Program is cancelled in Haiti. HOWEVER, I am currently searching for a new research site.
Undergraduate Research Opportunity in Haiti, Summer C
Research Training + Field School @ UF + Four Weeks in Haiti + Research Analysis
Application Review Underway
Applications are invited for two UF undergraduate students to participate in a research tutorial program led by Dr. Crystal Felima. This research explores disaster risk and social inequalities in Haiti. The research question that guides this summer program is, “What do disaster experiences, narrated by those in Haiti, reveal about disaster risk, foreign aid, and governance in Haiti?” Students will conduct narrative research to document individual and collective experiences, which contributes to broader cultural understandings of disasters and development in Haiti. Before fieldwork in Haiti, students will attend training to learn about Haitian culture, disaster studies, and specific methods training. In Haiti, students will be paired with a Haitian research assistant to share research tasks, which include GPS data collection, structured surveys, observations, and recorded, semi-structured interviews. Research teams will each have a voice recorder and internet USB device. After fieldwork, students will participate in data analysis. Students will be expected to present their research at an academic conference.
Undergraduate students will be provided:
- Roundtrip airfare to and from Cap-Haitien, Haiti
- Lodging and some meals
- A modest research stipend
- CISI Health Insurance
- Research materials and training stateside and in Haiti
- Students may elect to receive academic credit for this research experience
- Possibilities for using the data for senior thesis and other academic outputs
Not provided: program-related expenses (i.e., passport, tourist visa), vaccines, personal travel during and outside of program dates, entertainment expenses, personal purchases and souvenirs, and out-of-pocket expenses for medical and other emergencies.
Eligible applicants must have an interest exploring topics in anthropology, sociology, international studies, humanitarian studies, environmental studies, political science, Caribbean Studies, or related field. Students will need to have excellent interpersonal and writing skills. Must be flexible and adaptable to changing environments and living conditions. Eager to learn. Reliable. Exhibit multicultural competency.
Preferred qualifications include:
- Rising junior or senior
- Social science background with coursework in African American Studies, Anthropology, or Latin American Studies
- Intermediate fluency in Haitian Creole or French
Students with some but not all of the preferred qualifications are still encouraged to apply.
Application Materials:
- Completed Application
- One academic recommendation letter (Faculty/Staff must email letter directly to Dr. Felima)
- Unofficial transcript(s)
- Resume
Email application materials (please combine materials into one PDF) to Dr. Felima (felima@ufl.edu) by March 10th. In-person interviews for final candidates will be held March 18-22nd. Final decisions will be announced shortly thereafter.
This program is supported by the Center for Latin American Studies, with support from a Title VI area studies grant from the Department of Education, as well as from the UF International Center.
Incomplete applications will not be considered.
If you have any questions about this research opportunity, please email Dr. Felima or drop by her office (Library West 555).
Some Frequently Asked Questions:
I am graduating in May 2019. Can I still apply? Unfortunately, you are ineligible to apply. You must be a current student to receive the funds to travel.
I don’t speak Creole or French. Can I still apply? Yes, you can.
How can I receive academic credit? You can sign up for independent study/internship credit hours through your department/program. Please note that this research program will not pay for your summer credit hours.
Dates for fieldwork in Haiti? It is scheduled to start at the end of May or early June. After I select my researchers, we will go over dates to plan accordingly.
Dates for the overall program, including training? The program covers summer C term. Two weeks of training in May. Four weeks in Haiti starting the end of May or early June. After fieldwork, we will finish the data analysis in the comfort of our homes. We will stay in contact via email and GroupMe/WhatsApp and schedule meetings on Skype.
Would I need to be on campus for training for the summer? Yes
Is housing provided for the training in Gainesville? Currently, housing during training is not in the budget; however, after I select the team and finalize the final expenses, I hope to provide modest accommodations to those who need it.
Dr. Crystal A. Felima 