Graduate Degree Schools

Wednesday, 16 October 2013

“Making Knowledge in Medieval and Early Modern Literary Culture”

The literature and culture of the late medieval and early modern periods were profoundly affected by the expansion of new artisanal and scientific technologies—innovations and ideas that would lead to the production and consumption of new forms of knowledge. In both periods, knowledge was conceptualized across a range of intersecting disciplines, including natural philosophy, astrology, mathematics, medicine, art, mechanics, and cartography, among others. Literature embraced, criticized, or participated in these fields in diverse ways, often examining how these new forms or categories of knowledge influenced the locus and ontology of the individual and social self

Collectively, we will investigate the ways in which medieval and early modern literature engages with scientific, technological and textual processes of making and disseminating knowledge. In addition, we are interested in discussing the creation and development of modern/postmodern technologies through and around medieval and early modern texts. As such, scholars studying medieval and early modern texts, performances, and art—or later reassessments thereof— are welcome.

This conference is part of a three-year collaboration between King’s College, London and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Previous conferences include “Shakespeare and the Natural World” at UNC and “Shakespeare, Memory, and Culture” at KCL. “Making Knowledge” aims to continue this collaboration and engage in critical discussion with graduate students from both institutions and from across the US.

Important ASUSU Info on Travel Awards, Research Grants and Awards

For the academic year of 2013-2014, the graduate student representatives are as follows:

· · Graduate Studies Senator: Brittany Garbrick,

· · Director of Graduate Research: Padmashri Suresh,

· · Director of Graduate Campus Affairs: Deborah Arangno.

Our job is to make sure there is a voice for graduate students and to act as a liaison with the Office of Research and Graduate Studies. If you have any questions/concerns/angry rants, feel free to contact us. Our office is located in TSC 327 if you feel like stopping by or you can email us at: asusugradrep@aggiemail.usu.edu. In addition, if you are interested in becoming involved in any way, please let us know. We can also be found online at: http://www.usu.edu/asusu/gss/.

USU offers four grants that are available to graduate students. They are: Travel Awards, Graduate Research and Project Grants, Graduate Enhancement Awards, and Library Open-Access Publishing Grants. Each is detailed below.

Travel Awards

The old GSS Graduate Student Professional Conference Awards have been phased out. They have been replaced by the RGS Graduate Student Travel Awards and are now handled by the Office of Research and Graduate Studies. More information on requirements, eligibility, and the amount of remaining funds can be found at: http://research.usu.edu/rgsgradtravelawards/

Total money available: $50,000

Amount of each award: $200 - $400 depending on criteria and matching funds

Application: http://research.usu.edu/rgsgradtravelawards/htm/apply.

Note: awards are given out on a first-come-first serve basis until the money dedicated to that semester runs out

Graduate Research and Project Grants

The purpose of this award to provide funding to assist students with exceptional projects and research. While we will take the financial need of the applicants into account, this award will be primarily merit-based and will be awarded to the projects that show the most potential for original research and broader impacts.

Total money available: $12,000

Amount of each award: up to $1,000

Number of awards given out: at least 12

Applications due: November 12th, 2013 by 5pm, must be emailed toasusugradrep@aggiemail.usu.edu.

Application: Updated application will be soon available at - http://www.usu.edu/asusu/gss/awards.cfm

Graduate Enhancement Awards

The purpose of this award is to support outstanding graduate students at USU who have consistently shown a track record of excellence. We are redoing the application in order to make the award merit-based, as it has historically been need-based. We will provide further updates on these awards and their criteria in Spring semester.

Total money available: $80,000

Amount of each award: $4,000

Number of awards given out: 20

Applications due: TBA

Application: TBA

USU Libraries Program to Support Open-Access PublishingThis is a program run by the library that funds graduate student and faculty publications in open access journals. It grants up to $1,500 to cover journal processing fees as long as matching funds are provided. Awards are given out on a first come, first served basis. For more information, visit: http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/oadc/6/.

Call for Papers

Gender and Women’s Studies Section at WSSA Conference in Albuquerque, NM. The conference will be at the Hyatt Regency April 2-5, 2014.

Please click here for more information.

Pursuing grant awards and funded projects is an important part of Utah State’s research culture—for students as well as faculty. Knowing the basics of how proposals are developed and reviewed will provide students with the tools necessary to be competitive when seeking funding.

This is why we are providing an exclusive, one-day workshop to help graduate researchers get started in their careers and writing grant proposals. Getting Started as a Successful Proposal Writer and Academician is a training program presented by Dr. M.S. (Peg) AtKisson, associate member of Grant Writers' Seminars & Workshops LLC. Dr. AtKisson holds a doctorate degree in neuroscience from Tufts University and is a world-renowned scientist and grant winner. At Tufts University, Dr. AtKisson was the director of proposal development and earned years of successful proposal-writing experience.

The workshop will be held Tuesday, October 29 from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. in the Eccles Conference Center on the main USU campus in Logan. Online registration is now open. Those interested in attending must register at http://rgs.usu.edu/opd/htm/usu-workshops/getting-started.

We ask you to encourage graduate students and postdoctoral research fellows from your colleges and departments to sign up for this unique opportunity. Seats are limited and will fill up fast. This workshop will greatly benefit those who attend and should not be missed.

WSFS MEETING 11-12 APRIL 2014

UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY LOGAN, UTAH

Place and time: The 73^rd annual conference of the Western States Folklore Society conference will take place 11-12 April 2014at the University Inn on the campus of Utah State University.

Theme: Folklore at the Crossroads

With its mountains, waterways, and abundant natural features, the land now called Utah has long been a crossroads for Native peoples and other travelers and settlers. In the 1860s, Utah was called the Crossroads of the West when the overland telegraph and transcontinental railroad converged within the boundaries of the territory. With concurrent meetings of the Western States Folklore Society (WSFS) and the Association of Western States Folklorists (AWSF), this conference seeks to investigate and promote the significance of folklore today. We invite proposals on folklore at the crossroads of continuity and change as this applies to the American West, to face-to-face and digital communities, and to educational and fiscal reform affecting government programs, universities, and non-profit organizations. Folklore remains at the crossroads . . . of tradition and innovation; the local and global; the informal and institutional; the small group festive gathering and the MMORPG; the applied and the abstract; the oral and other media; the embodied and the technological; the public and academic, to name just some key intersections. We seek papers addressing the role of folklore, and the impact on folklore, at any of these crossroads. As always, proposal for papers on any folklore topic will be welcome.

The Archer Taylor Memorial Lecture: This year’s lecture will be given by Prof. Charles Briggs, Chair of the UC Berkeley Folklore Program and Alan Dundes Distinguished Professor of Folklore.

Abstracts: Abstracts of 100-150 words should be submitted to Lisa Gabbert: lisa.gabbert@usu.edu. The deadline for abstracts is 1 March 2014.

Please submit abstracts in Microsoft Word (if possible) using the following format:

Last Name, First Name (Affiliation). Title. Abstract.

Registration Fees: Registration fees for regular members are $45.00; for non-members $70.00. Registration fees for student/retired members are $25.00; for student/retired non-members $40.00. All those submitting abstracts must pay registration fees in advance or they will not be included in the program. Send the fee to: Western States Folklore Society, P.O. Box 3557, Long Beach CA 90803-0557. If you join the WSFS when you send in your fees, you will pay the lower member registration rate.

Student travel stipends: Student Travel Stipends: The WSFS awards three student travel stipends of $100 each to students coming to the conference to deliver a paper. To apply, a student must: (1) indicate they are applying apply for the stipend; (2) submit their abstracts before the 1 March deadline; (3) submit two abstracts: a 100-150 word abstract for publication in the program and a 350 word abstract in which the paper is described in more detail with special attention to the conceptual point of the paper. This second abstract should also be emailed to Lisa Gabbert at lisa.gabbert@usu.edu. The student stipends will be announced in early March. Some preference will be given to students who come from afar and incur significant travel expenses in coming to the meeting.

Transportation: Logan, Utah is 90 miles from Salt Lake City. Salt Lake Express is the only public means of transport. Cost of round trip transportation from airport to University Inn in Logan UT is $64.50. Reservations may be made on-line at http://www.saltlakeexpress.com. You can also rent a car; rental rates vary.

Lodging: The conference will be held at the University Inn and Conference Center, which is on the campus of Utah State University. Room rates with a discount for conference attendees are $69 for a double queen room. A block of 50 rooms has been reserved; ask for the Western Folklore discount when calling to make your reservation. Be sure to make your reservations soon. The rooms will run out and are only being held for a limited time. Visit http://uicc.usu.edufor further information.

Other accommodations in Logan are available, but may require a short taxi or car ride to the university. These include:

Hampton Inn Logan

Address: 1665 N Main St, Logan, UT 84341

Phone:(435) 713-4567

approx: $92.00

Crystal Inn Hotel and Suites

http://www.crystalinnlogan.com

Best Western Weston Inn

http://westoninn.com

approx. $95.00

Anniversary Inn Bed and Breakfast

http://www.anniversaryinn.com

Super 8 Logan

http://www.super8.com/hotels/utah/logan/super-8-logan/hotel-overview

PhD students: Here is a new Fellowship opportunity:

As of September 16, 2013 applications are accepted for the 2014 Ford Foundation Fellowships Programs for Achieving Excellence in College and University Teaching. Full eligibility information and online applications are available on our website.

Eligibility Requirements:

U.S. citizens, nationals, permanent residents, or individuals granted deferred action status under the DACA program
Planning a career in teaching and research at the college or university level in a research-based filed of science, social science or humanities

Stipends and Allowances:

Predoctoral--$20,000 to the fellow, institutional allowance of $2,000 for three years
Dissertation--$21,000 for one year
Postdoctoral--$40,000 for one year, $1,500 employing institution allowance, to be matched by employing institution

Awardees have expenses paid to attend one Conference of Ford Fellows.

Approximately 60 predoctoral, 35 dissertation, and 24 postdoctoral fellowships sponsored by the Ford Foundation and administered by the National Research Council of the National Academies.

Application Deadline Dates:

Predoctoral: November 20, 2013
Dissertation: November 15, 2013
Postdoctoral: November 15, 2013

For Further information please contact:

Fellowships Office, Keck 576
National Research Council of the National Academies
500 Fifth Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202.334.2872
Fax: 202.334.3419