“We were delighted to host Claudia Kinkela, who so generously shared many important insights during her visit. The breadth of regional engagement was impressive and represents a thriving scholarly community across the consortium. The NEH site visit will continue to have a positive impact for humanists in the Corridor and beyond,” remarked . “The work of the Working Group, comprised of the three directors plus Aimee and Sarah, is part of the infrastructure behind these research support offerings designed to enhance research community and deepen scholarly engagement across the region. ”

A Full Day of Programming, Tips and Guidance for Successful Proposals

The morning commenced with an informal meet-and-greet over breakfast, setting a collaborative tone for the day ahead. Kinkela led workshop sessions offering a comprehensive overview of NEH programs, special initiatives and grant opportunities tailored to faculty.

A highlight of the event was a mock peer review panel moderated by Kinkela, which clarified proposal evaluation criteria. Panelists included , associate professor and director of undergraduate studies in art history at Syracuse University; , professor of history and assistant dean of faculty at Hartwick College; and , associate professor of history at Hamilton College, all previous NEH fellowship recipients.

Attendees also received an NEH information sheet with practical tips for successful grant submissions. They advised attendees to: carefully review the entire application guidelines and rubrics before beginning the application; tailor each application to the appropriate audience; outline methods, sources, work plan, and timeline; anticipate readers’ questions and preemptively address them.

“The National Endowment for the Humanities fosters excellence and reinforces the foundational aspects the humanities scholarship and education,” says , Syracuse University’s vice president for research. “We are immensely grateful to the NEH for their support of the corridor and Claudia Kinkela’s visit.”

NEH Grant Recipients at SU

Mariaelena Huambachano was recently awarded a highly competitive 2024 NEH Summer Stipend—the first awarded to an A&S faculty member since 2017—for her project . Huambachano, an assistant professor, will conduct ethnographic research for a book exploring how the food knowledge of Indigenous women of Peru and the U.S. thrive within the industrial food system.

Johannes Himmelreich, assistant professor of public administration and international affairs in the Maxwell School, received funding (2024) from the NEH grant program, Dangers and Opportunities of Technology: Perspectives from the Humanities, for his project, to examine the relationship between technology and society through a humanities lens.

Chris DeCorse, Distinguished Professor and chair of anthropology in the Maxwell School, received an Archeological and Ethnographic Field Research grant for his project, Outpost of Empire: Kormantine, the slave trade, and England’s first outpost in Africa, to support archeological research of Kormantine Fort (1631-1665), located in modern-day Ghana.

Other A&S | Maxwell humanities faculty recipients of grants from NEH include: , associate professor of art and music histories (2021). She received a prestigious collaborative research grant to on the historic architecture, collections and gardens of the iconic Victoria Memorial Hall in Calcutta; and (2019), associate professor of political science in the Maxwell School, who received a fellowship to .

What is “Open Access Publishing?”

 The CNY Humanities Corridor also convened attended by more than 100 people and featuring guests from MIT Press, University of California Press, University of Michigan Press and Syracuse University in December.

Multifaceted Support: Providing Time to Write…

The NEH visit complemented another CNY Humanities Corridor event last fall, which was designed to facilitate writing for humanities faculty.

This annual retreat, in its third year, provides faculty with the time and space they need to focus on their writing and offers important opportunities to connect with scholars from across the corridor. The retreat takes place at on Blue Mountain Lake in the Adirondack Mountains, providing scholars a respite from the rigors of teaching and time away from their regular academic routines. Each year, attendees make meaningful progress on their projects thanks to the supportive community, nourishing meals and invigorating intellectual exchanges flourishing in this beautiful, natural setting.

This year, writing coaches offered the cohort of 35 an array of optional workshops, group writing sessions and one-on-one consultations for writers to check in on specific projects and issues, including how to make their writing process more sustainable and fulfilling.

“Time is what faculty have been asking for, and time is what faculty need in order to progress in their research,” shared , program manager for the CNY Humanities Corridor, in a . “A few days at Minnowbrook can help people settle into their writing and feel a sense of camaraderie with colleagues across the region. This is especially valuable in midst of a busy fall semester.”

The cohort for the October 2024 retreat is full, but applications for 2025 will open this fall.