, more broadly, stress and adversity. Candidates should have a primary research interest in the mental health impact of crises, stress, and adversity. Proposals related to SARS-CoV-2/ COVID-19 are eligible and encouraged. This fellowship reflects Dr. Harry Estill Moore’s concern for and contributions to the sociological study of the human experience in crisis.

The selected fellow receives a one-time, unrestricted award of $20,000. Upon completion of the dissertation, the fellow must submit a copy of the dissertation with an abstract or summary. There are no restrictions on other awards or employment that the fellow may obtain, and the fellow is not required to work as a condition of the award.

The fellowship was established in 1995 by the estate of Bernice Milburn Moore in memory of her husband, Dr. Harry Estill Moore, a professor and sociologist at the University of Texas at Austin. Moore specialized in disaster studies, including tornadoes and hurricanes that affected Texas.

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Eligibility 

Doctoral candidates in nursing, psychiatry, psychology, social work, sociology and other fields relevant to mental health at The University of Texas at Austin may apply.

The applicant’s dissertation proposal must have been successfully defended by the time of application submission. Dissertations may be quantitative or qualitative in design. Applicants must have a strong research background with a primary interest in the human experience in crises, including those resulting from natural or other major disasters or, more broadly, stress and adversity.

Key Dates

Applications Due Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 11:59 PM CST
Letters of Reference Due  Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 11:59 PM CST
Awardees Notified Late May 2026
Fellowship Year June 1, 2026 – May 31, 2027

Selection Criteria 

Foundation staff will use a rating instrument to evaluate the merits of the proposals and select the fellow. The foundation may partner with an external reviewer to evaluate the proposals.

Factors used to evaluate proposals include:

  • The fit between the dissertation project and the fellowship’s focus on the human experience in crisis.
  • Demonstration of respondent’s strong research background with a primary interest in the mental health aspect of crises, stress and adversity.
  • Compelling case made for the research significance to the field of mental health. If research is being conducted outside of Texas, respondent should explain the significance to the people of Texas.
  • Amount of time remaining to complete the dissertation is reasonably in line with the fellowship period.

Preference is given to research:

  • That focuses on natural, major or other disasters.
  • That includes the participation of recipients of mental health services and their families in designing and implementing the project.

How to Submit

You must submit your complete application through the Hogg Foundation’s grant management system, Fluxx. You will need to enter a federal tax ID number to get started. Important: The system will log you out after 30 minutes and not save your work. We recommend writing your answers in a separate document and copying and pasting them into Fluxx.

Detailed instructions on submitting an application. 

Application Submission

For application deadline and other important dates, see the Key Dates table.

Three signed letters of reference must be emailed to hogg-grants@austin.utexas.edu (attn: Moore Fellowship Committee) by the deadline. All other application materials must be submitted through Fluxx, the foundation’s online grant portal.

When applying online through Fluxx, applicants will be prompted to enter their contact information, as well as the names and email addresses of three individuals providing letters of reference (one of which must be the applicant’s dissertation committee chair or advisor). Applicants should also upload the following:

  • Cover letter, which must include an explanation of the dissertation’s fit with the fellowship’s focus on the human experience in crises (no page limit)
  • Summary of the dissertation’s rationale, research questions and methods (maximum 10 double-spaced pages, 12-point font)
  • Current curriculum vitae (no page limit)
  • Timeline for dissertation completion (use template provided)
  • A list of three references who will be submitting references through the applicant  (at least one must be the applicant’s dissertation chair)

 

Questions: Contact Grants Management.

Recent Recipients

2023 Moore Fellowship Winner: Katie McCormick

2023 Moore Fellowship Winner: Katie McCormick

Katie McCormick’s study will provide insight into both the sources of occupational stress and the protective factors that mitigate occupational stress for harm reduction workers active on the frontlines of the opioid epidemic.