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Nominations/Applications

Selection of Fellows

Selection of potential scholars, artists, journalists, and others will itself be an important and delicate undertaking. Depending on the location and the particular issues facing potential fellows, applying to such a program may in itself create certain challenges and safety issues. Our thought is that for year one fellows will be nominated internally from a committee of local faculty and community leaders. The expectation is that internal nominations create less challenges for potential fellows and therefore less risks. Nominations will be submitted to an interdisciplinary selection committee made up of faculty, staff, and students with expertise in the region. As we build out the program the selection committee may include representatives from our Crossing Latinidades community. The selection process will unfold as such:

  • Name a nominations committee of Latin American and Caribbean experts
  • Nominations committee will identify and collect appropriate biographical, professional, and other materials related to the socio-political situation of potential fellows
  • Nominations will be submitted to a university selection committee
  • Selection committee will review nominations, identify finalists, make discreet inquiries
  • Finalists will be interviewed for potential fit and alignment with program objectives
  • Selection of fellows

This process will take advantage of the deep presence of Latin American and Caribbean scholars and students on the UT campus. Many of these scholars and students are associated with The Lozano Long Institute for Latin American Studies but a great many others are in departments and units across our colleges and schools. In particular, the university has a growing presence of indigenous scholars and students from various communities across Latin America. We will use our multiple networks and connections to develop a broad set of possible fellows. An important aspect of the nominations process is our use of the term “Threatened Scholars.” We are well-aware of the multiple implications of this label, not all of which are positive. Our current thinking is not to use the term “Threatened Scholar” and instead replace it with High Impact Scholars, Artists, and Journalists as well as to descriptively narrate the conditions of peril in which scholars, artists, and journalists find themselves. Thus, describing the lived reality where scholars, artists, and journalists are not capable of working freely and where expressions of their craft put them and their families in harm’s way will resonate will those familiar with the region. The fellows’ areas of specialization will determine their placements at the university; however, we envision that in addition to pursuing their own scholarly work they may, as appropriate, guest teach with other UT Austin faculty in areas of shared expertise, participate in relevant conferences hosted at the university, make presentations, give lectures, and join institutes or labs to participate in group research initiatives with UT Austin faculty and students. Particular engagements will be fostered with LLILAS-Benson, Latino Studies, including the Center for Mexican American Studies and the Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies, The Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas, the Humanities Institute and the Digital Humanities Institute, the Global Disinformation Lab, the Center for Latin American Visual Studies, The Blanton Museum of Art, and the Harry Ransom Center.

Furthermore, the presence of international fellows on the UT campus and across multiple colleges and departments will provide unparalleled opportunities to enhance our undergraduate and graduate students’ education. Mechanisms to achieve this include collaborating with our Title VI programs in Latin American, Slavic and Eurasian, and Middle Eastern studies as well as departments and units engaged in international education (for example, International Relations and Global Studies currently has over 800 majors). Additionally, we will partner with Texas Global, the international office of the university, to connect fellows with students seeking to advance their understanding of Latin America and the Caribbean. These academic units will allow fellows to engage students in various settings where dialogue on the history and realities of Latin America and the Caribbean can be held.

 

Timeline
  • January-February 2023: Establish a nominations committee of university and community experts to identify potential fellows; establish university selection committee and work to establish criteria for selection of fellows:
  • March-April 2023: Nominations committee will collect relevant data on potential fellows to submit to the selection committee for fellow selection; the selection committee will conduct a review of nominations and make discreet inquiries into candidates.
  • May-June 2023: Selection committee will interview and select initial cohort of up to four fellows to come to Austin.
  • June-July 2023: Program team, in partnership with Texas Global and several units at UT Austin, will assist fellows in all aspects of relocation, including arranging travel and visas, locating, and securing housing, school and childcare enrollment for families, and the documentation, cataloging, digitization and archiving of their own works for preservation and research purposes, as well as relevant materials to which they may need access during their fellowships.
  • August 2023: Initial cohort of fellows and their families arrive in Austin and join the UT community in their respective areas of expertise. September 2023: Fellows’ appointments at UT officially begin.
  • December 2023 – January 2024: Mid-year check to determine which fellowships will renew for a second year, which will return home or pursue other arrangements. For fellowships completing at one year but who are not able to return home, program team will discuss how to support next stage of fellows’ career.
  • January-February 2024: Based on outcomes of mid-year check-in, determine number of fellows to recruit for year two; for renewing fellows, determine whether they would continue their fellowships in Austin or spend the second year in Puerto Rico; begin identification process for new fellows for year two.
  • March-April 2024: Nominations Panel will collect relevant data on potential fellows to submit to UT panel for fellow selection; selection committee will conduct review of nominations and make discreet inquiries into candidates.
  • May-June 2024: Selection committee will interview and select initial cohort of up to four fellows to come to Austin. Begin planning and conversations for a grant renewal.
  • June-July 2024: Program team, working with campus partners, will assist new fellows in all aspects of relocation, including arranging travel and visas, locating and securing housing, school and childcare enrollment for families, and the documentation, cataloging, digitization and archiving of their own works for preservation and research purposes, as well as relevant materials to which they may need access during their fellowships. Program team will also assist continuing fellows who choose to transfer to Puerto Rico with relocation, and will assist fellows returning to their home countries with travel arrangements.
  • August 2024: Second year of fellows arrive in Austin and Puerto Rico. Submit grant renewal.
  • September 2024 and January 2025: Second year of fellows’ appointments officially begin.
  • March 2025: Mid-year check-in with current fellows—determine goals for return to home countries or continued risk to safety; for fellows who are unable to return to their home countries, program team will work to identify next-steps in careers, in partnership with Crossing Latinidades. Based on grant renewal outcome, begin identification process for future fellows.
  • August and December 2025: Conclude second year of fellowships.