(via Gwen Gregory, Northern Illinois University)
Purpose
Society faces significant information challenges today, ranging from misinformation campaigns designed to confuse and disempower, to a lack of access to credible information that can have life-altering, disproportionate effects on different communities. Information Literacy researchers can make a positive difference in addressing these unwieldy challenges. With generous funding from Bob and Judy Brady, the Institute for Information Literacy at Purdue (hereinafter referred to as the Institute) invites applications for a two-year research funding program. The Institute will fund research projects that examine complex information challenges within select contexts and aim to develop or enhance information literacy models that enable people to successfully navigate and contribute to today’s information environment.
Program Description
Program priorities
The Institute will support and share innovative, community- or context-specific information literacy research (i.e. healthcare, social media, publishing). As information literacy is interdisciplinary by nature, projects that demonstrate a substantive collaboration between research from different fields (such as psychology or political science and information studies) will be prioritized for funding.
Information Literacy research and practice largely focuses on students in educational settings. The Institute seeks to expand knowledge around information literacy within a range of settings; therefore, priority will be given to projects that focus on effective information practices applied in a range of contexts and communities.
Who can apply?
The Institute will award five $4,000, two-year research grants to information literacy researchers, including current students or post-docs. Applications will be reviewed July-August, 2022. Funding will be awarded in September, 2022.
Program parameters and expectations
Projects should aim to inform the development or enhancement of an information literacy model or technique that supports individuals, communities, or organizations in using information wisely. Funded researchers will have the opportunity to engage in scholarly dialog with other funded researchers during the funding period. The research group can share ideas and methods for advancing information literacy research, share their progress on their research, and receive feedback and advice from one another. In October 2022, the Institute will host a symposium at which the researchers may share their research-in-progress to a broader audience, and outline the new models or techniques developed from the research.
Application Process
Applicants must submit a written application for their proposed project consisting of the following.
- a 2-3 page proposal completed with all elements of the supplied proposal template. These elements include: title, team members (including their expertise in subjects relevant to the proposed project), budget information, a statement of benefits for stakeholders, alignment with Institute research grant priorities, expected budget and justification, and references cited
- a 2-page CV for each project team member
Successful proposals will clearly define the need to examine the particular information challenge in the proposed context and how they aim to carry out the research using an Institute grant. For full details, please go here.
Submit your proposal using the template by e-mailing InstituteIL@purdue.edu no later than Friday, July 15.