Visiting Doctoral Student Award Program

Program Description

The Thinking Historically for Canada’s Future Visiting Doctoral Student Program is an opportunity for doctoral students affiliated with the Thinking Historically for Canada’s Future Partnership Grant to conduct an on-site visit with faculty members and graduate students at an institution other than their own. Thinking Historically will cover costs related to travel, accommodation, and local transportation, as well as a per diem allowance for meals, for a two-week visit, up to a maximum of $3000 CAD per recipient. Up to two students will be selected each year to participate in the program. 

Eligibility

Doctoral students of Thinking Historically co-investigators or collaborators are eligible to apply. We welcome applications from students in diverse disciplines addressing issues of history education, including but not limited to Education, History, Indigenous Studies, Museum Studies, and Public History programs. Students may propose to visit a department within the same discipline as their own (for example, a Faculty of Education at a different university), a department in another discipline (for example, an Education student may propose to visit a History Department or Museum Studies program at another university), or an historical site (e.g., museum or heritage site).

Students should clearly indicate the ways their research pertains to issues in history education generally, and how their research relates to the goals of Thinking Historically in particular. Research that relates to the goals of Thinking Historically is preferred. Priority will be given to applicants from equity-deserving groups (women, Indigenous Peoples, visible/racialized minorities, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S+). If a student receives a Thinking Historically Visiting Doctoral Student Award they cannot apply for a second one.

Application Procedures

Applications may be submitted in English or in French in a single PDF document. All application materials should be completed in 12-point font with minimum 1” page margins. 

Applications must include:

1. A completed application form that is signed by the applicant and their supervisor

2. A curriculum vitae (maximum two pages)

3. A statement of purpose (maximum 300 words)

4. A letter from the applicant’s supervisor explaining how the proposed project aligns with the student’s research program (maximum 1 page)

5. A budget, including estimates for return economy transportation (by air, train, or bus), accommodation in the most economical university residence for the two weeks, an estimate of local transportation costs (e.g., a transit pass), and the set $70 per diem rate to cover meals over the duration of the visit.

6. A letter of invitation from a (faculty) sponsor in the host department/institution (maximum 1 page)

The statement of purpose must:

1. Provide a brief overview of your research project, including the goals of your project and the ways in which the proposed visit would facilitate that research.

2. Include your reasons for choosing the proposed (faculty) sponsor and host institution.

3. Include an explanation of how the proposed visit will support developments in history education research and practice generally and the goals of Thinking Historically in particular.

4. Clearly outline the research activities to be undertaken at the host institution.

Students are responsible for contacting potential host departments/institutions prior to submitting their applications in order to secure support for the visit and to identify a (faculty) sponsor to supervise the student for the duration of the visit. A letter of invitation from the sponsor must be included with your application. Letters should be submitted on institutional letterhead (digital copies are acceptable).

Responsibilities

Successful applicants are responsible for making their own travel and accommodation arrangements. We strongly recommend that successful applicants purchase travel insurance. Cancelled trips will not be eligible for reimbursement from Thinking Historically.

Travel must occur in the calendar year in which the application was submitted.

All original receipts, boarding passes, etc. must be submitted for reimbursement within two weeks of the completion of the visit.

Only SSHRC-eligible expenses will be reimbursed, following University of Alberta guidelines and procedures.

A final report (maximum 2 pages) of the successful applicant’s experience in the Visiting Doctoral Student Program must be submitted within two weeks of the completion of the visit. The report must include at least one visual. These reports will be shared on www.thinking-historically.ca.

Expenses claims will be processed upon receipt of supporting documents and the final report.

Application Deadline

Deadlines for applications are January 15th and July 15th at midnight (Mountain Time). Applications should be emailed as a single PDF attachment to Kelsey Romaniuk, General Administrator (kmromani@ualberta.ca). 

Thinking Historically reserves the right to not award funding if no qualified applicants submit a proposal or due to budgetary constraints.