Webtoon Emerging Scholar Award
Sponsored by Webtoon
The AEJMC Advertising Division invites applications for the Webtoon Emerging Scholar Award.
The purpose of the Webtoon Emerging Scholar Award is to support graduate student research in the field of advertising. Eligible studies may address advertising-related topic, and the proposed research has clear potential for publication in an academic journal. The award may be used to support thesis or dissertation research, but submissions are not limited to these formats.
Scope of Submissions
Submissions should take the form of a research-in-progress proposal. The proposed study must focus on one or more of the following areas related to a foreign brand’s entry into the North American market (Webtoon may be the focal brand, but is not required):
- Market expansion or market entry strategies
- Branding strategies
- Advertising and marketing communications strategies
- Audience culture
- Audience research
Awards
The Scholarship Committee will review all applications and select recipients for the following awards:
- Webtoon Emerging Scholar Award – $1,000
Awarded to the top graduate student submission demonstrating outstanding originality, theoretical depth, methodological clarity, and strategic relevance.
- Graduate Research Honorable Mention – $200
Presented to a proposal showing strong potential for scholarly contribution and managerial relevance.
Award funds must be used to support research-related expenses (e.g., participant incentives, coder compensation, stimulus material development, transcription). The funded project must be completed, and the award funds fully expended, within one year of receiving the scholarship.
Eligibility Criteria
• You must be a student enrolled in a graduate program at time the scholarship is awarded. Faculty co-authored work is not eligible.
• You must be a member of the AEJMC ad division at the time of submission.
• Previous awardees are eligible when their previous project has been completed. A project is completed when a full paper has been submitted to a conference or journal.
• Only one proposal per person will be considered. If you submit as part of a team, this is the only proposal you may submit.
Submission Contents
Please include the following in a single PDF document:
1. A title page including the applicant’s contact information.
2. A project summary should total no more than 3 pages (12 pt., Times New Roman, single spaced (excl. references, tables, and figures). It should provide:
An overview of the study. This section should include the research questions or hypotheses, and a description of where the project is situated in the advertising literature.
- A description of the proposed methods.
- A summary of the anticipated contribution of the project to the advertising field.
- A budget overview and justification.
- A project timeline (1 year completion time, start date after the August conference).
3. Include the applicant’s current curriculum vitae.
Submission Deadline
Submit the title page, project summary, and CV as an attachment in a single PDF file in an email by Friday May 15, 2026, 11:59 CDT to the Graduate Student Chair [Dr. Quan Xie, quanxie@smu.edu]. For any inquiries, please contact Dr. Anna Kim, Head of Advertising Division, AEJMC at eunjink@usc.edu. Please place “Webtoon Emerging Scholar Award” in the email subject field.
The scholarship will be reviewed by the Scholarship Committee based on the feasibility of the project, methodological soundness, innovativeness, relevance, and budget justification.
Winners will be announced during the AEJMC annual conference in 2026. They are expected to submit a research report to the division before the 2027 AEJMC conference, and to write a summary to be featured on the AEJMC Ad Division communication channels (newsletter; social media). They are also expected to acknowledge the scholarship in any publications (e.g., conference papers, journal articles) that come (partly) out of the scholarship. Recipients are encouraged to acknowledge Webtoon’s sponsorship in professional communications (e.g., LinkedIn, academic profiles).
We look forward to receiving your application!