Encouraging New Research at MUNFLA

Beginning Winter 2025, MUNFLA is piloting the Herbert and Violetta Halpert Research Fellowships, a new funding stream for visiting scholars, students, artists, and community researchers to conduct independent research in MUNFLA. The fellowship is open to individuals who are not affiliated with Memorial. MUNFLA will award up to $6,000, which may be divided among more than one recipient, to support up to 10 days of in-person archival research. Fellowship funds can be used to offset travel, lodging, childcare, or any other expenses associated with conducting in-person research at the Archive. Fellows will receive guidance on integrating archival materials into their project, and will have the opportunity to present on their findings and experiences of working in the Archive at a reception at the end of their Fellowship term.

Timeline:

• Applications are due March 31^st, 2025
• Notification of results by April 30^th, 2025
• Fellowships can begin May 1^st, 2025
• Fellowships must be competed by February 28^th, 2026

To apply: Please send an email with the subject line “MUNFLA Fellowship” to munfla@mun.ca by March 31 st, 2025 with the following information:

• A cover letter introducing yourself and the research you plan to complete in MUNFLA
• A budget and timeline for your proposed project
• An up-to-date CV or resume
• An optional sample of scholarly or artistic work, if applicable
• Names for two references if you are an undergraduate or graduate student

The Local Artist-in-Residence Program is an initiative developed by second-year MA student, Lo Lundrigan. With funding they procured from the Office of Public Engagement, Lo will run a residency program for a cohort of four local artists to introduce them to MUNFLA, train them on working in an archive, and provide sessions for creative consultation and collaboration in building archival collections into creative work. Artists from a broad array of disciplines and at early stages in their practices are encouraged to apply. Applications will be distributed in January, with the residency beginning in February 2025. The residency will culminate in an exhibit, tentatively scheduled for September 2025.

Click for full details on the 2025 Artists in Residence Call.

Support MUNFLA and Folklore at Memorial

As we move into the future and face continuing budget cuts at the university, MUNFLA and the Folklore Department have been able to continue its support of students and researchers through added support from several recent generous donations. As you may have read in the Department of Folklore newsletter, the support has funded many new public initiatives, allowed us to complete some much needed and overdue updates to our spaces and equipment, and has given us the opportunity to name our inaugural Herbert and Violetta Halpert Postdoctoral Research Fellow at MUNFLA. Increased donations to our endowment fund will help us continue the postdoctoral position, expand our student and visiting scholars research support, bring visiting scholars to campus (including many of our distinguished alumni), and help support new community engagement initiatives in the province such as the community field school. Consider MUNFLA and the Folklore Department in your charitable donations. Your support will help shape the next generation of folklorists!

Donations can be made to the archive using the Memorial University’s Office of Development "Give Online" form.

Inaugural Herbert and Violetta Halpert Postdoctoral Research Fellow

In October 2024, MUNFLA welcomed Dr. Sarah Shultz into the position of Inaugural Herbert and Violetta Halpert Postdoctoral Research Fellow. She received her PhD in Folklore from MUN and an MA in Folk Studies from Western Kentucky University.

During this fellowship, she will assist in the restructuring and development of collections policies, new program initiatives, grant writing, and archival research. View (page 14) of the December 2024 Department of Folklore Newsletter for more information on the work that Dr. Shultz has completed so far and her plans for future projects.