Speaking of StudentsSpeaking of StudentsThe Graduate Student Committee has announced details of several student events for the upcoming annual meeting in Montreal in addition to those outlined in the July issue of SOS:
You can find details of these events and others — including the schedule of daily Roundtable Discussions at the student lounge, the Religion Beyond the Boundaries student lecture series, and a number of after hours events — on the new student pages at the AAR web site. The new pages also have information about how students can get involved in the AAR as well as links to useful sources on funding, publishing and finding jobs. To see the pages go www.aarweb.org and click on the “Members” link, then hit the “Students” tab and navigate to the information that interests you.
Speaking of Students is looking for a few student volunteers who are willing to gather news at the annual meeting for the January issue. The commitment is minimal. All it requires is agreeing to attend one event, take some notes and write a few paragraphs. Pick an event that interests you — the town hall meeting, the Saturday night party, one of the Religion Beyond the Boundaries lectures, a roundtable discussion at the student lounge — or come up with your own idea for covering the academic and social experience of students in Montreal. Those interested should contact SOS editor Charles Bernsen at cbernsen@comast.net.
While many of us are focused on the national meeting in November, we should not forget that the regional AAR conferences in the spring provide excellent forums for students to make contacts and present papers. The deadlines for submitting papers for most of those meetings are in the fall or early winter:
The University of St. Thomas invites graduate students and recent Ph.D.’s to apply for its 2010 summer seminar in philosophy of religion and philosophical theology. The three-week seminar is organized by Dean Zimmerman of Rutgers University and Michael Rota of St. Thomas. It will be held June 15 to July 2 on the St. Thomas campus in St. Paul, Minn. Participants will receive a stipend of $2,800 as well as room and board.
Topics and speakers are: the epistemology of religious belief, Alvin Plantinga (Notre Dame University) and Richard Feldman (University of Rochester); science and religion, Plantinga and Elliott Sober (University of Wisconsin); the cosmological argument, Alexander Pruss (Baylor University) and Peter van Inwagen (Notre Dame); the problem of evil, van Inwagen and Evan Fales (University of Iowa); the epistemology of disagreement, Roger White (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and Thomas Kelly (Princeton University); reductionism and the philosophy of biology, Alan Love (University of Minnesota); writing for audiences outside the academy, Peter Kreeft (Boston College).
The deadline for receipt of applications is December 1. For more information, including how to apply, go to www.stthomas.edu/philosophy/templeton/project.html.
AAR Student Director Nichole R. Phillips seeks an editor for Speaking of Students (SOS). The editor will solicit articles for the January, April, July, and October issues of SOS based on established submission guidelines. The editor will work closely with the student director, Graduate Student Committee chair, and the AAR staff liaison to the Graduate Student Committee. The editor will also submit an annual status report to the student director.
The term of service is January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2011. Qualifications include: current student membership in the AAR for at least one calendar year prior to applying, previous editing experience, and current enrollment in a doctoral program. Applicants should send a brief statement of interest with biographical sketch and current curriculum vitae to Nichole at phillipsnr@gmail.com. Applications must be received by Monday, November 16. The selection announcement will be made on December 1.
The student column in Religious Studies News, is seeking submissions for upcoming issues. “From the Student Desk” offers a chance to write about the challenges, ironies, disappointments and joys of being a graduate student. Publishing one of these short essays is a great way to connect with other students, to get your name and story before the eyes of the full membership of the AAR, and to add a line to your CV.
Submissions should be 800-850 words and be written in an engaging first-person voice. Topics can vary widely according to your experiences and interests. You might write about what aspect of the Ph.D. process you find most challenging: preparing for comprehensive exams, choosing a dissertation topic, doing research abroad, balancing work and family, or applying for fellowships and jobs? Has your field of study or personal background created particular academic hurdles? Have you had a “eureka” moment when you understood why you persist in studying religion?
These suggestions are intended merely to get your imagination going. Successful essays will be concrete, narrowly focused, and have a theme that matters to you. Send your essay to Carl Hughes at cshughe@emory.edu . Don’t hesitate to e-mail with questions. To be considered for the March 2010 issue of RSN, please submit your essay by December 15.