The University of Texas, Austin: CMAS-Benson Latin American Collection Summer Research Fellowships

Posted on April 25, 2022

Application Now Open

Location: Austin, TX
Application: https://utexas.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8iTcZRxN3pQmxsq
Closes: 11:59 pm EST on Friday, May 6, 2022

The Center for Mexican American Studies at The University of Texas at Austin announces its 2022 competition for short-term summer research fellowships at the Benson Latin American Collection in the fields of Mexican American and Latinx Studies. The Mexican American and Latina/o Studies Library Program housed in the Benson Latin American Collection was formally established in 1974 by the University Libraries to support the needs of researchers of Mexican American and Latinx culture and history. The fellowships are for travel and housing expenses while in residence in Austin. Please note that research funds should be spent by August 31, 2022.

Qualifications

These fellowships are restricted to postdoctoral scholars, Ph.D. candidates, or holders of terminal degrees from outside the Austin area who have a specific need to use the Mexican American and Latinx collections at the Benson. Priority will be given to applicants who might not otherwise be able to complete their research without fellowship support. While previous recipients are eligible to apply for another award, first-time applicants will be given preference in the selection process.Awardees must acknowledge CMAS and the Benson Latin American Collection in any published materials resulting from the fellowships, including doctoral dissertations, articles, and books. Within fourteen (14) days following the completion of the fellowship residency, awardees are required to submit a short report (1–2 pages) detailing the actual work accomplished to the Librarian for U.S. Latina/o Studies. Reports can be directed to Daniel Arbino at d.arbino@austin.utexas.edu.

Application Instructions

Five (5) $1,000 fellowships will be awarded. Of the five, one is designated as the Gloria Anzaldúa fellowship, which will be awarded to the project that best makes use of the Gloria E. Anzaldúa papers. Another one is designated as the Américo Paredes fellowship, which will be awarded to the project that best makes uses of the Américo Paredes papers. The other three are designed for all other areas in Mexican American and Latinx studies.
The application consists of five elements:
  1. The cover sheet of basic personal and professional information.
  2. A project abstract of no more than 250 words.
  3. A project description of no more than 1,000 words that describes the project and its significance to Mexican American/Latinx Studies. Include a detailed list of the Benson Collection materials to be consulted and a work plan for the fellowship period.
  4. A Curriculum Vitae (CV) of no more than four (4) pages.
  5. One (1) letter of reference. Letters should speak to the importance of the proposed project and its relevance to work in the Benson Collection with Mexican American and/or U.S.-Mexico Borderlands materials in addition to the talents and qualifications of the applicant.
Applications for the CMAS-Benson Latin American Collection Summer Research Fellowships must be received in Qualtrics by 11:59 pm EST, Friday, May 6, 2022. This includes the applicant’s materials as well as the reference letter. All materials must be submitted electronically as PDF documents via Qualtrics, including the letter of recommendation.

Questions regarding the CMAS Benson Summer Research Fellowship may be directed to Dr. Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez, Director of CMAS, at mrivas@austin.utexas.edu.