Faculty Supervisor FAQs
Q: Who is eligible to participate?
A: Trinity College faculty members on continuing full-time appointments are eligible to receive funding for a Research Assistant. Priority will be given to faculty who are working toward promotion to tenure. Continuing Trinity College undergraduate students are eligible to be Research Assistants.
Q: How do I submit an application?
A: Complete the online Summer Research Program application. Visit the how to apply page for additional information. Project descriptions should be written in language readily understood by a general audience, as opposed to an expert in the field.
Q: What are the supervisory expectations for faculty, and will faculty be compensated for supervising summer research assistants?
A: Faculty supervisors should expect to oversee and collaborate with Research Assistants in-person and on campus as a full-time commitment during the summer research period. In the event that a student earns credit for the summer research work, faculty will provide a grade evaluation on a Distinction/Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis at the conclusion of the research period. Summer research credit is charged a fee of $350 for 1.0 co-curricular credit. This fee will be waived for students on need-based financial aid. Students may earn co-curricular credit, stipends, and on-campus housing. Faculty will have their research work supported by Research Assistants and will earn a stipend of $500 per Research Assistant.
Q: What should I do if I already have a student in mind for a project?
A: Work with your student as you prepare and submit your application to the Faculty Research Committee. You will be asked to provide student information as part of your application, so it can be beneficial to identify Research Assistants early.
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. The Faculty Research Committee understands that in some cases off-campus research (at archives, libraries, etc.) is required. Applicants who wish to work off-campus for any duration of the research period, or whose Research Assistant will be working off-campus for any duration of the research period, will have the opportunity to explain needs in this regard as well as a detailed plan of what mechanisms will be used to establish accountability in off-campus settings.
Q: Once I submit an application, how does my Research Assistant get involved?
A: The Research Assistant that you list on your application will be contacted once the Faculty Research Committee determines awards. Keep in mind, if you included multiple Research Assistants in your application but are awarded one, your students will be considered in the order listed. Your students will confirm their position by providing feedback on the research project including the project description, information about their role, and their anticipated academic benefit. See the how to apply page for additional information.
Q: How many Research Assistants may I have? What should I do if multiple students ask to work with me?
A: As you advise students, please note that the Faculty Research Committee may not be able to fund more than one student per faculty member. This is an increasingly competitive program. As such, no faculty member will be awarded more than one student until all applications for support have been assessed and every effort has been made to meet faculty demand. If more than one Research Assistant is necessary for your work, the application will include an opportunity to provide a clear and detailed justification for your increased need. It is unfortunately not possible to guarantee that two students will be awarded. Only in extraordinary cases where there exists a surplus of funding will more than two be awarded. If you do not have an available Research Assistant position, you may wish to direct students to explore additional research opportunities online. Pay special attention to projects that are student-initiated (faculty-mentored) and therefore a good fit for the SIRG program.
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. If a student who accepts a position backs out, you may invite another student to apply no later than May 1.
Q: I am interested in sponsoring a student in a humanities-based inquiry, but I am not sure how to take advantage of an interested student’s participation in my ongoing research. Are there resources to help me develop ideas?
A: Erica Crowley can help you think about ways you can incorporate students in your ongoing research 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 Hilary Wyss, or visit the PHC website
Q: What other opportunities are there for student research?
A: View additional research opportunities online to determine which is right for you. Many, but not all, take place during the summer.
