The Program in Public Scholarship is pleased to announce its inaugural call for applicants for the Arts & Sciences Public Scholarship Prize. These awards will be given to selected Arts & Sciences faculty who are engaged in a public-facing project or who want to increase the public impact of their research. This prize awards the recipient with $5,000 of research funds for work on a specific project on a clearly articulated timeline, with the support of the Program in Public Scholarship staff. An additional $2,500 will be awarded on successful completion of the outlined project.
Projects might include:
- a trade or crossover book proposed and successfully placed under contract
- a series of short-form written pieces placed at public-oriented online platforms or in print-based publications
- an audio or video project designed and created for a public audience
- a community-based project that brings scholarly work into the public
These examples are meant to be representative, not exhaustive. We are open to creative ideas and innovative proposals, so long as the outlined project has a clear and persuasive plan for public impact and accessibility, including the concerted use of non-specialized language.
To apply: Applicants should provide a description of a clear, concrete, and feasible public-facing project that emerges from their scholarship, as well as a work plan with measurable benchmarks. The application’s timeline should also reflect a realistic sense of the project’s execution over the stated period. The outcome should be able to be evinced by a final product(s) published, contracted, displayed, or otherwise completed. (See example applications.)
Prize winners will have the support of the Program in Public Scholarship staff throughout the project, checking in weekly to share progress reports or work through obstacles. Prize winners are also expected to join the Introduction to Public Scholarship graduate seminar at least one time during Fall 2024 to share their specific project as well as lessons related to public scholarly impact, and to present their project (completed or in progress) at the Public Scholars Symposium in December 2024.
Application requirements:
- A one-page proposal explaining your project, the intended audience, the outcome, target outlet or publication method, and how the Program in Public Scholarship can help you achieve your goal.
- A timeline with clear stages that demonstrate the project’s feasibility with progress checkpoints.
- Commitment to visit the Introduction to Public Scholarship graduate seminar in Fall 2024 and present your work at our Public Scholars Symposium in December 2024.
Eligibility: Faculty members in Arts & Sciences who can demonstrate a public-scholarly project that emanates from their expertise or active research program.
Timeline: Applications are due to publicscholarship@wustl.edu by April 8, 2024; prizewinners will be announced on April 26, 2024.