A special virtual poster session dedicated to undergraduate research in Art and Art History has been announced for the 2021 Annual Conference of the College Art Association (CAA), to be held February 10–13, 2021. Students who have been engaged in undergraduate research in object or medium studies, text-based analysis, experimental archaeology, thesis research, or creative inquiry are encouraged to participate; additionally, faculty and museum professionals with experience mentoring undergraduate research on this topics are invited to submit proposals.
Further information is available at this webpage; the deadline for submission is November 23, 2020.
Want to make an exciting poster for CAA 2021? We’re here to help!
When Chloe Landis first examined the images of Pharaoh Ramesses III from the high gate of his mortuary temple, Medinet Habu, she knew there was an untold story in their depictions of women. Landis, an undergraduate student at the University of California, Los Angeles with a double major in Art History and Egyptology, had studied early scholarship on the site. These scholars viewed the women as mere footnotes to Ramesses III’s sensational murder by members of his “harem.” Landis’ work led her to recount a far more complex story, one that emphasized the lived experiences of these women in ancient Egyptian society and their relationship with the Pharaoh. Landis is also the winner of the Trimmer Travel award from CURAH and the 2019 UCLA Dean’s Prize for Outstanding Undergraduate Research. Her faculty advisor was Kathlyn (Kara) Cooney. CURAH caught up with Landis in the midst of the pandemic to ask about her research.
CURAH: What was the nature of your project?
CL: My research focuses on a monumental gate structure that stands at the entrance of Pharaoh Ramesses III’s mortuary temple called Medinet Habu. This gate, referred to as the Eastern High Gate, has a series of rooms with an unusual series of reliefs on the interior walls depicting Ramesses in attendance by royal women. These images depict Ramesses in in intimate poses with the women, poses which are not only extremely unusual for Egyptian art but are odd given the context of the entrance into the pharaoh’s temple. My project involved studying the High Gate through an art historical lens. I wanted to fill in gaps in our conception of how the High Gate functioned as a ritual space for the pharaoh. I also wanted to understand the relationship between the king and the royal women depicted in the images.
Chloe Landis, UCLA
CURAH: What were the easiest and hardest things about the work you did?
CL: I think accessing sources was probably both of the easiest and hardest parts of the project. It was incredibly challenging to understand the reliefs with only a partial picture of them, as I could not visit the High Gate in Egypt and relied solely on excavation photos and line drawings of the reliefs made by epigraphers. Black and white photos from the 1930s are not useful when you’re looking for visible paint remnants or trying to understand orientation and spatial analysis of the reliefs within the High Gate. These problems left some gaps in my analysis.
On the other hand, The Epigraphic Survey from the Oriental Institute of Chicago has excellent excavation photos and an entire volume of documentation of the High Gate in its entirety, including line drawings of the entire gate and translations of texts. The Oriental Institute has incredible online access to their excavation images and publications that were invaluable in my study of the High Gate. Their records also include multiple volumes of documentation of the entire Mediet Habu temple complex. Working through their records gave me crucial context to the High Gate’s purpose and let me compare images to reveal the artistic style under Ramesses III.
CURAH: What kinds of things did you learn? (about ancient Egypt, about scholarship, or about yourself)
CL: I learned that the Eastern High Gate was possibly the site of the murder of Ramesses III, an event which served as the catalyst for my project. Ramesses III was murdered in a plot by members of his so-called harem, their extended families, and officials. It was all documented in a collection called the Turin Judiciary Papyri. These accounts were confirmed by a scan of the king’s mummy that showed his throat had been slit. Because Ramesses’ death was so salacious and possibly occurred within the High Gate, often the reliefs are used almost as footnotes in articles about Ramesses’ murder, rather than discussed in their own right.
I also found much of the early scholarship frames the women as the villains of the story and out for their own ambitions, without reflecting on the complexities of the political atmosphere of the reign of Ramesses III and the involvement of the women’s extended families. When I discovered the biased way these women were discussed in scholarship, they became the passion of my project. I wanted to understand their role in society and how they functioned vis-a-vis the king.
This became the most prevalent when I realized how debated the term “harem” is in the field of Egyptology. Many scholars believe this term, does not capture the realities of the ancient Egyptian institution. A “harem” is a problematic orientalist image, which conjures an idea of women lounging around and only meant to serve the king sexually. But in ancient Egypt it housed royal women and was where royal children were raised. Early European egyptologists named the institution based on their understanding of the Ottoman harem and 19th-century harem paintings. The amount of colonial, orientalist and sexist baggage within egyptology is astounding, but it was essential to work through in beginning to untangle the perception of the women in the High Gate reliefs from their likely purpose.
CURAH: Did you make any discoveries along the way?
I made some very interesting discoveries along the way! I found that through the iconography of the reliefs there are allusions to the king’s sexual power and sexual ability. These allusions broaden our understanding of how the High Gate functioned, not only within the mortuary context, but also as a functional space. Few texts are preserved inside the High Gate, which necessitated greater art historical analysis and this brought me to my most intriguing finds. Ramesses and the women are seen holding and giving each other various fruits, mostly pomegranates, which often are a symbol of fertility. The most interesting plant that I was able to identify was the mandrake. This small yellow plant is believed to have aphrodisiac qualities and has been linked to sexual iconography by Egyptologists who found similar mandrake iconography on objects from the tomb of Tutankhamun. In one scene, Ramesses is not only holding a mandrake tightly to his lap, but appears mostly unclothed, an allusion to his body and sexuality.
The clothing or lack thereof was another discovery I made. The women especially appear to be completely nude, though scholars argue their clothing may have been painted over the nude representation. My analysis showed trace evidence of garments in only a few reliefs. The emphasis on the body is only heightened because the gestures made by the king are sexualized. Scenes show the king caressing the women. In one scene that has been purposely damaged, Ramesses’ hand is placed directly in front of the woman’s genital region.
These visuals of sexual activity and fertility demonstrate Ramesses’ ability to reproduce and regenerate life, a vital attribute for every king in ancient Egypt. But the display of images such as these suggests a social and political need for the king to have these images publicized in monumental stone. Rituals certainly occurred between women who held priestess roles and the king, long before Ramesses and the High Gate was built, but images like these have never been published on a monumental scale. I argue the public presentation of these images demonstrate that the king felt a need to visually display his sexual ability, perhaps to coincide with the rites which occurred within the High Gate or to ensure the act of reproduction would continue forever since it was preserved in the walls. The heightened tensions of Ramesses’ reign that ultimately led to his death may explain why the king would need to reveal his ability to procreate and the royal women’s role in these rituals.
CURAH: How has the project helped you in your career goals?
Though I’ve decided not to follow a path in traditional academia, I’m so grateful for this project in expanding my research skills and igniting my passion for future avenues of research. This project truly put my analytical skills and language knowledge to the test, while providing me with archival research experience that was truly invaluable. I would like to go into the museum education field. This is not directly applicable to egyptology, but I feel that so many of the hard skills I developed have already demonstrated how transferable they are.
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We don’t often put “high achievement” and “mental health concerns” into the same sentence, but we should. High achiever mental health is a serious and growing issue. For example, according to the 2019 American College Health Association survey, nearly 50% of responding students recently felt overwhelming anxiety. In addition the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these mental health concerns, sending college student anxiety and depression rates skyrocketing (Anderson, 2020). Considering that attending a high-achieving school is now considered an “at risk” category for failing to thrive through adulthood (Luthar & Kumar, 2018), it’s hard to ignore how dire the undergraduate mental health crisis has become. When students are conditioned to keep quiet about mental health challenges, the imagined benefits of high achievement disappear. Burnout, depression, and suicide are left in their wake (Cook, 2007).
The Stigma of Mental Health Concerns
Despite these devastating consequences, stigma persists around mental health concerns, coupled with relentless pressure to prioritize achievement above all else. As a result, individuals with mental health issues can be viewed as incompetent, ineffective performers, unable to cope, and in extreme cases, violent (Boniecki et al., 2012; Britt, 2000; Campbell, 2018). This stigma may prevent students from disclosing mental health concerns or seeking help (Bandelow & Michaelis, 2015; Britt et al., 2008). Recently, the idea of “high-functioning anxiety” has become popular. People with “high-functioning anxiety” are described as productive, perfectionistic overachievers who suffer from fear and extreme self-criticism below the surface (Morgan, 2017). While it may seem appealing at first, this term further contributes to the stigma associated with mental health concerns by implying that pushing through without help is admirable and those with clinical mental health issues cannot truly be high functioning.
Supporting Mental Health
The science of stress and goal striving does not support these assumptions. A first step in dismantling this stigma and supporting the mental health of all students is to acknowledge that worry and anxiety are normal responses to stressful academic environments. Thinking and worrying about one’s goals creates the same type of fight-or-flight response as being chased by a bear (Verkuil et al., 2010). This stress response is a “default” state that must be inhibited by the recognition of safety signals. But for high-achieving students in high-pressure environments, such safety signals are often absent (Aloia & McTigue, 2019).
When High-Achieving Students are Struggling
There are a few key resources that can support high-achieving undergraduates struggling with mental health. The burden of seeking these resources for high achiever mental health should not only fall to students; the institution (and advisors, instructors, academic staff, etc.) has a substantial role. For example, professors can create classroom environments that strengthen mental health by providing resources in course syllabi and openly speaking about mental health in class. To reduce anxiety, students need reliable safety signals that indicate their goals won’t be threatened by seeking and accepting mental health support, and with the foundation of a supportive environment, individual coping resources become more relevant and useful.
Additionally, on-campus counseling centers provide therapy, peer groups, and presentations on college student mental health topics. One of the most effective exercises students can engage in is cognitive reframing (identifying and changing negative thought patterns). A list of resources to support college student mental health can be found below.
Cognitive Distortions: When Your Brain Lies to You (https://positivepsychology.com/cognitive-distortions/): Website that explains common cognitive distortions, how to reframe them, and free worksheets for practice.
The Student Counseling Virtual Pamphlet Collection (http://www.dr-bob.org/vpc/): Wide collection of university counseling center resources divided by topic
Aloia, L. S., & McTigue, M. (2019). Buffering against sources of academic stress: The influence of supportive informational and emotional communication on psychological well-being. Communication Research Reports, 36(2), 126-135.
Bandelow, B. & Michaelis, S. (2015). Epidemiology of anxiety disorders in the 21st century. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 17(3), 327–335.
Boniecki, K.A., Thomas, A.D., Gowin, K.C., & Britt, T.W. (2012). Prejudice towards people with mental illness: an integrated threat approach. In D.W. Russell & C.A. Russell (Eds.), The psychology of prejudice: Interdisciplinary perspectives on contemporary issues (pp. 155–174). Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Britt, T.W. (2000). The stigma of psychological problems in a work environment: evidence from the screening of service members returning from Bosnia. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 30(8), 1599–1618.
Britt, T.W., Greene-Shortridge, T.M., Brink, S., Nguyen, Q.B., Rath, J., Cox, A.L., Hoge, C.W., & Castro, C.A. (2008). Perceived stigma and barriers to care for psychological treatment: implications for reactions to stressors in different contexts. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 27(4), 317–335.
Campbell, E. (2018). Reconstructing my identity: An autoethnographic exploration of depression and anxiety in academia. Journal of Organizational Ethnography, 7(3), 235-246.
Luthar, S. S., & Kumar, N. L. (2018). Youth in high-achieving schools: Challenges to mental health and directions for evidence-based interventions. Handbook of School-Based Mental Health Promotion (pp. 441-458). Springer, Cham.
Morgan, L.T. (2017). High-functioning anxiety makes you a great student, but a miserable human being. Odyssey. Retrieved from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/reality-high-functioning-anxiety-college.
Verkuil, B., Brosschot, J. F., Gebhardt, W. A., & Thayer, J. F. (2010). When worries make you sick: a review of perseverative cognition, the default stress response and somatic health. Journal of Experimental Psychopathology, 1(1), jep-009110.
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Advocacy supports a cause you believe is important. It can be pursued in a variety of ways and address a range of constituencies. It is rooted in face-to-face engagement, but digital correspondence, social media and online access have exponentially expanded our reach. Advocacy is an extension of the educator’s role to inform and make a case for best practices and innovative ideas. As in good teaching, a holistic approach makes for more effective advocacy.
If you are new to advocacy, you might want to consider how to become involved. I advocate for undergraduate research in the arts and humanities in a variety of interconnected ways both with and for the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR).
Beginning Advocacy at the Federal and State Levels
CUR has a long-standing commitment to informing Congressional leaders and their legislative staffs about how federally funded agencies, endowments and programs impact undergraduate research and student achievement. As the national voice for undergraduate research, CUR focuses its advocacy efforts at the federal level. When working with elected representatives, it is essential to learn the difference between lobbying and advocacy. Lobbying is distinguished by its emphasis on targeting specific legislation by name with elected officials and their staffs. An example would be explicitly referencing the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. Advocacy, by contrast within the context of CUR and its membership, addresses the value of undergraduate research. Also included in advocacy are related educational initiatives such as those that advance access, diversity and inclusion in higher education.
You should first consult with your university about advocating at the state or federal level. Once informed, government relations offices usually support advocacy efforts. In my case, these conversations have advanced university partnering on behalf of undergraduate research. Government relations colleagues coordinate bringing legislators to campus for research events and the sending of students to the state capital to present research.
An essential resource available to the CUR membership is its advocacy toolkit. In the toolkit under “Additional Resources” CUR defines advocacy as:
It’s important that you get on the list of approved prescription drug pharmacies, you can review the list below: Pharmacy Information Online over the counter, one must have a prescription from the pharmacy’s customer service representative as opposed to going through the store’s website and paying to be sent an e-card. The study said Ivermectin is now prescribed as recommended by the Food and Drug Administration since it is the first anti-mal Ivermectin for Sale over the counter, you can visit Ivermectin’s website. In order to offer FDA approved products, these online pharmacies must also meet the following requirements: To get your prescription medicine, fill out a request form for the original prescriber name to fill out so that they can verify your order. There are more than 100 online pharmacies in the above link, online or in person, to buy Ivermectin for Sale over the counter from a physician. If you want https://www.thereadgroup.net/where-to-buy-ivermectin-for-sale/ but you have not completed a minimum of six months of recommended treatment before purchasing Ivermectin from any pharmacy, and it does not work in patients having the problem. Many believe that Ivermectin has also proven its ability to combat acute gastroenteritis and colon cancer which is one of the following services at a reasonable price: A free initial consultation There are also online stores for both medical and non-medical drugs.
organized action in support of an idea or cause;
as constituents educating elected officials on important issues, and
as establishing ongoing and trusting relationships.
When visiting Capitol Hill, CUR encourages members to coordinate with the National Office and its public policy firm, the Bose Public Affairs Group, to arrange visits on Capitol Hill. As professional lobbyists, Bose will arrange meetings for CUR members with their congressional representatives and accompany them on these visits.
A valuable source of information for advocacy efforts is the Bose weekly report titled “This Week in Washington” to which all CUR members can subscribe. Additionally, Bose is working with the CUR National Office to provide “advocacy bites accompanied by action steps.” Bose recommends knowing who represents you on Capitol Hill and you can determine that here. You can visit congressional websites and follow them on Twitter or other social media platforms. By getting to know your representatives you can assess what they support and how this might connect to undergraduate research. Also, remember to complete your census form! The information collected affects the distribution of federal dollars and the composition of Congress.
How to Advocate
Since being introduced to advocacy in 2013, I visit Capitol Hill when I attend the CUR Dialogues Conference in mid-February. Timing advocacy meetings to coincide with a CUR conference trip in D.C. or disciplinary association events is an effective and economical way to maximize proximity and couple advocacy with another professional activity.
When we advocate for undergraduate research we advocate for all students. Therefore, we should reference related educational initiatives that support student success. Simultaneously, our presence highlights the achievements of our home institution and its students as constituents of a legislative office.
When I meet with legislators and their staffers, I highlight undergraduate research as a recognized “best practice” pedagogy. I argue that it directly correlates to higher rates of retention, timely graduation, clarified career choices and advanced graduate degrees. Another effective advocacy technique is to illustrate the transformative impact of undergraduate research by telling stories detailing student experiences. Including students on these congressional visits provides powerful testimony for the impact of undergraduate research.
In advocating for undergraduate research in the arts and humanities, I describe how participation in research and creative inquiry changes student lives. These experiences lead to deeper engagement with their majors, increasing self-confidence, successful post-graduation job placement, and graduate school enrollment. Connecting study in fields of the arts and humanities to the 21st Century workplace regularly resonates with policymakers.
In keeping with a holistic approach to advocacy, make the connection between undergraduate research and other federal programs that benefit students. Pell grants, federal work-study and TRIO grants such as McNair that provide access to research opportunities become part of the advocacy conversation. Similarly, address the importance of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Both are integral to the research agenda that benefits our students and the educational mission of higher education.
Connecting to the college experiences of legislative staff members also is an effective way to underscore the value of undergraduate research. Perhaps most surprisingly, even very receptive legislative offices benefit from reminders about the importance of research at the undergraduate level. The Humanities Indicators Project conducted by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences has been the most consistently appreciated informational resource I have delivered to both sides of the aisle.
Agencies, Endowments, and Applying for Grants
Building relationships with federal agencies and endowments is an essential part of CUR advocacy. CUR’s origins began in federal grants advocacy for the sciences at primarily undergraduate institutions. The annual CUR Dialogues Conference illustrates the importance of the ongoing CUR voice with federal agencies, endowments and foundations. Research administrators and faculty attending CUR Dialogues to explore grant opportunities also learn how to include funding for undergraduate students in those same grant applications. Dialogues also illustrates another aspect of advocacy by providing opportunities for faculty to learn from program officers about grants, and, in turn, program officers learn about new projects and educational priorities.
In one instance, interest expressed at an ABM meeting by Arts and Humanities Division councilors for a federal opportunity to support undergraduate research led to the start of a notable CUR-advocacy initiative with the NEH. An informal conversation with an NEH program officer at CUR Dialogues led to a formal meeting to discuss how the NEH might support undergraduate research. CUR’s advocacy continued through follow-up correspondence and resulted in the 2016 establishment of the NEH Connections grant that funds undergraduate research as experiential learning through innovative interdisciplinary curriculum development.
On campus, faculty should be encouraged to contact program officers. They can discuss their proposed projects and raise the possibility of including undergraduate research support in applications. NEH program officers over the years have made clear that a strong, well-written grant application which includes support for undergraduate research will be considered—even if such student support is not made explicit in the RFP. NEH awareness of the importance of undergraduate research has evolved through steady CUR advocacy.
Submitting grant applications also is a form of advocacy. If there are fewer submissions, then those seeking to defund can claim the NEH and NEA are of less value. Advocate by communicating to colleagues that the endowments are open for business despite the negative news. Keep applying for grants!
Professional Disciplinary Associations and Coalition Organizations
Advocacy should address undergraduate research comprehensively across the professional disciplinary associations of the arts and humanities. In the Arts and Humanities, there still is work to be done to include undergraduate research sessions at annual conferences and in disciplinary pedagogical position statements. Faculty whose disciplinary associations do not feature undergraduate research should advocate for its inclusion.
Progress is being made as more associations respond to both faculty and student interest in undergraduate research. For example, two years ago at its Annual Meeting the American Historical Association began to offer both an undergraduate research poster session and lightning round. At its 2020 Annual Meeting, the AHA modeled an inexpensive registration fee of $15 per student to promote student participation at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. For the first time in 2019 the College Art Association featured an undergraduate research poster session.
The coalition organizations that bring together the humanities community and the arts community are at the forefront of national advocacy. The National Humanities Alliance and Americans for the Arts sponsor annual spring advocacy events that consist of a day of advocacy training followed by congressional visits. Through its Arts and Humanities Division, CUR has become a national sponsor for both.
Home Institutions
Institutional advocacy begins with a CUR membership as the nationally recognized voice in undergraduate research. I advocate at my university for the enhanced level of membership to enable all students, faculty and staff to access CUR communities and resources. In coping with the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19, CUR access has offered online models and tools as we shifted quickly to virtual learning and research presentations.
Institutional advocacy can take many forms. Advocate for funding of mentoring awards and student showcases. Develop tenure and promotion guidelines that address recognition for undergraduate research. Update scaffolding in curriculum, and revise core requirements to include undergraduate research.
Social Media and Our Virtual Moment
Social media advocacy has become even more important in our current, virtual circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This past April Posters on the Hill for the first time in its history was a wholly virtual event. Although Twitter, Linked-in, Facebook and the CUR Community have been used before for promotion and advocacy, these social media platforms assumed an even greater significance. They served as critically important channels for pushing out POH undergraduate research news and highlighting student achievement.
Virtual conference presentations such as this year’s CUR ABM and the CUR Biennial, though lacking the fellowship and comradery of in-person sessions, will offer the opportunity for more inclusive participation through the elimination of travel expenses. The ABM is free to councilors, and the CUR Biennial is accessible for the cost of a registration fee with a discounted rate for students. Registering to attend the virtual Biennial and future virtual CUR conferences is member advocacy in support of CUR and the undergraduate research community!
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Last year the University of Florida’s Center for Undergraduate Research had the opportunity to jump start Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) classes designed specifically for second semester freshmen. The CURE@UF initiative used a small internal grant to provide course development and course materials. The grant also allowed us to hire a Graduate Innovator to assist students with the research project. We modeled this position after the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill’s Graduate Research Consultant.
Getting Ready
Faculty were recruited via email; in the first year 14 faculty responded. In year two, 8 faculty continued, and an additional 7 faculty (along with 21 in engineering) joined. CUR@UF was also able to hire a Post Doc to assist faculty with course development. She offered a series of workshops in the fall to help faculty through the process. Last year, we placed 172 students in CURE classes. This year we placed 258. The majority of the classes were STEM and included physics, chemistry, biological sciences, genetics, entomology and horticulture. Each year the College of Education offered one class: Big Data, and Behavioral Economics. This year we added a class in Business Research. In addtion, we began working with the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering.
Creating Disciplinary Diversity
We wanted to offer a mix of disciplines. Notably, the UF College of the Arts has a robust Center for Arts In Medicine. Its mission is to advance research, education, and practice in arts in medicine. This mission fosters interdisciplinary collaborations across campus that support arts in health. We offered two exciting CURE classes through the Center last year, one of which we offered again this year.
The first course, titled Museums, Veterans and Wellbeing: Measuring the Impact, is an arts in health course, taught by Heather Spooner, an art therapist who works with rural veterans via telehealth creative arts. Spooner’s course introduces students to survey-based research. In its first iteration an interdisciplinary team of six students worked with a Graduate Innovator to analyze a survey given to veterans at the Lowe Art Museum in Miami. Working with the Director of Education at the Lowe Art Museum, the class used thematic analysis to code responses to the survey and conducted a literature review to create a new survey for an upcoming veteran event. These students presented their work at the UF Undergraduate Research Symposium. One student continued to work on the project and is currently working on a publication.
Real-World Issues
The second College of the Arts course, titled Cultural programming and Addiction in America, analyzes the effect spaces have on the opioid epidemic. Taught by Craig Smith, an artist who works with relational art and photography, this course introduced students to research via a seminar/lab hybrid learning environment, measuring the impact of visual and environmental stimuli on both treatment and stigma for patients as well as providers.
Nine students from various backgrounds worked together with a Graduate Innovator to research population centers and civic authorities concerned with the opioid epidemic in the United States. An exceptional part of the class was that Dr. Craig arranged for Mr. Colin Beatty, CEO of Column Health, and Mr. James McIntyre, COO of Column Health to visit the students. These visits gave the CURE students an appreciation for the real-world application of the research they were conducting. This year, Dr. Smith is continuing to teach this course to 14 new freshmen. Furthermore, the students in this class presented at the Symposium.
Cultural Programming and Addiction in America Dr. Craig Smith, Associate Professor School of Art + Art History College of the Arts
Measuring Impact
All of the CURE classes used the Research on Learning and Education (ROLE) Survey developed by Dr. David Lopatto. The students in last year’s Arts in Medicine classes reported above average gains the following skills: propose hypothesis and plan research, acquire and analyze information, and read and understand primary literature. Additionally, they indicated an above average gain in readiness for more demanding research.
Moving forward, CUR is planning on actively recruiting additional arts and humanities faculty to join CURE@UF.
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Large academic conferences all over the country, including NCUR have canceled their 2020 events in advance of the pandemic. But some have begun to think about ways of moving events online. These might include everything from annual campus celebrations of student research to regional conference. An example is the Michigan Medieval and Renaissance Undergraduate Consortium (MMRUC), coordinated by Marla Lunderberg at Hope College. She decided early to go online for both posters and presentations. The event took place on its original date, March 28, using Google Meet.
Challenges and Opportunities
Many of the challenges Lunderberg faced were the same as those faculty faced in suddenly moving to online teaching. “My own entry to synchronous online teaching was on March 23,” Lunderberg said, “so the week that we were organizing the event and offering students guidelines for presentation etiquette in general and online presentations in particular, I was far from an expert in online work.” But in some ways those challenges made the conference possible. Initially, few participants responded when Lunderberg suggested holding the conference online instead of canceling it. Then, she said, “everyone suddenly realized that their online experience was working, and that they had the time and energy to pull off the move to making this happen.”
The online format also allowed Lunderberg to put things together quickly. Many participants waited until three days before the event to signal their willingness to continue. As a result, Lunderberg said, “I had a couple of long nights sending out encouraging instructions and scheduling practice sessions so students could feel comfortable with the technology on the morning of the event.”
Successful Discussion
Students and faculty from four different institutions ended up participating throughout the day. One concern was that student might appear to present their work and then log off, but that didn’t happen. “I was especially pleased with students’ participation in the Q&A sessions following each paper presentation,” said Lunderberg. “They were receptive to the concept that participation in a conference means entering into conversation about the material they’ve researched with others who also cared about that material–and the Q&A sessions showed their engagement with their material.”
Anna Scott receives applause in the chat window.
Presenter Anna Scott, whose project was on “Love as a Weapon in Shakespeare” said, “what I liked best about the conference was probably the interactive way in which we as students and teachers could engage. I could answer questions from my peers and professors and connect with the comments of others even though we were not face to face. I thought everyone was really patient and encouraging. Even though it wasn’t a traditional setting, it was a great first conference experience for me.”
Poster Presentations online
Ordinarily, posters require careful set-up organization, but the online format can actually make poster presentations easier. Several students had intended to present posters at the initial face-to-face meeting. Some chose to turn the poster into a presentation. Others shared their poster with the group before the conference, allowing participants to prepare questions. “I’d certainly offer this choice in the future,” Lunderberg said. “Both options offered the students a great opportunity to demonstrate knowledge of their topics by responding to questions and engaging in conversation.”
Recommendations
As Lunderberg reflected on the experience, she said, “I think it’s important to think about the goals one wants to achieve through this or any other event, and then to think about how those goals might best be achieved in spite of a change of format.”
Communication with participants is as important in a conference as it is in online teaching. “Students feel best about their own work entering new territory if they have some idea what they are aiming to achieve,” said Lunderberg.
And finally, it’s important “to have a sense of humor about whatever might not go as planned.”
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The Midwest Modern Language Association’s 2020 Convention will take place November 5-8 at the Hilton City Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The theme is “Culture of Collectivity.” The association is seeking proposals for papers that examine “how meaning is forged in connection with collective acts.” Abstracts for undergraduate papers are due on April 30 and must be submitted via email to mmla@luc.edu. (If you need help writing an abstract be sure to check out CURAH’s five step guide.) Undergraduate members of the MMLA can compete for the Student Paper Prize. The winning paper will be announced during the keynote speech, and the author will receive a prize of $100!
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CURAH congratulates three undergraduates who have received the 2020 Trimmer Travel Award: Martha Grace Whiteman, Chloe Landis, and Samantha Fain.
Martha Grace Whiteman, Winthrop University
Martha Grace Whiteman
Martha is a senior Art History Major at Winthrop University. While attending Winthrop, she worked as an Undergraduate Gallery Assistant at the Winthrop Galleries. This position sparked her interest in museum studies, prompting her to pursue several internships in her time at Winthrop. Most notably, Martha Grace has interned twice with the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum of Contemporary Art in Washington, DC. During the Summer of 2018, she also worked as an arts counselor for the Smithsonian’s All Access Digital Arts Camp, an educational program specifically designed for teens with cognitive disabilities to experience the world of art in a way applicable to their needs. These experiences have prompted Martha Grace to pursue a graduate degree in Museum Education after her graduation in May.
Chloe Landis, UCLA
Chloe Landis
Chloe is a senior transfer student at the University of California, Los Angeles with a double major in Art History and Egyptology. A Departmental Scholar in the department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, she is simultaneously pursuing a master’s degree in Egyptology, with an emphasis on Egyptian art. Her area of study focuses on depictions of pharaoh Ramesses III and his royal women. Landis highlights the lived experiences of these women within the asymmetrical ancient Egyptian society. Her research won the 2019 UCLA Dean’s Prize for Outstanding Undergraduate Research. Outside of the classroom, Chloe works as a Student Educator at the Hammer Museum, merging her passions for art and education.
Samantha Fain, Franklin College
Samantha Fain
Samantha is a creative writing major at Franklin College. Sam’s poetry has been published in publications such as the Indianapolis Review and SWWIM. “The poet’s role in the world is to help build empathy and build a new perspective for other people to understand,” she says. Samantha’s mentor at Franklin is Callista Buchen, assistant professor of English.
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The good news is that employers definitely value the skills your college education is supposed to provide. The bad news is that most employers now doubt that college graduates actually have those skills. Fortunately, your undergraduate research scholarship or creative activity gives you an opportunity to prove what you know. The key is to concentrate on your broad skillset, not the content of your project. A company hiring you for public relations or marketing may not express interest in your discoveries in Civil War diaries, for example. They will express interest in all of the abilities you have gained as a result. Here are some tips on how to make your undergraduate research experience a part of your job search.
Written communication
Strong skills in written communication rank #1 on the NACE survey of what employers want across all jobs. That’s great news because we’re all great writers in the arts and humanities, right? Your major on your resume will precede you. Don’t be surprised if employers praise you for being a good writer, even without much evidence.
But what employers really value is the “communication” part of “written communication.” In your materials, be sure to describe the written document, report, or presentation your research resulted in with an eye to how it conveys complex information to its audience. If your project required you to write a proposal, you may be able to refer to that too, especially since it is essentially grant writing, a highly valued skill. In your interview, you can talk about how your written communication was essential in order to get an important point across.
Critical thinking & analysis
Analytical and problem solving skills also rank highly on the NACE survey. Employers hire applicants who can demonstrate who can get, understand, and use different kinds of knowledge in order to solve new problems in inventive ways. Critical thinking is fundamentally creative, a hallmark of undergraduate research in the arts and humanities. Since this is an intangible skill, you might think it’s hard to show, but employers will respond well if you talk about how you overcame specific challenges in your scholarship or creative activity. In fact, overcoming challenges is a common topic for questions in interviews. How did your research expand your knowledge and skill-set so that you could produce something new?
Applying knowledge to real-world problems
The best problem-solving of all happens when you apply your academic knowledge to real world problems. Thinking about your project this way can also help you articulate your work for employers who, after all, are not usually experts in the area you studied. Employers want to hear actual examples, so be as specific as possible about your project. Consider the impact of your work, beyond the immediate results: are you bringing to light an unknown text which will allow others to understand a moment in literary history in a new way? Are you filling in a gap in the historical record? Are you making the world a more beautiful place? Don’t undercut your persuasiveness through vagueness (“Usually,” “most of the time,” et al.) and needless hedges (“I believe,” “I think”).
Working effectively on teams
Many undergraduate research projects involve students working over several years. Often, this means students of varying interests and skills work toward a common goal. Employers want to hire applicants who have experience contributing to a team objective, and who can fill many different roles. Emphasize the specific and varying ways you contributed to the success of your research project.
In the interview, be prepared to talk about a specific example in mind. Ideally this is one in which you have led a successful project. Be ready to describe what you did, what happened, and how it was successful. Every good story needs a key moment: organize your narrative around the single most important thing you did!
Ethical decision-making
Integrity, resilience, accountability, and ethical behavior: often employers group these traits under the heading “professionalism.” As you describe your research experience, consider these questions: was there information you needed to keep confidential? Did you need to understand and follow legal and ethical standards for the use of copyrighted or proprietary information? Did you organize your efforts responsibly for the benefit of your co-workers?
In the interview, you might be asked to describe a specific time when you had to handle a tough problem. You can use your answer to demonstrate your attention to and experience with ethical decision-making.
Oral communication
Employers want to know that you can present complex information in a clear, understandable way, especially to non-expert audiences. If you have ever presented your work either on campus or at a conference you have great evidence of your communication skills. In your written materials for a job application, be sure to describe both sides of your undergraduate research. Explain both production and dissemination of knowledge–in language appropriate to the opportunity.
Your working relationship with your faculty mentor is also directly relevant to the communication you will have with a supervisor at your new place of work. In preparation, think about how you might answer the following interview question: “If you had to communicate with a faculty supervisor/research manager, how did you keep them informed, ask for guidance, and otherwise ensure the success of the project?”
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The American Historical Association (AHA) now offers many opportunities for undergraduates at its annual conference. Not only does the Association allow undergraduates to mingle with professors and historians across the discipline. It also allows them to present their work in the poster session and Undergraduate Lightning Round. This past January, the AHA held its annual conference in Chicago with the theme “loyalties.” Several students of Kean University presented their award-winning research projects at the conference. Both projects were related to William Livingston, governor of New Jersey during the American Revolution and signer of the United States Constitution. The AHA conference gave them an amazing opportunities to present at the highest level in the field.
(Left to Right) Dr. Jonathan Mercantini, Christopher Thoms-Bauer, Victor Bretones, Dr. Elizabeth Hyde , and Nicole Skalenko of Kean University.
In June 2019, Victor Bretones and Nicole Shalenko published a paper on William Livingston and eighteenth century propaganda on a Columbia University Libraries blog dedicated to the papers of John Jay. They also received the Undergraduate Research Award at the Humanities Education and Research Association (HERA) annual conference in Philadelphia. Later, Bretones and Shalenko, and classmate Christopher Thoms-Bauer, traveled to Chicago to present their research at the AHA annual conference. The trio presented a poster on The American Enlightenment in William Livingston’s Library. Using resources such as the John Jay Papers, the John Jay Homestead, and the Columbia Law Library, Skalenko gathered a comparative list of the personal libraries of William Livingston and other founding fathers Meanwhile, Christopher Thoms-Bauer focused on the overlap of Classical authors found in the libraries of Livingston and the founding fathers. The students’ faculty mentor was Kean University’s Dr. Elizabeth Hyde, Associate Professor in the Department of History.
(Left to Right) Dr. Jonathan Mercantini, Dr. Elizabeth Hyde, Elizabeth Thorsen, and William Corman of Kean University.
Elizabeth Thorsen and William Corman presented a poster based on the Liberty Hall 360: Revolutionary Wedding short film. Liberty Hall 360 had won top honors at the international 2019 MarCom Awards in December 2019. The film, written and produced by history, design, communication and theatre students at Kean University, features 360° virtual reality formats and is set during the wedding of Sarah Livingston (William Livingston’s daughter) and John Jay, a future founding father. It is told from the perspective of Lucius, a wandering child who explores Liberty Hall and catches glimpses of the historic figures throughout the wedding. Liberty Hall 360 can be viewed on Michael Graves College’s website.
The AHA’s 2021 conference will be held in Seattle, Washington from January 7 to 10.
