Faculty Funding

The Asian Studies Center has funding for faculty research, participation in conferences, hosting of events, and other research and teaching activities. Except where noted in the description, to apply for funding, faculty must complete and submit a faculty funding application form, found click here.

As part of that process, you will be asked to:

  • Submit a funding proposal (up to 2000 words) detailing your research/conference/event plans.
  • For research funding, please use  to submit a detailed budget requested funding. 
  • Submit an  so that ASC can plan our resources and schedule in order to better assist you. 
  • For event funding, please use  to submit a detailed budget requested funding. ASC staff are happy to help you work on this budget template.
  • If your funding request is to come from the Japan endowments, the Japan Studies Funding Request Cover Sheet is required. Please complete and submit the form, found click here.
  • Questions? Need Help? Please email asia@pitt.edu.

Please note that only faculty who have updated their faculty profile on the UCIS faculty survey site within the past year will be considered for funding.

There are specific restricted funds for members of the Japan council only. For more information on restricted Japan Council funds please visit the Japan Studies at Pitt website.

Please note that if you want ASC staff support for your event, you should submit your request ASAP regardless of whether you have prepared a budget.

Proposals must be submitted by the last day of each month and will be reviewed at the beginning of the next month. Faculty should hear about their application by the middle of the month. Proposals are not reviewed on an ad hoc basis. 

Funding received from these requests should be credited as "The Japan Iron and Steel Federation and Mitsubishi endowments at the University of Pittsburgh."

 

RESEARCH GRANTS

Each year the Asian Studies Center funds faculty research. Research grants are due Jan. 19, 2024. All faculty who accept a research award are obliged to provide a written report about their work during the course of the grant, and are asked to provide service to the center by sitting on committees to evaluate award applications.

China and Chinese Studies Research Grants: up to $2000

Funds faculty research in China and Chinese Studies. This grant is only for research and research travel, not for events and conference travel. For funds to attend a conference or present at a conference, please apply for China and Chinese Studies Faculty Conference Funding. For funding to support events on campus please apply for China and Chinese Studies Small Grants.

Evelyn and Thomas Rawski Faculty Research Grant: up to $5,000

Funds graduate student research about China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, or the Chinese diaspora. Rawski grants are intended to support research projects with a specific and public facing outcome in mind. Proposals should make it clear what the public facing output is. Some suggestions include, journal articles, conference papers, translations, or book publications. Strong preference is for advanced Ph.D. students, although all graduate students are eligible to apply.

Evelyn and Thomas Rawski Graduate Student/ Faculty Partnership Grant: up to $6000

Funds Graduate Student and Faculty research partnerships with a specific and public facing outcome in mind. Proposals for this grant should make it clear what the public facing output is, and how the work will be divided between faculty and student partners. Some examples of outputs include, journal article, conference papers, course development, database development, and book publication. Please note: Student partners should submit the Rawski Grad. Student/Faculty Partnership applications. Both student and faculty partners need to submit CVs, and the faculty partner will need to submit a letter of support.

Japanese Studies Research Grant: up to $7000 for one year, or $14,000 for two years

Funds faculty research in Japanese Studies. This grant is only for research and research travel, not for events and conference travel. For funding to support events on campus please apply for Japanese Studies Event Support Grant. For conference support, faculty should consider applying for the Japanese Studies Small Grants or the if eligible restricted Japan Studies funds for conferences.

Korean Studies Research Grant: up to $2000

Funds faculty research in Korean Studies. This grant can be used for research travel or for conference participation and travel. For funding to support events on campus please apply for the Asian Studies Event Funding Grant.

Asian Studies Small Grant: up to $2000

Funds faculty research activities in South Asian, Southeast Asian, Central Asian, and Pacific Studies, as well as studies of the Global Asian diaspora. These funds can be used for research activities or travel to conferences. For funding to support events on campus please apply for the Asian Studies Event Funding Grant.

Dr Mohinder and Saroj Bahl Grant in Indian Studies: up to $500

Funded through a generous donation in the name of Dr. Mohinder Bahl and Mrs. Saroj Bahl, students, faculty, and affiliated researchers may apply for up to $500 to help fund research, travel, or other educational expenses for projects and education that support India, Indian Studies, or people of Indian origin. Strong preference will be given to students, faculty, or researchers with demonstrated financial need.

 

MISCELLANEOUS GRANTS

These grants are due on a rolling basis and will be checked in the first week of each month during the academic year (August-April) on a rolling basis.

China and Chinese Studies Small Grants: variable amounts

Funds faculty and/or student-led initiatives, primarily for events on the Pittsburgh campus. This grant can also be used to request funding for enhancements to the library (books, data bases, etc), course development, reading groups/ book groups, and other creative endeavors related to China and Chinese Studies. Faculty wishing to apply for event funding will need to complete the Asian Studies Event Form. If your request is primarily personal research, continuing education, or acquiring personal research items (like books, technology, or datasets), please apply for the China and Chinese Research Grant, not the China and Chinese Studies Small Grants.

China and Chinese Studies Faculty Conference Participation Grant: up to $300 domestic/ $600 international

Provides partial funding for costs related to a conference presentation focusing on China and Chinese studies. Preference is for applicants who haven’t already been awarded a China and Chinese Studies Conference Participation Grant in the academic year. For conference grants, travel to Hawaii is classified as international, and Canada and Mexico are classified as domestic.

Japanese Studies Small Grants: up to $1500

Provides funding to support Japanese Studies faculty teaching and research at Pitt. Faculty are only able to apply for up to $1500 one time per fiscal year.

Japanese Studies Event Funding: variable amounts

Funds faculty endeavors to bring Japanese studies related speakers, films, and other creative events on to campus. Please apply for funding at least two months ahead of when you hope to bring the speaker on to campus. To begin the application process, please refer to the top of the page for more information.

Japanese Studies Publication Grants: up to $3000

Supports (a) preparation of a manuscript publication related to Japan or (b) a subsidy paid directly to publisher to defray costs of publishing book(s) related to Japan by full-time Pitt faculty.

Asian Studies Event Funding: variable amounts

Funds faculty and/or student-led initiatives, primarily for events on the Pittsburgh campus. This grant can also be used to request funding for enhancements to the library (books, data bases, etc), course development, reading groups/ book groups, and other creative endeavors related to Asian Studies outside of China and Chinese Studies and Japanese Studies. Please apply for funding at least two months ahead of the event. To begin the application process, please refer to the top of the page for more information.