CERF Eligibility and Application

College Educators Research Fellowship: Call for Applications

Purpose. The UNC and Duke Consortium in Latin American and Caribbean Studies, with funds from the U.S. Department of Education, provides college educators the opportunity to work as visiting research scholars with the Latin American and Caribbean library collections at Duke and UNC. The proposed project must have a clear focus on Latin America or the Caribbean. Priority will be given to proposals that create a new course or add substantial content to an existing course at the applicant’s institution. Preference will be given to applicants from institutions that do not have easy access to library resources such as those available at UNC and Duke.

About. The libraries of Duke and UNC rank among the top institutions in North America. Together, the two Latin American collections total more than 875,000 volumes. Our Latin American collections are designed to be complementary. Both libraries acquire materials needed for general instruction, and more specialized research resources are purchased cooperatively. Numerous electronic resources on Latin America and the Caribbean, including electronic databases and e-books, are available. To explore some of the resources available at both institutions, applicants are encouraged to visit:

● Research Guides by Subject (Duke): https://guides.library.duke.edu/
● Latin American Studies Research Guide (Duke):
http://guides.library.duke.edu/latinamericanstudies
● E-Research by Discipline (UNC): https://guides.lib.unc.edu/sb.php
● A to Z Databases: Latin American Studies (UNC):
https://guides.lib.unc.edu/az.php?s=1132

Applicants should feel free to contact the librarians with specific questions about the collections: Teresa Chapa (tchapa@unc.edu) and Diego Godoy (diego.godoy@duke.edu).

Eligibility. Fellows will be chosen in a competition targeting regional faculty from institutions of higher education in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Priority will be given to regular faculty from community colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Minority-Serving Institutions. Faculty at universities in Puerto Rico working on Latin America and Caribbean subjects beyond Puerto Rico are welcome to apply.

Duties and responsibilities. Recipients of the College Educators Research Fellowship will conduct research using the Latin American and Caribbean collections at the Duke and UNC libraries. Upon notification of award, Fellows must meet, either via Zoom or telephone, with a librarian from one of the two institutions prior to beginning their research and no later than May 31, 2024. The librarians will provide guidance about the libraries’ collections and resources. The Consortium staff will assist Fellows in identifying and networking with the Consortium’s faculty and scholars in relevant fields.

Fellows are expected to commit to at least one week of research at the UNC and Duke campuses. The initial research period should take place between June 1 and August 31. We suggest that Fellows allow for one day to obtain ID cards and library access. We suggest that Fellows allow at least four days to conduct research, obtain library materials, and to meet with the outreach coordinator and/or librarians. Some of the resources are housed off-site and Fellows need to allow at least two days for the materials to be made available for pick-up in the libraries.

Fellows are expected to submit a brief 3-5 page summary of their research findings and any modifications made to their original proposal, as well as a copy of the new or revised curriculum unit, to the Consortium Outreach Coordinator by December 20, 2024. They may also be asked to give a presentation at a symposium on curriculum development in higher education. Additionally, Fellows agree to complete evaluation surveys during and/or after their project.

Terms of the award. With funds provided by the U.S. Department of Education, the Consortium provides two to three awards, each up to $2,000 as a stipend to support the work of Fellows during the fellowship period. Initial research must begin between June 1 – August 31, 2024. This award may be used for travel, housing, course development activities, or other costs incurred during the research visit. Consortium staff will be available to facilitate the visit by assisting with logistical arrangements as needed, as well as secure affiliate or visiting scholar status at the appropriate campus(es). In person access to library facilities may be subject to change depending on COVID-19 restrictions of each university. By accepting the award, Fellows agree to follow university COVID-19 policies, including mask wearing in library facilities, if required.

Award criteria. The Consortium’s College Educators Research Fellowship Committee will award grants based on the relevance of the proposal to the unique holdings of the Duke and UNC Libraries, the merits and significance of the project, the extent to which the proposed project will contribute to the Latin American curriculum of their home institution, and the applicant’s scholarly qualifications.

How to apply. Applicants must submit a complete application as an attachment (Word or PDF) via email as indicated below. Complete applications must include a cover letter explaining how this fellowship will further professional and institutional development, the attached application form, a two-page description of the project, current CV, and a letter from the applicant’s dean or department chair endorsing the application and verifying employment. Previous Fellows may apply; however, preference will be given to first-time applicants. All application materials must be sent to Natalie Hartman at njh@duke.edu. The deadline for applications is Monday, March 4, 2024. Outreach Coordinator, Skylar Zee will be on leave from mid-January to mid-April, 2024.

For additional information, contact:

Natalie Hartman, Associate Director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at Duke University
Email njh@duke.edu