{"id":1945,"date":"2026-05-19T17:10:38","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T17:10:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/business.cornell.edu\/centers\/?page_id=1945"},"modified":"2026-06-25T19:13:21","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T19:13:21","slug":"stars","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/business.cornell.edu\/centers\/cider\/stars\/","title":{"rendered":"Structural Transformation of Agriculture and Rural Spaces (STARS) Fellowship"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>
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Structural transformation describes the process by which low-income societies, in which agriculture absorbs most labor and generates most economic output, become high-income societies characterized by a relatively smaller but more productive agricultural sector.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The STARS Fellowship program pairs early-career researchers with faculty mentors to advance rigorous, policy-oriented research on the causal determinants of productivity and income growth, asset accumulation, rural employment and risk management in agriculture and rural spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Core objectives<\/h2>\n <\/div>\n \n \n
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Build and reinforce an effective policy research culture among early-career researchers that can help build and sustain research capacity at their institutions beyond the STARS program.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n \n <\/article>\n <\/div>\n

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Provide mentorship to early-career researchers by Cornell University and other affiliated institution faculty and researchers.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n \n <\/article>\n <\/div>\n

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Conduct professional development activities to supplement the research process, including trainings, seminars, and feedback sessions.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n \n <\/article>\n <\/div>\n

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Create an active network of equipped, policy-engaged, collaborative researchers, connected to leading global authorities in the development research space.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n \n <\/article>\n <\/div>\n

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Heighten the exposure and rigorous analysis of high-quality, publicly available data, such as LSMS-ISA data and other micro-level panel data sets.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n \n <\/article>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/section>\n\n\n\n

Research themes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

STARS research broadly encompasses topics relating to the structural transformation of agriculture and rural economies in low and lower-middle income countries. More specifically, topics include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n