UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Increasing undergraduate students’ engagement in humanities research is the focus of a new initiative being launched by the Penn State Humanities Institute with support from the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence and University Libraries.

The partners will kick off the Student Research Initiative with a symposium, “Rethinking Undergraduate Research in the Humanities,” on Friday, Oct. 15, at West Pattee Library and virtually via Zoom.

In addition to showcasing humanities-focused research being conducted by faculty and undergraduates and exploring avenues for fostering greater collaboration moving forward, the daylong event will feature a keynote address titled “Community-led, Faculty-mentored: Innovations in Undergraduate Research” by Eric Hartman, executive director for the Center for Peace and Global Citizenship at Haverford College.

“Our objective is to share information about the most exciting established practices and to spur new ideas about student-faculty collaboration in research in the humanities,” said John Christman, Penn State professor of philosophy, political science and women’s studies, and director of the Humanities Institute. “By showing how students can get involved in research projects with faculty, we hope to illustrate the exciting opportunities available to humanities students."

Any Penn State faculty, staff or graduate students interested in attending the symposium either virtually or in person are welcome to do so; Visit the Humanities Institute’s Student Research Initiative webpage to register or view the schedule of events. Please note that Penn State requires those attending in-person events to wear a mask indoors regardless of vaccination status.