Call for Applications

2024-2025

Interdisciplinary Working Groups

The Calgary Institute for the Humanities Interdisciplinary Working Groups aim to bring together faculty and graduate students from different disciplines to explore common research interests and to encourage collaborative research projects.  

Groups must be convened by at least two individuals from different departments, and must agree to meet at least three times a term.  Ideally, membership in the group should be open, and initial meetings should be publicized to attract diverse participants.  Meetings can be used for the presentation of work in progress, for the discussions of texts and scholarship, or to plan or pursue a common research project (including preparing grant applications and planning conferences). We encourage working groups proposed by doctoral students.

All working groups will be expected to provide progress reports and a final accounting of how the funds were spent as well as a report on the activities of the group.

Deadline and term

April 15, 2024

Application deadline


July 1, 2024

Interdisciplinary Working Group activities begin. Working group funds must be spent and all expenses submitted for payment by the CIH coordinator by March 25, 2025 unless otherwise agreed to in advance.


Eligibility

In addition to having at the core a project of humanistic enquiry:

  • A minimum of two Working Group Conveners are required, one of whom must be from the Faculty of Arts.
  • At least six other participants must be listed, and graduate (and/or undergraduate) students must be included among this list.
  • Groups must plan to meet at least three times a term.

NB We encourage working groups proposed by doctoral students.

Funding

Groups may apply for up to $3,000 in funding to support their activities.  Returning groups may apply for up to $2,000. These funds can be used for graduate student assistance, for bringing collaborators or visiting speakers to campus, or for the support of a grant application.  These funds may not be used for co-sponsoring departmental speakers or events. The funds must be spent and all expenses submitted by March 25, 2025 unless other arrangements are made with the CIH coordinator in advance.           

All working groups must adhere to financial guidelines provided by the CIH and in compliance with the University of Calgary’s Policies and Procedures.

Support

The CIH will provide administrative support and clerical work needed to advertise group events and to help coordinate group activities. Groups are expected to organize continuous activities throughout the academic year, including regular meetings in the CIH Seminar Room (BioSciences 588B).

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be reviewed for their quality, their interdisciplinary nature, and their promise of significant outcomes. The CIH will not support groups that properly should be supported by other programs or units or groups that support the research program of a single or a pair of faculty member(s).

The CIH will NOT support:

  • groups that properly should be supported by other programs or units; or,
  • groups that support the research program of a single or a pair of faculty member(s).

Returning groups

Returning groups should include a report on the previous year’s activities. All returning groups must also submit a short report on public engagement activities and larger events, including a brief description of the event and names and titles of speakers or PIs. 

Application Process

Applications, no more than 2 pages (single-spaced), should include:

Research statement

A statement of the research interests of the group. This statement should detail the humanistic nature of their inquiry.

Contact information

The names and contact information of the two conveners of the group, as well as names of any faculty or graduate students who have agreed to participate, or a statement about the strategy for identifying and recruiting group members. At least four additional group members should be identified, and this list should include graduate students.

Detailed description

A detailed description of the proposed activities, indicating themes, topics or material likely to be covered by the group.

Budget

A proposed budget and timeline of expenditures (including, if applicable, the names of potential guest speakers).