ASAM Undergraduate Research / Arts Grants Program for 2012-2013

The UIC Asian American Studies Program is pleased to announce the ASAM Undergraduate Research / Arts Grants Program for 2012-2013.  These competitive grants, of up to $1000, are designed to facilitate and encourage Asian American and Pacific Islander students to pursue independent research and/or creative-arts projects about and with Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.  A total of up to twenty grants will be awarded on a merit basis.  Projects that have a Chicagoland and/or Midwest component will be prioritized in order to encourage local and community-engaged work. 

Awardees will be supervised by a faculty mentor, and must demonstrate adequate progress to receive full funding.   Awardees will be required to present their completed projects at the 2013 ASAM Expo in April to share their work with the broader UIC community.

Critical Research Grants

This grant provides funds for undergraduate students to develop original research beyond the bounds of the classroom.

Creative Arts Grants

This grant provides funding to assist students in completing substantial creative projects in the arts. 

Eligibility:

Must be a current UIC undergraduate, non-international student; targeted for Asian American (with origins from East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia) and/or Pacific Islander (with origins from Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, and other Pacific Islands) students.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications consist of the following materials:

a) a short (less than 250 words) autobiographical statement, describing yourself and your work thus far; be sure to note your specific Asian American and/or Pacific Islander heritage (i.e., Sri Lankan-American), as well as any relevant publications / presentations / performances.

b) a short (250-300 word) project statement, describing your project's topic and timeline for completion

c) a sample of your work:

             - for critical researchers: up to 10 pages of academic essay (typed, double-spaced); you may include multiple shorter essays, or one longer one; choose your best work

             - for creative writers:  up to 10 pages of poetry, 20 pages of drama, or up to10,000 words of fiction or creative nonfiction -- if sending a segment of a novel, novella, or novelette, please include a one-page synopsis as well.

             - for visual artists:  up to 10 slides / images, preferably sent as a link to a web page displaying the work; attachments are also acceptable

             - for composers & musicians:  up to 10 minutes of sample compositions / performances, preferably sent as a link to a web page displaying the work; attachments are also acceptable

             - for actors & dancers:  up to 10 minutes of sample performance, preferably sent as a link to a web page displaying the work; attachments are also acceptable

 - please inquire if you work in a medium not covered above

d) please name an academic or professional reference that can speak to your ability to complete the project, with contact info (e-mail & phone)

e) a project budget (give examples of how you would use grant funds if awarded; for example, project supplies, recording materials, travel costs, time relieved from outside work, etc.)

f) you will need a UIC faculty member to serve as mentor for your project; if you have someone you would like to work with, please meet with them and confirm their willingness to serve as your mentor; if they agree, please list them here.  If not, please contact Mary Anne Mohanraj (mohanraj@uic.edu) so that she can assist you in finding a mentor before you submit your application.

Please Note:  If awarded the grant, the recipient agrees to provide a brief excerpt from their work, and an autobiographical statement describing themselves and their writing (250-500 words) for our files and for possible public dissemination on our website, and to also have their work included in our annual Expo event.  The student does retain copyright to their work, and is free to publish / produce it elsewhere.

Application Procedures

1.  Send the six items listed above to the project coordinator, Mary Anne Mohanraj (mohanraj@uic.edu), in an attached Word .doc file, along with any supplementary sample work files. Please use the SUBJECT line:  ASAM RESEARCH GRANT.  Be sure to include your full name, UIC ID number, e-mail address, and phone number.  If you have questions, direct them to that same address.

2.  Applications must be received by October 22th, 2012.

3.  All applicants will be notified of the status of their application via e-mail by mid-November.

This initiative is sponsored by the UIC AANAPISI Initiative, which is fully funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Program.