Faculty Supervisor FAQs
Q: Who is eligible to participate?
A: All continuing Trinity College undergraduate students are eligible to be research assistants. Trinity College faculty members on continuing full-time appointments are eligible to supervise students who receive funding through this program.
Q: Will faculty be compensated for supervising summer research assistants?
A: Faculty supervisors will have their research work supported by student research assistants. Additionally, faculty supervisors will earn a stipend of $500 per student research assistant.
Q: Will my student Research Assistant have the option to conduct research remotely as well as in-person?
A: All students are expected to work with faculty in person this summer.
Q: What should I do if I already have a student in mind for a project?
A: Work with your student to help them prepare their application. Students will be asked to briefly describe the research project, and also to explain how participation in the program will help them achieve their academic goals. Project descriptions should be written in language readily understood by a general audience, as opposed to an expert in the field.
Q: What happens once my student submits an application?
A: You will receive an email with a link to the Student Research Application Tracker. When you log into the website, you will be able to see all applications which list you as a potential faculty supervisor. You will have the option to reject the application (if the student has not consulted with you), ask the student to revise and resubmit (with comments, if the application requires modification), or accept and forward to the FRC for consideration. You will first be asked to provide the following input:
1. Provide a list of tasks the student researcher will perform (250 word max)
2. Describe the anticipated educational benefit to the student (250 word max)
Q: What should I do if multiple students ask to work with me?
A: As you advise students, please keep in mind that the FRC may not be able to fund more than 1 student (and certainly no more than 2 students) per faculty member (with the exception of Public Humanities Collaborative projects – see below).
Q: What if a student is approved to work with me but later backs out?
A: Sometimes students’ plans change, so some faculty may want to line up backups. Once all applications have been submitted, you will be asked to rank your student applicants, which also allows you to effectively create a waitlist. The FRC will take these rankings into account as they make awards. If a student who receives an award backs out at a later date, subsequent student applicants on your list may later be awarded; in case no student is available from your list, you may invite another student to apply, but no later than May 1.
Q: I am interested in sponsoring a student in a humanities-based inquiry, but I don’t have a specific project in mind. Are there resources to help me develop one?
A: Erica Crowley can help you think about ways you can incorporate students in your summer research plans. She may be available to help develop potential projects. Some potential summer research projects for students might include: conducting and transcribing oral history interviews; digitizing and translating texts and interviews; or curating archival materials and creating a database.
Q: What is the Public Humanities Collaborative, and how can I get involved?
A: The Public Humanities Collaborative, a new grant-funded component of the Summer Research Program, will bring together students, faculty, and Hartford-area humanities partners to explore themes in the humanities and creatively engage both scholarly and public audiences. PHC Faculty Fellows will work with a team of 2-4 students for approximately 15 hours a week on a humanities-based research project. Students will also spend approximately 15 hours a week working with a Hartford humanities partner on a public humanities project. Each week, faculty, students, and community partners will participate in workshops on collaborative strategies and digital tools in the public humanities. Proposals are welcome from faculty in all divisions at Trinity, but must have a humanistic focus. To learn more about this program email Erica Crowley or visit the PHC website.
