NSF is soliciting applications for the Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences (SBE) Directorate’s Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (SBE DDRIG) program. An estimated 200-300 grants will be awarded from a pool of approximately $2.5 million available annually across all programs. Grants are awarded to “doctoral students to improve the quality of dissertation research. These grants provide funds for items not normally available through the student’s university. Additionally, these grants allow doctoral students to undertake significant data-gathering projects and to conduct field research in settings away from their campus that would not otherwise be possible.” According to the notice, “the proposal must be submitted by the dissertation advisor(s) on behalf of the graduate student who is at the point of initiating or already conducting dissertation research.” Among the programs that support dissertation research are: archaeology, cultural anthropology, documenting endangered languages, economics, political science, and sociology. For a full list of eligible fields, as well as detailed information on application deadlines, please see the solicitation at: nsf.gov/pubs/2011/nsf11547.
The Graduate School is pleased to announce the following programs have new theses and dissertations available in the J.R. Van Pelt and Opie Library:
- Biological Sciences
- Biomedical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Environmental Engineering
- Industrial Archaeology
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Mathematical Sciences
- Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
- Rhetoric and Technical Communication
Michigan Tech has instituted a new fellowship program for graduate students who have served in the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps or the military.
In its first semester of operation, the National Service Graduate Fellowship covers as much as 30 percent of tuition, but its benefits extend beyond financial assistance.
“Through this program, we are getting more nontraditional students to campus who bring a different perspective to the classroom,” said Professor Blair Orr (SFRES). “They have a lot to contribute from their experiences.”
Orr is in charge of Tech’s Peace Corps Master’s International program, one of the three programs involved in the initiative.
Lt. Col. Kerry Beaghan, of the Air Force ROTC program, agrees that the type of student the program attracts is “very atypical.”
“They’re older military personnel, who maybe tried college earlier in their lives,” she says. “Or they might have enlisted right out of high school, and now they are interested in an education and must juggle family and school and financing. This program helps them.”
For the military personnel, the new post-911 GI Bill includes a housing allowance at some schools and, depending on the level of the service, their spouses or children might also benefit from the tuition reduction, Beaghan says.
In the planning for the military component of the fellowship, Beaghan credits Dallas Eubanks, former head of Michigan Tech’s Army ROTC, for his help in crafting this new program.
“We had to decide whom do we include and what to include,” she says.
Natiffany Mathews, a master’s student in industrial archaeology, did her AmeriCorps service on the New Mexico/Texas border, in poor school districts, and she chose Michigan Tech because of the fellowship and the opportunity to teach and do research.
“It’s been a different type of experience–awesome–especially the teaching,” she says. “With college courses, we are constantly changing things up. It’s very dynamic.”
Overall, the fellowship was paramount for her. “I don’t think I could have come here without it,” she says. “We needed the extra funding, and my husband was having trouble finding work here. We had expenses moving here, too.”
She had visited the area previously and fell in love with the people, especially Associate Professor Tim Scarlett (Social Sciences), and the industrial archaeology program. Another draw: Tech treated her in a fair and timely manner. “Another school never returned my phone calls and was always slow responding to emails.”
Jacque Smith, director of marketing for the Graduate School, says the fellowship fills a gap. “Graduate students in programs that focus primarily on career preparation, instead of research, often have to fund more of their education themselves. As the costs keep increasing, it can become harder for these students to attend grad school.”
Mariah Maggio, who was in Peace Corps Masters International Program and is a recipient of a fellowship, didn’t have any viable options to return to graduate school two years after her volunteer service in the Philippines ended.
“With the limited financial resources resulting from life as a Peace Corps volunteer, followed by work with a grassroots international organization, the fellowship was a decisive factor in my being able to enroll in Tech’s environmental policy master’s program,” she explains.
Maggio is thankful that the fellowship recognizes her service. As well, she adds, being a returned Peace Corps volunteer on the campus is a very rich experience because of the community and camaraderie that exist among those who have volunteered.
“You can not only reflect on your experience with fellow returned volunteers, but you also engage with prospective volunteers and really build on the work the Peace Corps is doing,” she says.
“We are fortunate that Tech recognizes returned Peace Corps volunteers as eligible candidates for the fellowship,” she adds. “To be valued after volunteering in such a way that supports returning to graduate school is an amazing initiative of this University and reinforces the ideal that Michigan Tech is playing an important role in fostering leaders for a global future.”
Jacqueline Huntoon, dean of the Graduate School, says the fellowship helps the University achieve its strategic plan, which includes an effort to attract students who bring diverse perspectives to the campus and the program.
“They demonstrate to others the opportunities for providing service to their communities, the nation and the world,” she concludes.
by Dennis Walikainen, senior editor
Published in Tech Today
A ballet/dance performance of “A Christmas Carol,” featuring a cast of many Tech students, will be at the Calumet Theatre at 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 3, and at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 4.
Donna Armistead, of International Programs and Services, is the choreographer.
These students will perform:
- Paige Borel (Business Management)
- Allison Strome (Business Management)
- Jared Berryman (Exercise Science)
- Josh Stuempges (Chemical Engineering)
- Joseph Massoglia (Mechanical Engineering)
- Cassi Warsinski (Biomedical Engineering)
Scrooge will be played by John Griebel ’09 (MS, Industrial Archaeology).
As well, the dance will feature children of faculty and staff.
The Expeditions Council consists of representatives from National Geographic editorial divisions (magazines, television, books, and so on) who review and vote on grant applications and an advisory board of external consultants.
The Expeditions Council is editorially driven; projects must have the potential to yield compelling stories and images. Applications are also judged on the qualifications of applicants and their teams and on the merit and uniqueness of the project.
Major fields of study the Expeditions Council funds:
– Adventure
– Culture
– Mountains/Volcanoes
– Natural History and Conservation
– Underwater Exploration
In addition to financial support, the Expeditions Council offers its grantees the opportunity to work effectively with the National Geographic’s many divisions. Grantees are therefore able to share the results of their expeditions with National Geographic’s global audience.
Eligibility
International applicants are encouraged. However, submissions must be made in English if they are to receive timely consideration by the Expeditions Council.
Applicants are expected to have qualifications and experience pertinent to the expedition or project they propose, and advanced academic degrees are not required. Those planning work in countries other than their own should consider including at least one local collaborator as part of their expedition team.
Grant Amounts
Grants generally range from U.S. $5,000 to $35,000 and are to be used for direct field expenses: transportation, supplies, subsistence, and permit costs as well as other related fees (e.g., interpreters, guides, and porters).
The Expeditions Council does not provide fees for photography, videography, and writing. Such fees are negotiated separately with editorial units.
In order to generate the best story, coverage of the expedition may be assigned to National Geographic photographers, writers, and film crews.
Grant Requirements
Grant recipients must provide a full accounting of their expenditures on completion of the project. They are also required to submit a report summarizing their findings within two months of returning from the field.
National Geographic requires that grant recipients give right of first refusal for coverage to National Geographic magazine, National Geographic Television & Film, and all other publication and broadcast media of the National Geographic Society and its subsidiaries. This right specifically includes books, all other National Geographic Society magazines, lectures, exhibits, our Web site and other electronic media, as well as publicity about the project.
Grant Restrictions
National Geographic Society grants may not be used for indirect costs, overhead, and other expenses not directly related to the project. Fringe benefits are also excluded, as are salaries. Funds may not be used for travel to scientific/professional meetings or conferences, legal actions, land acquisition, endowments, construction of permanent field stations, or publishing research results. Grant recipients are expected to provide the National Geographic Society with rights of first refusal for popular publication of their findings.
Obtaining a Grant
Applying for a grant from the Expeditions Council is a two-step process.
Step 1: Pre-Application
Before receiving an application form, each team leader must submit a pre-application form online. There are a few things you should know before doing so:
- The pre-application form can be completed in multiple sessions. You will be allowed to save your work and complete it at another time.
- You will be asked to upload an electronic copy of your curriculum vitae (CV) while completing the form. Instructions will be provided.
- Please make sure that your browser is configured to receive cookies.
- This system works best on Internet Explorer 5.5 and Netscape 6.0 or higher.
- If you have any questions about the online pre-application form, Please email ecouncil@ngs.org.
- The Expeditions Council accepts pre-applications throughout the year. Please submit your pre-application at least six months before anticipated project dates.
Within eight weeks, the team leader will receive a decision. If the pre-application is approved, the council will send the team leader an email with a link to the full application online.
Step 2: Application
After receiving an application, the team leader must complete and submit their application online. There are a few things he or she should know before doing so:
- The Expeditions Council accepts applications throughout the year. However, please allow six months from the receipt of your application for the Expeditions Council to formally review and consider it.
- Previous National Geographic Society grantees must first comply with all prior reporting and financial-accounting obligations before submitting applications for additional support.
- We strongly encourage electronic submission of all documents. If this is not possible, please submit your information to the following address:
Expeditions Council
National Geographic Society
1145 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
U.S.A.
The School for Advanced Research (SAR) awards approximately six Resident Scholar Fellowships each year to scholars who have completed their research and analysis and who need time to think and write about topics important to the understanding of humankind. Resident scholars may approach their research from anthropology or from related fields such as history, sociology, art, and philosophy. Both humanistically and scientifically oriented scholars are encouraged to apply.
SAR provides Resident Scholars with low-cost housing and office space on campus, a stipend up to $40,000, library assistance, and other benefits during a nine-month tenure, from September 1 through May 31. A six-month fellowship is also available for a female scholar from a developing nation, whose research promotes women’s empowerment. SAR Press may consider books written by resident scholars for publication in its Resident Scholar Series.
Six types of fellowships are available:
Weatherhead Fellowships
Up to two nine-month fellowships are available for either Ph.D. candidates or scholars with doctorates whose work is either humanistic or social scientific in nature.
Katrin H. Lamon Fellowship
One nine-month fellowship is available for a Native American PhD candidate or post-doctoral scholar working in either the humanities or the social sciences.
Henry Luce Fellowship
One nine-month fellowship is available for a postdoctoral Asian or American scholar whose research focuses on East Asia or Southeast Asia.
National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship
One nine-month fellowship is available for a postdoctoral scholar whose project relates to the humanities.
Anne Ray Fellowship
One nine-month fellowship is available for an established Native American scholar, working in the humanities, arts, or social sciences, who has a commitment to providing mentorship to recent Native graduates or graduate students. In addition to working on their own research, the Anne Ray Resident Scholar serves as a mentor to two Native interns working at the Indian Arts Research Center.
Campbell Fellowship
One six-month fellowship is available for a female social scientist from a developing nation, either a PhD candidate or post-doctoral scholar, whose work addresses women’s economic and social empowerment in that nation.
In addition, SAR is interested in hosting exceptional scholars who have received funding through the following programs: Ford Foundation Diversity Fellowships, Mellon/ACLS Recent Doctoral Recipients Fellowships, and Visiting Fulbright Scholar fellowships. Applicants to these non-SAR fellowship programs whose research is consistent with SAR’s mission may be able to join the School’s dynamic intellectual community for the duration of their fellowship. Interested scholars can contact SAR’s Resident Scholar Program for more information.
Please contact Jodi Lehman (jglehman@mtu.edu) if interested in applying for a fellowship position.
The Graduate School is pleased to announce new theses and dissertations are now available in the J.R. van Pelt and Opie Library from the following programs:
- Applied Ecology
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Engineering Physics
- Forest Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology
- Geophysics
- Industrial Archaeology
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics
Two Michigan Tech book authors won 2010 State History Awards from the Historical Society of Michigan. Larry Lankton, professor of social sciences, received an award in the University and Commercial Press category for “Hollowed Ground,” a history of the copper mining industry in the Upper Peninsula. Gary Kaunonen’s “Challenge Accepted: A Finnish Immigrant Response to Industrial America in Michigan’s Copper Country” won an award in the same category. Kaunonen is a PhD student in industrial archeology.
The society presented 15 awards at its 136th Annual Meeting and State History Conference Oct. 15-17 in Frankenmuth, including a Lifetime Achievement award, which honors men and women who have dedicated themselves to preserving Michigan’s history over a significant amount of time.
The Historical Society of Michigan, which administers the State History Awards, is the state’s oldest cultural organization. Founded in 1828 by Lewis Cass and Henry Schoolcraft, it is an independent nonprofit dedicated to the preservation and presentation of Michigan’s historical story. The State History Awards are the highest recognition presented by the state’s official historical society.
Published in Tech Today
A federal fellowship/scholarship writing workshop will be held on Wednesday, September 15th and Thursday, September 16th at 4:00 in Fisher 135.
You will only need to attend one of the workshops, as they are the same workshop, different days and time.
During the workshop we will review 3 samples of NSF GRFP personal statement essays. Tips will be given on how to organize your essay, utilize wording, and meet the merit criteria expected by reviewers
Prepare for the workshop by:
1. Understanding how NSF defines “broader impacts”
2. Brainstorming answers to NSF “personal statement” questions
If you (or someone you know) plan on attending, please RSVP to Jodi Lehman (jglehman@mtu.edu).
by John Gagnon, promotional writer
There is an old story about soft-spoken, reticent Finns.
A Swede and a Finn stand at the bar, drinks in hand.
“Cheers,” says the Swede.
“Did we come to talk or drink?” says the Finn.
Gary Kaunonen, a graduate student in the rhetoric and technical communication program, is of Finnish heritage but definitely doesn’t fit that proverbial mold. Indeed, he is effusive–in speech and writing–about a subject that is dear to his heart and mind: Finnish immigrant labor and political activity in the Keweenaw.
A native of Minnesota, Kaunonen has written a book, “Challenge Accepted: A Finnish Immigrant Response to Industrial America in Michigan’s Copper Country,” which was just published by Michigan State University Press. The book is his master’s thesis in Tech’s industrial archaeology program.
The Michigan Tech Archives will host a presentation and book signing by Kaunonen at 4 p.m., Tuesday, August 17, in the East Reading Room of the Van Pelt and Opie Library.
Kaunonen calls the book “a honed-in look” at Finnish immigrants and their living and working conditions–and often radical union activities–in the years 1904-14. The backdrop of this history, Kaunonen says, was a “lopsided distribution of prosperity” that led to “proletarian consciousness” and a “struggle for the betterment of lives.” All of it was “a powder keg” that exploded into violence on the copper range in the 1913-14 Copper Strike and the infamous Italian Hall disaster, in both of which Finns had “a huge and significant role.”
“The upstart Finnish immigrants,” he writes, “often stumbled and stammered in awkward directions, but for a time that took a back seat to working class solidarity. They seldom wavered in their bold attempt to shape their lives into what they perceived to be a more just and equal existence.”
These immigrants had marked reputations. “Finns were respected workers,” he says, “but they were also suspected agitators. They had a big impact on labor relations in this area. They resisted company dictates and mandates. They challenged the inequalities of the traditional mining and industrial society.”
His research led him to the archives at both Michigan Tech and Finlandia University, where he sought material culture–what he calls the “hard evidence” of historic circumstances. He notes, for instance, that Hancock’s leftist newspaper, Tyomies (The Worker), moved to bigger and bigger buildings and bought bigger printing presses to accommodate a burgeoning readership and a growing business. Tyomies would become a communist organ.
Kaunonen can tell the story of immigrant Finns without championing any specific cause. “I’m not casting aspersions on the mining,” he says. “But you had these huge mining companies and the vast amount of wealth and inequality they created—and then you had this little ethnic group trying to make a place for themselves. I have a soft spot in my heart for the underdog. Not that I wholly agree with everything they did, but they should certainly have a place at the table, so to speak, in telling their story.”
He went to college just to play baseball. He quit because of injuries, poked around, and worked in factories. Then the drifter became a father. “I decided I was wasting my life. I thought, well, my daughter is here, and how can I lecture her on working hard and using your gifts if I don’t do that myself. So I decided to go back to school.”
That proved to be a purposeful enterprise. He earned three bachelor’s degrees from Minnesota State University-Mankato, his IA master’s at Michigan Tech, and is now a PhD student here. Previously, he was an archivist at Finlandia. It’s been “a winding road” that has become a quest. He has now written two books on Finnish immigrants. An earlier one, “Finns in Michigan,” also was published by Michigan State University Press.
In his endeavors, Kaunonen is grateful for what he calls “a slew of good professors” in social sciences and now humanities. “They inspired me by what they did and currently do.”
As did his family.
“I write because I have an admiration for my parents and grandparents. All of them were members of the working class”—both grandfathers worked on the Minnesota iron range–“and I’m kind of honoring them and their contributions to American labor.”
Published in Tech Today.