SOAS Scholar awarded American Association of University Women Fellowship

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) has awarded a 2022-23 fellowship to Suraiya-Asmau Zubair Banu. 

Suraiya is the recipient of the American Dissertation Fellowship and currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Women’s Studies SOAS.   

In reaction to the fellowship, Suraiya Banu said:  

“I am very grateful to have received funding from the AAUW for my project on women's histories in contemporary northern Nigeria. However, this win is bitter-sweet, given the tragic state of funding for PhDs in the UK. Too many of us are underfunded, or not funded at all. We should not have to rely on uneven access to overseas funding bodies, and the fact that this was necessary is an indictment of the system not an example of its success.” 

Recipients of the AAUW Fellowship pursue academic work and lead innovative community projects to empower women and girls. 

AAUW is one of the world’s oldest leading supporters of graduate women’s education. Since 1888, it has awarded more than $135 million in fellowships, grants and awards to 13,000 women from 150 countries.  

For the 2022–23 academic year, AAUW has awarded an $6 million through its fellowships and grants programs to 320 scholars and community projects that promote education and equity for women and girls. 

Applications for AAUW’s fellowship and grants open August 1 each year. Deadlines vary by program. Learn more about funding opportunities for the 2023-24 academic year. 

To find out more about this year’s exceptional class of awardees, visit the online directory. 

About AAUW 

Since AAUW’s founding in 1881, members have examined and taken positions on the fundamental issues of the day — educational, social, economic, and political. AAUW’s fellowships and grants have helped scholars and activists overcome barriers to education and advancement for 130 years. 

 Learn more about AAUW at www.aauw.org.