Winners of the QRCA 2026 Young Professionals Grant Announced

January 2026 – QRCA, the global community of qualitative research professionals, has announced the winners of its twelfth Young Professionals Grant (YPG) Program.

First launched in 2014, the Young Professionals Grant was created to support and advance the careers of qualitative researchers aged 35 and under by providing access to peer networking and professional development opportunities at the QRCA Annual Conference. The Grant is generously sponsored by Sylvestre & Co, whose support enables early-career qualitative researchers to access meaningful learning and networking opportunities through QRCA.

From a strong pool of applicants, the 2026 Young Professionals Grant recipients are:

· Rebekah Ellis - Senior Research Manager at Illuminate Research

· Margaret Fletcher - Associate Qualitative Analyst at MDRG, Inc.

· Ruri Kato - Research Director at Sugata Research

· Sophie Kelner - Insights & Strategy Consultant at IMPACT Strategic Consulting

· Sajira Khatoon - PhD Consumer Behavior at IIT Madras

· Oliver Myers - Master of Science in Applied Neuroscience and Cognition with a focus in Human-Computer Interaction at The University of Texas at Dallas

· Tanzania Scarborough - Consumer Insights & Brand Strategy Consultant; Freelance

· Dana Tsipenyuk - Senior Analyst, Consumer Insights at Subway

· Jason Taft - Senior Design Researcher at Sylver Consulting

· Hannah Worton - Qualitative Research Analyst at Numerator

These recipients demonstrated exceptional curiosity, commitment, and passion for the qualitative research field. As part of the grant, they will attend QRCA’s Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas, taking place February 2–5, 2026. In addition to complimentary conference registration, each grant recipient receives a one-year membership to QRCA.

Since the program’s inception, more than 130 early-career research professionals have benefited from the Young Professionals Grant, gaining exposure to the broader qualitative research community and building lasting professional connections. Several past recipients have gone on to serve on the QRCA Board and hold leadership roles within the organization.

“The Young Professionals Grant is about opening doors and welcoming new voices into our community,” said Clare Mitchell, QRCA YPG Chair. “This year’s recipients bring curiosity, thoughtfulness and a passion for qualitative research. I’m excited to see how they learn from the QRCA community, and how they’ll help shape its future.”

For more information about the YPG program, please visit qrca.org/site/young-professionals-grant

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QRCA is a global network of qualitative research professionals, including market research, UX, CX, sociologists, ethnographers, linguists, social media and other qualitative experts, and the resource for elevating qualitative research expertise at all levels, where members network and share best practices, trends and technology, and take advantage of unique educational content