Franke Institute Fellowships

Re: Residential Faculty Fellowships for 2017–2018

Each year the Franke Institute for the Humanities awards a limited number of Faculty Residential Fellowships to members of the University of Chicago faculty who are engaged in interdisciplinary projects. We will make up to eight awards for 2017–2018; the deadline for receipt of applications is Friday, February 10th.  

All tenure-track or tenured members of both the Humanities faculty and the Social Sciences faculty are eligible to apply. Normally, we expect to appoint six or seven faculty fellows from the Humanities Division and one from the Social Sciences.

In the Humanities, we make an effort to balance awards among tenured and junior faculty, with some priority for junior faculty; in the Social Sciences, strong priority is given to junior faculty. The fellowship is understood to be especially useful for junior faculty midway to their tenure decision. With regard to the Faculty Research Leave program, and in conjunction with a regularly scheduled, two-quarter leave granted by your division, the Franke Fellowship provides an additional third quarter of leave time. (In the Humanities Division, it also fulfills the criterion of a ‘prestigious’ fellowship.) Faculty Fellows are relieved of all teaching responsibilities for all three quarters of the award year, and are in residence at the Franke Institute for the full year. Department chairs are encouraged to free Fellows insofar as possible from regular committee and advisory responsibilities for the full year. The Institute provides quiet and isolated office space and administrative support for all Fellows.
 
Applications should specify, in no more than 1,500 words, the intellectual project from which the proposal emerges and the specific goals which are expected to be accomplished during the period of fellowship. The applications should also include a current curriculum vitae, the cover and signature sheet, and two letters of reference: one from an appropriate colleague in the applicant's field (from elsewhere) who is qualified to judge the merits of the project, the second from a Chicago faculty member (normally from the applicant's department) describing both the merits of the project and the applicant's potential and stature in the field. Applicants should confer with their Department Chair before deciding on referees; please note that the names of referees must appear on the cover sheet, and that the Department Chair must sign this sheet as validation of your eligibility for a three-quarter divisional leave during the prospective year of a Franke Fellowship. (Note: All leaves are subject to approval by the Dean and the Provost.)

The Fellows chosen will be encouraged to propose activities (symposia, visiting lectures, etc.) relevant to their research topics for possible funding by the Franke Institute during the year, and will be expected to participate in biweekly seminars to discuss their ongoing work. Complete applications, including the letters from referees, should reach me at the Franke Institute by Friday, February 10th at 5:00 p.m. Awards will be announced by the beginning of Spring Quarter.