Gallatin Research Scholars

Description

In an effort to integrate Gallatin students into the practice of scholarly research, as well as provide research assistance for Gallatin faculty, in the 2008-2009 academic year Gallatin launched a new initiative called the Gallatin Research Scholars. The basic idea is simple: each year, a number of students will be selected by an equal number of faculty to work as research assistants for a year. For this work students will be paid for their assistance; faculty agree to engage the student in meaningful research and help the student build research skills. With additional funding provided by the Office of the Provost to enhance faculty research at Gallatin, the School is pleased to continue and expand this program to award no fewer than five GRS awards per year.

The work the GRS is expected to do must constitute meaningful research, understood as research that has educational merit for the student as well as practical benefit for the faculty member. Secretarial work, including photocopying, filing, indexing, etc. will not be considered meaningful research. 

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

All full-time Gallatin faculty are eligible to apply for Gallatin Research Scholars funds. Faculty may pick any undergraduate or MA student from the Gallatin school to work with them as a Gallatin Research Scholar (GRS), although the student must remain enrolled in school during the course of their participation. 
 

Students will be paid an hourly wage and will be expected to work, on average, no more than eight hours a week for forty weeks or two semesters.  The selected GRS can expect to earn up to $4,000 for this work over the academic year.
 

While all FT faculty are eligible, priority will go to proposals that detail the educational worth of the work being asked of the GRS, and to faculty who have not recently worked with a GRS.
 

After the proposal is accepted, faculty members can approach a student of their own choosing and invite that student to participate. The faculty member will be expected to oversee and approve the GRS’s hourly timesheet. 
 

Upon completion of the term, the faculty member will submit a brief report explaining the status of and progress made on the research project, as well as the work done and skills learned by the GRS. Wherever possible, faculty will encourage the GRS to undertake their own writing or may request a written report from the GRS which can be included with the faculty member’s report.

Deadlines and Application Process 

To apply, please complete the form below by no later than October 1 for GRS terms beginning in the fall, or by March 1 for GRS terms beginning in the spring. All GRS terms end by August 31. Applications should include:

-A 1-2 page proposal outlining the research project you wish to undertake (or which is already underway), its significance, and what the student working with you will be asked to do.  While we understand that you will not be able to outline every task, please include the kinds of tasks you have in mind and why a student research assistant could, on the one hand, learn from this experience and, on the other hand, genuinely help you. It is important to note that the Gallatin Research Scholars program will involve mentoring and support for the student. 

-Faculty’s CV.