The Office of Research Development is pleased to announce the launch of the MSU Public Engagement Fellowship Program, an opportunity for a cohort of five to seven faculty to participate in training and planning for publicly engaged scholarship projects in 2024. Publicly engaged scholarship is a broad term to describe the full spectrum of research and teaching that engages constituencies beyond campus. Fellows will receive training, connections within and beyond MSU, and the opportunity to develop a publicly engaged project with support from a $2000 stipend.*

The purpose of the program is to expand Montana State University’s capacity, as the state’s land-grant institution, for scholarship that benefits the public through: 

  1. Building and cultivating an interdisciplinary and collaborative community of learning focused on public engagement.
  2. Increasing the number of publicly engaged projects that could be funded internally and externally.
  3. Integrating engaged scholarship across teaching, research, and/or service.
  4. Strengthening relationships between MSU and communities across Montana.
  5. Understanding the many forms of public engagement and how they might be used to address some of the pressing issues of our time.

In Spring 2024, selected fellows willparticipateinworkshops focused on community-building, project development, and guided reflection. Fellows will be expected to use the time to build connections, explore different forms of public engagement, and lay the groundwork fora fundedprojectafter their fellowship term. As fellows develop their projects, topics covered will include:

  • How to blend public engagement principles into one’s disciplinary methods 
  • Learning about and connecting to the support (resources, organizations, and people) for this type of work that already exists at MSU 
  • The importance of place and historical context when building relationships 
  • Practical considerations in working with community partners 
  • Identifying appropriate funding opportunities to continue this work 
  • Co-developing mutually beneficial funding proposals with community partners 

Cohort workshop dates: In Spring 2024, we will meet weekly for an hour and a half between the week of February 12 and the week of April 8 (excluding Spring Break). Specific dates and times will be determined in consultation with fellows once the cohort has been selected.  

Eligibility: Any MSU faculty member from any discipline is eligible to participate. Preference will be given to those with a demonstrated commitment to public engagement through scholarship and teaching, though an existing relationship with community partner(s) is not required.  

Award amount: Fellows will receive a $2000 stipend for participating in the program. 

Requirements: Fellows will be expected to attend all cohort gatherings and make significant progress towards piloting a publicly engaged project, as demonstrated by a one-page summary of progress at the end of the spring semester.

 

Apply Now

 

Application: In a single document, please submit answers via InfoReady to the following prompts by Friday, Dec. 22, 2023:

  • Name, title, and departmental affiliation 
  • Describe the focus of your academic, scholarly, pedagogical, or administrative work. What is your primary expertise and what public issues does it address? (200 words or fewer) 
  • Describe your prior experience with public engagement work with communities external to Montana State University. Or, if you have no prior experience, what opportunities do you see for extending your research, teaching, or creative work to include public engagement? If you have existing relationships with community partners that you would leverage during the fellowship, please say so here (though preexisting relationships are not required). (200 words or fewer) 
  • Why are you interested in this fellowship program and what are your goals for participating? (200 words or fewer)  
  • Please briefly describe your plans for the project you seek to work on through this fellowship. (200 words or fewer) 

If you have any questions, please contact Daniel Grant, Associate Director of Research Development for Extension and Engagement, at daniel.grant1@montana.edu. 

*This Fellowship program is complementary to the Outreach and Engagement Council Seed Grant program.  An RFP for the Seed Grants will be sent early in spring semester.  Work done as a Public Engagement Fellow may be eligible for submission to the Outreach and Engagement Seed Grant RFP.