By Natasha Kassulke, UW–Madison
Since she arrived at the University of Wisconsin–Madison as a faculty member in fall 2001, Aparna Dharwadker, professor of English and interdisciplinary theatre studies, has viewed the annual Fall Research Competition as an exceptional form of support for faculty research at a public institution, especially in the humanities and arts.
“Working on book-length projects in humanities disciplines is a long, drawn-out and largely self-regulated process, with limited opportunities for external grants or fellowships,” Dharwadker says. “For me and countless other colleagues, the Fall Research Competition has been an ongoing resource for focused summer research, fieldwork and other research travel, project assistantships and student hourly funds, and the development of competitive proposals for extramural grants.”
The 2021 Fall Research Competition application opened Aug. 9 and will close on Sept. 10. The yearly contest from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education funds select research projects across each faculty division — biological sciences, physical sciences, social sciences and the arts and humanities. It is open to tenured professors and associate professors, tenure-track assistant professors and permanent PIs, and encourages collaboration.
The award comes through an annual gift from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, funded by income from commercial licenses brought in by UW–Madison faculty and staff patents. Decisions will be announced in December. Read more …