By HEATHER HUMPHRE
In an effort to improve international understanding and cooperation around the world, the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies is accepting applications for faculty research grants for the 1996-97 school year.
“We believe Kennedy Center Grants have made a significant contribution to BYU faculty attempting to improve international cooperation and development,” said Jeffrey Ringer, assistant director of the Kennedy Center.
Kennedy research grants have funded a variety of projects in many countries throughout the world. In 1993, Mark Grover of the Harold B. Lee Library did a project on the information sources of Portugal. In 1992, grant monies went into a project on family change in Indonesia. Other projects have included research in areas of the Ukraine and China.
Gail Houston, an assistant professor in the English Department, has utilized grant monies to travel to England, conduct research in the royal archives of Windsor Castle, and present her paper on Queen Victoria at York University. Houston plans to travel to London in June and present a paper on Romantic women writers.
“For me, the Kennedy Center research grants have furthered international understanding because I have been able to research previously ignored texts by women, and disseminate, both internationally and locally, information about women’s history that has not been available in the past,” Houston said.
Faculty research grants will be awarded on a priority basis according to their compliance with the Kennedy Center’s mission of fostering international understanding.
Projects which focus on international problem-solving will be given top priority by the committee reviewing the grant applications. These are projects which benefit the quality of life abroad by using academic knowledge. Projects relating to cultural issues, education, skills training, economic development, child welfare and other related issues will receive serious consideration.
Projects dealing with pre-problem-solving processes which promote the future acquisition of knowledge will be given secondary priority status.
The review committee considers networking and contact making as third priority status. Such activities include participating in international conferences, bringing resource people to BYU to support curriculum globalization, and underwriting BYU-based symposia and conferences that bring scholars from other regions or countries and result in publication.
Projects which increase and enhance background knowledge of world affairs and international issues will be given forth priority status.
The review committee requires that large projects have joint funding and will give preference to projects which have obtained partial funding from other sources.
Grant applications are due 5 p.m. on March 31, and funding announcements will be made on May 15. Grant monies for use during the 1996-97 school year will be available in September 1996.
Applications may be obtained from Marilyn Reynolds, administrative secretary, in 237 HRCB. For more information contact Reynolds at 378-3378.
