$500 Digital Humanities Opportunity for Grad Students: Apply by Oct. 28th!

Posted by Rhett Mcdaniel on Wednesday, October 17, 2018 in News.

The Vanderbilt HASTAC network is now accepting applications for the 2018-19 HASTAC Scholars Program. Graduate students interested in learning more about digital humanities and gaining hands-on experience are encouraged to apply.

HASTAC (Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology Alliance and Collaboratory) is a global network of individuals and institutions brought together by their shared interest in the intersections of digital media, 21st-century education, digital humanities, science, technology, and the arts.

The HASTAC scholarship competition is open to any graduate student with an interest in arts, humanities, science, and technology. Up to seven Vanderbilt University graduate students will be appointed as HASTAC Scholars in 2018-19.

The Vanderbilt program awards HASTAC Scholars $500 for their one-year renewable appointment, and offers the opportunity to:

Join a robust and close-knit local community of Vanderbilt faculty, students, and staff who are committed to innovative interdisciplinary work that brings together arts and technology
Connect with the worldwide network of HASTAC scholars
Publish on the HASTAC blog
Attend the international HASTAC conference (or another conference agreed on by mentor and scholar) with fellow HASTAC scholars
Gain digital humanities experience through project work with a mentor

At Vanderbilt, HASTAC Scholars are matched with University centers and programs that serve as project mentors. Scholars either work on an already-existing digital project or develop a new project in consultation with their mentors. Applicants with a strong preference for joining an already-existing or working on a new one should indicate this in the application.

In addition to working with their mentoring centers, the HASTAC Scholars serve as Vanderbilt’s ambassadors to the global HASTAC program. For more information, see the HASTAC Scholars website.

Applications are welcome from Vanderbilt graduate students in any discipline. Apply online at http://vanderbilt.edu/digitalhumanities/hastac

Eligibility

Applicants must be enrolled in a Vanderbilt University graduate program in 2017-2018 and be in good standing in their graduate programs. Additionally, applicants must be on campus for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Requirements

Vanderbilt HASTAC Scholars will have three primary requirements for the year:

Actively engage with a blog on the HASTAC website by reporting on relevant activities at Vanderbilt University.
Contribute to HASTAC Scholars discussion forums, either by hosting or commenting. These discussions are part of the backbone of the HASTAC Scholars program.
Build community and conversation by commenting, tweeting, covering conferences, helping organize local meetups, and meeting regularly with other HASTAC Scholars and representatives from their sponsoring centers.

Application Process

Complete the online application by 11:59pm CT on Sunday, October 28, 2018. Note that the application will ask you for the following:

A curriculum vitae.
Your preferred sponsoring centers (see below).
Whether you prefer to join an existing digital humanities effort or develop a new one.
A brief letter of interest no more than two pages long. Letters should indicate how participation in HASTAC would benefit the applicant and how the applicant could contribute to Digital Humanities at Vanderbilt.
The email address of your primary academic advisor. Advisors do no need to submit recommendations; we will contact advisors to verify applicants’ standing in their graduate program and residency on the Vanderbilt campus in 2018-19.

Sponsoring Centers

Each HASTAC Scholar will be affiliated with one of the following sponsoring centers. Be prepared to identify your preferred sponsoring centers in your application. Note that we cannot guarantee top choices, but we will consider your preference when matching HASTAC Scholars to centers.

1. Center for Second Language Studies

The HASTAC Scholar affiliated with CSLS will show a keen interest in exploring teaching, learning, and research in second languages and cultures through the use of technology. The scholar will collaborate with CSLS graduate student affiliates, interact with faculty, and participate in CSLS working groups. In addition, the HASTAC Scholar will be involved in CSLS events, in particular, our professional development workshops.

EXISTING PROJECT: The Scholar will help to develop languagepanda.org – contributing to website development and building content by creating innovative teaching methodologies based on technology.
NEW PROJECT: Open to suggestions from the applicant

2. Center for Teaching

The Center for Teaching is committed the faculty, graduate student, and postdoc development of teaching at Vanderbilt and pursues multifaceted programming, from workshops to learning communities to certificate programs, on a variety of teaching and learning topics. The CFT’s HASTAC Scholar should have an interest in the use of technology in humanities teaching. The Scholar will participate in the 2018-19 CFT learning community on teaching digital literacies and conduct an interview on that topic for the CFT’s podcast on educational technology, Leading Lines.

EXISTING PROJECT: The Scholar will join the 2018-19 CFT learning community on teaching digital literacies, take part in the learning community’s conversations and events, and contribute an episode to the CFT’s Leading Lines podcast.

3. Curb Center for Art, Enterprise, and Public Policy

The Curb Center’s HASTAC Scholar will collaborate with the faculty and other graduate student fellows on digital media projects to promote social engagement. The HASTAC Scholar will receive training and be expected to provide technical support in the Curb audio recording studio, and will have access to all the Curb Center studios (audio, film, gaming, and fabric arts) for project development.

EXISTING PROJECT: The Scholar will provide technical support in the Curb Center’s audio recording studio, contribute to social media, take part in the life of the Center.
NEW PROJECT: Open to suggestions from the applicant.

4. The Nashville Sites Project

Funded and sponsored in large part by the Nashville Metropolitan Historical Commission Foundation, Nashville Sites focuses on creating walking tours that incorporate scholarly research with historic sites in Nashville, with delivery available on all devices: mobile, tablet, and desktop. Tours are pre-planned and based on themes, and delivered using a custom web platform based on the digital exhibit program Omeka.

EXISTING PROJECT: The Scholar will assist in creating online tours already in development.
NEW PROJECT: Open to suggestions from the applicant.

5. Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities

The Warren Center’s HASTAC Scholar will be a dynamic participant in the life of this interdisciplinary research center and will be encouraged to participate in a variety of Warren Center activities and assist with various Warren Center events throughout the year.

EXISTING PROJECT: The Scholar will contribute to one of many digital initiatives hosted at the Warren Center, including its digital archives projects and its multifaceted online presence.
NEW PROJECT: Open to suggestions from the applicant, with preference for projects that involve digital archives, Wikipedia editing, or digital work related to the US Civil Rights Movement.

6. Vanderbilt Center for Digital Humanities

The HASTAC scholar at the Vanderbilt Center for Digital Humanities will contribute to social media and participate in the life of the Center, joining a cohort of 8 graduate fellows, 3 postdoctoral fellows, and 4 faculty fellows.

EXISTING PROJECT: The Scholar will assist with web and social media communications for the DH Center or help support one of center’s 2018-19 working groups: Social Media Research methods and ethics; Data Science for DH; Histories of Black Nashville; Race, Gender, and Technology.
NEW PROJECT: Open to suggestions from the applicant.

7. The Wond’ry – Innovation Center at Vanderbilt University

The HASTAC Scholar affiliated with the Wond’ry will show a keen interest in exploring teaching, learning, and research in regard to technology and innovation. The HASTAC Scholar will collaborate with Wond’ry staff to observe, identify, and ultimately articulate the best ways that innovation is taught and delivered through technology and how innovation education is best absorbed by participants in a variety of programs. The HASTAC Scholar will be involved in Wond’ry events, in particular our PreFlight, PostFlight, and Social Ventures programs.

EXISTING PROJECT: The Scholar will contribute to one of many technology, arts, and innovation initiatives hosted at the Wond’ry.
NEW PROJECT: Open to suggestions from the applicant.

Selection Criteria

Evidence that the applicant understands and shares HASTAC’s core values.
Evidence that the applicant’s academic and professional goals will benefit from participation in HASTAC.
Evidence of benefits to Vanderbilt and/or the local community from the proposed participation.
A commitment to meet regularly with the other HASTAC Scholars and their sponsoring centers.