International Research Opportunities for Undergraduates
One of the greatest benefits a major research university such as Pitt can provide to its undergraduate students is the exposure to world-class research. This can be accomplished in a number of ways: faculty share results from their ongoing work in the classroom, involve students as research assistants, or serve as mentors on students’ own research projects.
The University of Pittsburgh prides itself on encouraging undergraduate involvement in original research. This section is intended to summarize undergraduate research opportunities in international studies – both abroad and at home, for credit and non-credit.
GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
Fulbright U.S. Student Program
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers opportunities for recent graduates to conduct career-launching study, research, and teaching abroad. U.S. government’s premier international scholarship to 140+ nations administered by the Institute of International Education in cooperation with Fulbright Commissions and Foundations abroad, and U.S. embassies. Stipends include full airfare, health insurance, monthly stipend, and in some cases dependent support, tuition, language lessons and research allowances.
Eligibility: US. Citizen, hold at least a bachelor’s degree (unless artist or advanced in professional field), sufficient fluency in language of host country, and in good health. Qualifications: High level of academic and/or professional achievement, demonstrated leadership ability, preference for those with minimal time spent in proposed host country, a developed project that requires the applicant to spend time in the host country.
For more information about this research opportunity, go to www.iie.org/fulbright, or contact Amy Eckhardt, University of Pittsburgh, at ave@pitt.edu or 412-624-6881.
International Studies Fund (ISF)
This program, managed by the University Center for International Studies (UCIS), is intended to help students at the University of Pittsburgh to conduct research on international issues or in international settings. International is defined as relating to another country or culture, comparative analysis covering more than one country or culture, studies of international relations or of transnational activities, or studies which examine topics related to global issues. ISF grants may not be used for tuition, language study, internships and other non-research related expenses. Conference travel cannot be funded under the ISF program. The application deadline is March 15, 2006.
For more information about this research opportunity, go to www.ucis.pitt.edu/isf or contact eweiner@pitt.edu or 412-648-7390.
Kessler Scholarship
The award is offered every other year in the amount of $1,000 for study or research in Germany by a student enrolled in the certificate program for West European or EU studies.
For more information visit www.ucis.pitt.edu/cwes/Funding/index.html#Kessler.
For general information about this research opportunity, go to www.ucis.pitt.edu/cwes or contact Steve Lund at slund@ucis.pitt.edu or 412-648-7422.
CONFERENCES / SYMPOSIA
Europe East and West: Undergraduate Research Symposium
The Symposium is an annual event sponsored by REES and CWES. It is intended to provide advanced research experiences to undergraduate students. The format of the event is patterned after conferences traditionally held at the graduate level. Students present papers on any topic pertaining to Central, Eastern, or Western Europe, Russia, or the European Union. Papers can also be on a regional comparative theme (e.g. EU to US). Within the announced application period, the students submit abstracts and preliminary visions on their papers. A faculty selection committee determines those who qualify to present their papers at the symposium. The selected students are assisted by appointed graduate students to work on revising their papers and to improve their presentation skills. At the event, the selected students will make 10-15 minute presentations based on their research papers to a panel of faculty and graduate students. The winners on each panel receive cash prizes, and the winning papers are published.
For more information about this research opportunity, go to www.ucis.pitt.edu/ursymposium or contact Kathleen Puccia at kpuccia@ucis.pitt.edu or 412-383-7694.
Global Studies Student Research Symposium
This event provides recognition and cash prizes for excellent student scholarship on global issues and trends relating to the program’s global concentrations. All Pitt majors/schools are eligible.
For more information about this research opportunity, go to www.ucis.pitt.edu/global or contact Lisa S. Alfredson at lsa@ucis.pitt.edu or 412-624-2918.
Islam: Historical and Contemporary Influences on Society and Culture: 2006 CERIS Undergraduate Research Symposium
Every year the Consortium for Educational Resources on Islamic Studies (CERIS), a 26 member consortium in the tri-state area, hosts an undergraduate research symposium each spring. Within an announced application period, students submit abstracts and, if accepted by a faculty screening committee, are invited to present their research at the symposium to a panel of faculty and community judges. In addition to the presentations, the event includes a luncheon, keynote address, and special reception where cash prizes totaling $500 are awarded to the most noteworthy participants. Winning papers are also published on the CERIS Web site.
For more information about this research opportunity, go to www.cerisnet.org or contact Elaine Linn at EEL58@ucis.pitt.edu or 412-624-4780.
OTHER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
International and Area Studies Bachelor of Philosophy degree (Global Studies Track)
This BPhil is an interdisciplinary research-based degree offered by the University Honors College in collaboration with the Global Studies Program in the University Center for International Studies. Students complete a plan of studies involving coursework, foreign language, and study abroad, as well as publicly defend a research thesis, which is completed under the supervision of a faculty member.
For more information about this research opportunity, go to www.ucis.pitt.edu/global or contact Elaine Linn at eel58@pitt.edu or 412-628-2113.
Latin American Seminar and Field Trip
Each year, the Center for Latin American Studies sponsors a seminar followed by a six-week field trip to Latin America. The program is open to undergraduates with a QPA of at least 2.75 who are enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh and its branch campuses as well as undergraduate students enrolled in Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne University, Carlow College, Chatham College, CCAC, Point Park University, La Roche College and Robert Morris University. The 12 to 15 students selected for the program participate in both a spring term seminar and a summer session field trip to Latin America.
The interdisciplinary Spring Term Seminar, ARTSC 1501 (3 credits), is designed to prepare students for the field trip. During the seminar, students examine the history, culture, demography and geography, politics, and social structure of the country to be visited. Materials dealing with cross-cultural communication and the challenges and rewards of the international living experience are also introduced. Additionally, students are guided through the design of individual research projects that they carry out during the field trip.
During the Summer Session Field Trip, ARTSC 1502 (6 credits), students spend six weeks in Latin America, residing with their Spanish-speaking host families and carrying out their research projects. The nine credits earned for successful completion of the seminar and field trip are applied toward the Undergraduate Certificate in Latin American Studies. These are upper level course credits and meet the foreign culture curriculum requirement.
Students are required to have developed, or to develop during the Spring Term, sufficient proficiency in Spanish (or Portuguese for Brazil) to conduct research and to communicate with the host families. (Language courses, offered in the Spring Term, may be required to develop the needed proficiency.)
The cost of the program is 6 credits’ tuition (at the in-state rate), fees, plus $1000 for the field expenses. The balance of all costs for round-trip air fare, in-country excursions, as well as room and board with a host family are paid by the Center.
Application forms for the seminar/field trip and further details about the program are available at the Center for Latin American Studies, University of Pittsburgh, 4200 Posvar Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260. The application deadline is in early October.
For more information about this research opportunity, go to www.ucis.pitt.edu/clas or contact Shirley Kregar at kregar@ucis.pitt.edu or 412-648-7392.
Advanced Mastery Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian Language Summer (contingent upon receipt of grant funding)
This intensive summer language study abroad course is taking place from June 21 to July 30 of 2010. The students will spend preparatory time in Pittsburgh followed by travel in Zagreb, Sarajevo, and Belgrade. The course is designed for very advanced heritage and non-heritage speakers of Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian (BCS) and will focus on achieving professional language competence in journalistic, legalistic, scholarly, and literary styles of BCS. Lecturers and scholars from Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia will deliver lectures before the Pitt students. Libraries, media, and archives in each city visited will be used for developing research topics. A research paper completed in BCS by the students will be required in this course.
For more information about this research opportunity, go to www.ucis.pitt.edu/crees or contact Vera Sebulsky at ved5@pitt.edu or 412-648-7418.
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