Developing a Research Program in Humanities Carol Colatrella Professor, Literature, Communication & Culture Co-Director, Georgia Tech Center for the Study of Women, Science, and Technology

Research goals Present at major conferences Present at major conferences Network/collaborate with other scholars Network/collaborate with other scholars Find funding/fellowships/libraries Find funding/fellowships/libraries Publish books and articles in recognized journals Publish books and articles in recognized journals Develop research reputation Develop research reputation Receive invitations to speak Receive invitations to speak Serve as reviewer/editor Serve as reviewer/editor

Observations Few tenure-track jobs in humanities Few tenure-track jobs in humanities Positions/curricula fit university missions (not traditional categories) Positions/curricula fit university missions (not traditional categories) Fewer university presses Fewer university presses More electronic journals More electronic journals Teaching and service choices should support research decisions Teaching and service choices should support research decisions Universities value service and innovative teaching, but they reward research funding and publications Universities value service and innovative teaching, but they reward research funding and publications

Factors Disciplinary and interdisciplinary expertise and interests Disciplinary and interdisciplinary expertise and interests Conditions and resources Conditions and resources Institutional mission/strategic plans, external audience Institutional mission/strategic plans, external audience Timeline and deadlines Timeline and deadlines Projected outcomes and advancement Projected outcomes and advancement

Disciplinary and interdisciplinary expertise and interests Field of study/one’s fit to discipline Field of study/one’s fit to discipline Dissertation to book Dissertation to book Expected products for advancement from assistant to associate and from associate to full: books, refereed articles, fellowships, invitations Expected products for advancement from assistant to associate and from associate to full: books, refereed articles, fellowships, invitations Areas of interest—Personal passion Areas of interest—Personal passion --Growth field --Professional organizations --Likely impact --Likely impact

Disciplinary and interdisciplinary expertise and interests: CC Education: liberal arts (Great Books), comparative literature, literature and science Education: liberal arts (Great Books), comparative literature, literature and science Graduate school teaching in English composition and world literature Graduate school teaching in English composition and world literature Dissertation: Darwin’s evolutionary theory related to novels by Balzac, Zola, Faulkner Dissertation: Darwin’s evolutionary theory related to novels by Balzac, Zola, Faulkner Positions sought in English/humanities Positions sought in English/humanities 1st article: co-written with colleagues on first job about Great Books writing program 1st article: co-written with colleagues on first job about Great Books writing program 2nd article/job talk (related to dissertation): on figure of Liberty in Zola and Michelet 2nd article/job talk (related to dissertation): on figure of Liberty in Zola and Michelet First book: revision of dissertation First book: revision of dissertation

Conditions and resources Topics of research: convergence of scholarly expertise and interest, teaching responsibilities, and service Topics of research: convergence of scholarly expertise and interest, teaching responsibilities, and service Unit, institutional, disciplinary support: training, grants, fellowships, collections in libraries and archives Unit, institutional, disciplinary support: training, grants, fellowships, collections in libraries and archives Schedule interim and final products (presentations to articles to books) Schedule interim and final products (presentations to articles to books)

Conditions and resources: CC Working at Rensselaer and living in Albany, NY: taught American literature and interdisciplinary humanities and sciences, required shifting research field Working at Rensselaer and living in Albany, NY: taught American literature and interdisciplinary humanities and sciences, required shifting research field Research in Northeastern university libraries, NYPL, and NY State Library Research in Northeastern university libraries, NYPL, and NY State Library SCT seminars on theory and American literature SCT seminars on theory and American literature Funding from RPI, NEMLA, Library Company of Philadelphia, Univ. of Oregon Funding from RPI, NEMLA, Library Company of Philadelphia, Univ. of Oregon Co-edited book: Cohesion and Dissent Co-edited book: Cohesion and Dissent 2nd book: Melville’s fiction & moral reform 2nd book: Melville’s fiction & moral reform

Institutional mission/strategic plans, external audience Fit projects to teaching schedule, curricula, emerging programs Fit projects to teaching schedule, curricula, emerging programs Look for collaborations in unit and beyond Look for collaborations in unit and beyond Find resources/funding to support research Find resources/funding to support research Figure out where to place products-- presentation, article, book, others Figure out where to place products-- presentation, article, book, others Determine likely reviewers from journals, conferences, seminars, workshops Determine likely reviewers from journals, conferences, seminars, workshops

Institutional mission/strategic plans, external audience: CC Hired by LCC, Georgia Tech, in 1993 to teach courses in literature; Science, Technology, and Culture, and English composition Hired by LCC, Georgia Tech, in 1993 to teach courses in literature; Science, Technology, and Culture, and English composition Collaborating with M. F. Fox & M.L. Realff to develop women’s studies STEM research at GT Collaborating with M. F. Fox & M.L. Realff to develop women’s studies STEM research at GT --WST Minor, WST Lrn C, WST Minor, WST Lrn C, WST Center, WIRES, WST Center, WIRES, 2008 Fulbright, 2000: teaching/researching Melville & gender studies Fulbright, 2000: teaching/researching Melville & gender studies GT NSF ADVANCE: research on advancing female faculty & bias in faculty evaluation, GT NSF ADVANCE: research on advancing female faculty & bias in faculty evaluation, Fulbright NCS, : professoriate in age of globalization Fulbright NCS, : professoriate in age of globalization Products--ADEPT tool, ADVANCE & NCS articles, 3rd book:Toys and Tools in Pink Products--ADEPT tool, ADVANCE & NCS articles, 3rd book:Toys and Tools in Pink In process--WIRES articles & 4 th book In process--WIRES articles & 4 th book

Timeline and deadlines Work on research every day in some way (read, search, write, plan) Work on research every day in some way (read, search, write, plan) Write as many days as possible Write as many days as possible Establish daily, weekly, monthly schedules and deadlines Establish daily, weekly, monthly schedules and deadlines Accept only invitations that fit scholarly and personal/family priorities, schedule, research decisions Accept only invitations that fit scholarly and personal/family priorities, schedule, research decisions Long-term project (book) is top priority; design/accept short-term projects that lead up to book Long-term project (book) is top priority; design/accept short-term projects that lead up to book

Projected outcomes and advancement Consult colleagues Consult colleagues Know expectations of unit, college, institute regarding promotion/tenure and promotion to full Know expectations of unit, college, institute regarding promotion/tenure and promotion to full Time release of interim and final products to fit expectations and deadlines Time release of interim and final products to fit expectations and deadlines Stay focused on current project Stay focused on current project Recognize careers have phases: there will be time later for other projects Recognize careers have phases: there will be time later for other projects