The Social Transformation Research Collaborative is seeking applications from LAS full-time faculty interested in co-teaching the STRC Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) seminar.
Faculty will 1) co-teach this 5-week course in interdisciplinary humanities research methods for
six STRC Undergraduate Research Fellows during Summer Session I 2023; and 2) oversee the completion of the projects of
three fellows each over the subsequent Autumn Quarter and early December 2023.
SURF students will be rising juniors or seniors who have been nominated by faculty for the course; they will develop a research project related to the historical trajectories, legacies and/or cultures of people of color. Students will receive a stipend and free tuition for the summer course as part of their fellowships.
The SURF seeks to support students (especially students majoring or minoring in African and Black Diaspora Studies, Latin American and Latino Studies, or Global Asian Studies) to prepare to enter graduate school and the academy by introducing them to key research tools and experiential learning activities. It is designed to foster the connections that studies have repeatedly shown lead to success in college and beyond: a strong network of faculty and staff advisors and mentors, friends and peer mentors, and an intellectual community.
Description of the Student Fellowship
The Course: Research Methods in the Interdisciplinary Humanities
This Summer Session I course is an on-campus, 5-week, 4 credit-hour seminar in interdisciplinary humanities research methods taught by two faculty. During the class, students will:
- develop a viable research question;
- build a bibliography of secondary and primary sources;
- develop a plan of work;
- write an abstract;
- draft a 3-5 page prospectus for a 10-12 page research paper.
Ongoing Project Mentorship
Students will spend the rest of their summer independently researching and drafting their research paper according to their prospectuses. They will meet once with their assigned faculty mentor in late July/early August to report on their progress; they will submit rough drafts of their papers on/around August 30. After receiving feedback on their drafts in early September, they will work with their faculty mentor to develop a poster presentation about their research project for the STRC Symposium in late October. They will continue to revise their research paper through fall quarter and submit a final version to their faculty mentor for a grade in early December.
Eligibility
Full-time faculty in LAS are eligible to apply. Successful candidates will be able to demonstrate that they:
- have closely reviewed the SURF program description;
- have academic teaching experience in research methods;
- are deeply conversant with the humanities;
- and have a desire to connect with and actively mentor students doing independent work.
Applicants interested in applying as teams are encouraged to do so. Please note:
- Each member of a team must apply separately but will have the opportunity to identify the co-applicant in their applications;
- and each team must have at least one tenure-line faculty member.
- Candidates need not be experts in all humanities research methods! The faculty teams will have a budget to support guest speaker appearances to supplement their areas of expertise.
Compensation
Faculty chosen for these roles will be compensated with
one unit of summer salary as well as a
$1500 stipend over the Autumn Quarter.
Co-faculty will also have a
budget for guest speakers (internal and/or external) and for field trips to area archives, museums, or other organizations related to the course. Please note that each student will also have access to funds, in addition to their fellowship stipend, to support research and travel as necessary for their projects.
Application Timeline
The application timeline for SURF faculty is outlined below. Interested faculty should
review the FAQ and plan to attend the general information session on January 9, 2023 at 3 PM (RSVP
here). Please direct questions to the directors of the STRC, Julie Moody-Freeman (jmoodyfr@depaul.edu) and Bill Johnson González (bjohns58@depaul.edu).
| Stage |
Date |
Call for Application posted
|
December 12, 2022
|
Information Session
|
January 9, 2023
|
Online Application opens
|
January 30, 2023
|
Online Application closes
|
extended through March 31, 2023
|
Appointment notification
|
March 15, 2023
|
Application Preparation
Applicants for the Undergraduate Research Seminar Faculty Lead opportunity should review the Application Guidelines packet, which outlines in detail the key responsibilities of the Co-Faculty role and all materials that must be submitted through the online application.
Guidelines & Preparation
Download the Application Guidelines for easy offline review.
Download Packet