MLA Public Humanities Incubator
The Modern Language Association Public Humanities Incubator program serves current graduate students who have an interest in contributing to public humanities scholarship.
Twelve participants are selected through a competitive application process and placed in teams with mentors active in the public humanities. Over the course of the incubator, from September to December, teams work with their mentors to envision their research as contributions to public humanities scholarship and to imagine audiences and impact, form and dissemination, collaboration and partnerships, and the project’s life cycle.
The MLA Public Humanities Incubator mentors for 2023 are
- Sarah Buchmeier, National Park Service
- Darryl Dickson-Carr, Southern Methodist Univ.
- Valerie Popp, New Jersey Council for the Humanities
- Michael A. Smith, The Fine Foundation
Public Humanities Incubator participants and their mentors present their projects in a lightning-round showcase at the 2024 MLA Annual Convention in Philadelphia. Visit MLA Commons to view past projects.
The 2023 application cycle closed on 10 July. Applications include a description of the candidate’s research and vision for public humanities scholarship, as well as a preliminary assessment of impact on the candidate’s professional development. Notifications of acceptance are sent in early August.
Please note:
- Only applications prepared by current graduate students will be considered.
- No funding is associated with this program. Participants are encouraged to apply for an Edward Guiliano Global Fellowship to support their work.
- Participants must be MLA members. If you are not a member at the time of application and your project is selected, you will be asked to join at the time of notification.
- Those participating in the MLA Public Humanities Incubator must commit to at least three meetings with their mentor between September and November and to a convention run-through with the MLA staff in December.
- Participants must commit to attending the MLA Annual Convention to present their projects. The names of Public Humanities Incubator participants and mentors will appear in the convention program. Participants are also honored at the convention’s awards ceremony. Participants are encouraged to apply for partial assistance to attend; applications are available beginning in September.
Questions? Contact Janine Utell, program manager for professional development, at jutell@mla.org.