Program Description

The African American History, Culture, and Digital Humanities (AADHum) Initiative at the University of Maryland is pleased to continue its AADHum Scholars Program for the 2019–2020 academic year, with generous support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. AADHum welcomes applications from students, faculty, archivists, librarians, museum professionals, and publicly engaged scholars—working inside and outside institutions–interested in advancing Black DH within a vibrant community of practice. While we welcome applicants from near and far, AADHum will not be able to offer additional funding for travel and lodging.

The AADHum Scholars Program is designed for scholars committed to intentionally advancing their project, while also participating in deep exchange with the cohort. In addition to building technical skill efficacy, this program creates space for scholars to grapple with theory, critique, and implications that emerge in Black DH practice. Scholars who are self-motivated and prepared to work through this enrichment process are encouraged to apply.

Alumni of the AADHum Scholars Program have produced a robust research portfolio and thoughtful community. Both the inaugural class of AADHum Scholars and the 2018- 2019 AADHum Scholars contributed to AADHum blog, participated in Digital Humanities Intensives and Incubators, and presented during AADHum’s workshop series. Scholars also presented their work at AADHum’s national conference, Intentionally Digital, Intentionally Black.

AADHum and MITH staff will offer the new cohort of AADHum Scholars individualized support to develop their digital scholarship. Proposed work can include: syllabus transformation, in-progress digital project, or developing a digital component to a dissertation, article or book chapter. AADHum and MITH staff are also pleased to plan possible publication and dissemination strategies for projects. The AADHum Scholars Program will deepen the cohort’s understanding of Black DH, giving special attention to design, ethics, DH tools, collaboration, and project management. After presenting and gaining feedback during the AADHum Intensive sessions, scholars have the opportunity to receive up to $6,500 in June 2020 to support summer research.

Program Requirements

1. All AADHum Scholars are required to present their in-progress work in an AADHum Intensives session during the Spring 2020 semester
2. All AADHum Scholars must attend two (2) AADHum Intensive sessions (in addition to their own) as well as two (2) working group sessions; attendance must be physical, rather than remote/virtual. Scholars can attend other sessions remotely in addition to the four mandatory in-person sessions. Dates and times for Spring 2020 Intensives and working group sessions are forthcoming. AADHum will not provide additional lodging or traveling funds.
3. All AADHum Scholars must work with AADHum staff to write, revise, and publish one (1) post on the AADHum blog. AADHum will provide the guidelines for blog contributions.
4. All AADHum Scholars must write a report on the outcomes of their summer work, to be submitted in August 2020.

Program Application

1. To apply for the AADHum Scholars Program, submit the following materials as a single PDF to aadhum@umd.edu by Monday, November 18.
2. Brief cover letter detailing your current/proposed research project, teaching, skills, and interests. Be sure to include any relevant project links. This program is designed to advance projects centering Black history and culture. Application readers will look for thoughtful engagement with debates in Black Studies and an awareness of methodologies of care and harm reduction in the digital space. Only applicants with explicitly digital projects will be considered.
3. Current curriculum vitae.

For more information: https://aadhum.umd.edu/scholars/

By K. Lorraine Graham

The American Institute of Physics (AIP) signed a $1 million pledge to the College of Arts and Humanities (ARHU) yesterday to help uncover stories of scientific discovery while illuminating complex societal issues that scientists and scholars in the humanities both face.

The gift will establish an endowed professorship in the history of natural sciences and support the appointee’s humanistic and scientific research and scholarship through a partnership with AIP’s Center for History of Physics. Collaborations with AIP staff and member societies will encourage deeper insight into the nature and origin of the physical sciences and their impact on society.

"Bringing the sciences and humanities together is important for telling not only the compelling history of discovery, but also inspiring the next generation of scholars in both fields," said Michael Moloney, chief executive officer of the institute, based in Greater College Park’s Discovery District. "This partnership will help us cultivate a diverse and inclusive community."

The professorship is an opportunity to apply interdisciplinary approaches to complex global issues, like the renewed debate on nuclear energy, said Peter Wien, professor and interim chair of the history department.

"Both humanists and scientists are rooted in the concerns and debates of contemporary culture," Wien said. "A scientist might measure the impact of nuclear contamination or devise new methods for storing nuclear waste, whereas a historian might critically engage with the history of how nuclear energy was developed or trace how popular opinion about certain kinds of energy have changed over time. When students learn to put these two approaches in conversation with each other, they gain a deeper understanding of the problems that all of humanity is facing today."

Universities nationwide, including Maryland, are exploring new ways for arts and humanities disciplines and the sciences to collaborate with each other; the AIP gift supports efforts by the College of Arts and Humanities to increase interdisciplinary learning opportunities, said Bonnie Thornton Dill, ARHU dean as well as a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s committee on the integration of STEM, humanities and arts.

"Cross-disciplinary exchange produces new knowledge and inspires learning and exploration," said Thornton Dill. "History helps us understand the processes and people that have shaped science, and AIP's generosity expands support for research and will enhance learning opportunities for students, preparing them with the diverse competencies and knowledge that employers today seek.”

In addition to collaborating with AIP on conferences and public lectures, the appointee will have access to AIP’s Niels Bohr Library and Archives, as well as the recently acquired Wenner Collection containing nearly 4,000 volumes of rare books and manuscripts documenting discoveries in the physical sciences going back 500 years.

The Wenner Collection is still being catalogued and integrated into the other treasures in the Niels Bohr Library and Archives, but AIP hopes the appointee will contribute to new ways of thinking about the collections. "There are many stories in the history of science that have not been told," said Moloney. "In collaboration with UMD, one challenge is to use these collections to tell the story of discovery in a way that we hope will inspire the next generation of scientists and historians and especially contribute to our goal of greater inclusion of women and underrepresented minorities in our field."

A search is under way for a senior scholar to assume the professorship in Fall 2019.

Above, Michael H. Moloney, chief executive officer at AIP, signs the gift with President Wallace D. Loh. At bottom, Philip "Bo" Hammer, senior director of member society engagement at AIP; Peter Wien, professor and interim chair of the history department; Moloney; Bonnie Thornton Dill, professor and dean of the College of Arts and Humanities; and Greg Good, director of the Center for History of Physics at AIP gather to celebrate.

(Photo illustration by John T. Consoli, images by iStock; photos, below, by Thai Nguyen and Jeanette J. Nelson)

University of Maryland (UMD) 2019 Disability Summit
Looking Ahead - ADA turns 30
Friday April 5th, 2019
College Park Marriott and Hotel Conference Center

                                                                                      Call for Proposals
The UMD Disability Summit was established in 2016 as a forum for professionals, educators, academics, services providers, and advocates focusing on disability issues to dialogue and collaborate across types of disability and institution. The goal of the summit is to bring focus to and promote discussion of key current events and research impacting disability in society.

This 3rd Biennial Summit will take place on Friday April 5th, 2019 at the University of Maryland, College Park campus. The Keynote speaker will be Dr. Jonathan Lazar, Professor of Computer and Information Sciences at Towson University. Dr. Lazar is the founder and former director of the Universal Usability Laboratory (2003 to 2014). He researches and teaches on human-computer interaction, specifically, Web usability, Web accessibility for people with disabilities, user-centered design, assistive technology, and public policy.

The inaugural Summit, Activism and Advocacy in the Academy, took place in 2016, with Dr. Gregg Vanderheiden as the keynote speaker. In 2017, Dr. Beth Douthirt-Cohen took the stage to discuss “Moving from Pity and Fear to Solidarity and Justice,” and the Summit focused on Disability in a Polarized Nation. This year’s focus, Looking Ahead - the ADA turns 30, encourages presentations looking at the federal policy’s lifespan, and reflecting on the potential and pitfalls of advocacy and activism in the current moment.

We encourage submissions from academics, advocates, and members of the community covering a wide variety of topics including, but not limited to:

-       The history and outlook for the Americans with Disabilities Act
-       Disability Activism/Disability Justice (past, present and future)
-       Assistive Technologies
-       Accessible Labor Practices
-       Race, Gender, Class and Intersectional Approaches to Disability Advocacy
-       Disability Community Engagement, Advocacy and Action
-       Disability in the Media (the potential and pitfalls of representation)
-       Literature and Disability Studies
-       Attitudes and their Effect on Disability Policy
-       Critical Disability Studies

We are accepting proposals for:
-       Lecture-style Presentation (30 or 45 minutes)- Lecture-style presentations can range from in-depth scientific research to academic scholarly practices. Lectures include a Q&A portion.

-       Workshop (45 or 90 minutes)- Session focused on skill building or formal professional workforce training

-       Experience (45 or 90 minutes)- Session including live action, interactive, or hands-on components that engages session participants.

-       Panel Presentation (45 or 90 minutes)-  Three or more topic area presenters offer their perspective on a proposed disability studies topic. Each panel member will have the opportunity to provide an overview of their work followed by moderated questions and questions from the audience.

-       Poster Presentation (1 hour)- Open, gallery-style presentation where attendees will walk by presenters’ posters and discuss the scholarly information, best practices, initiatives, or works in progress that are being presented.

-       Other –  Additional types of presentations welcome! Share your idea.

Please submit a 200 word abstract, title, your preferred format, and your contact information email directly to disabilitysummit@umd.edu with the subject line, “Disability Summit Proposal”

Due date for proposal submissions is February 15, 2019.

If you have questions about abstract or proposal submission, please contact Mollie Greenberg or Stephanie Cork at disabilitysummit@umd.edu

For more information and updates check out our website: https://www.lib.umd.edu/disability-summit 

#DisabilityUMD #2019DisabilitySummit  

The College of Arts and Humanities is a co-sponsor for this event.