The following story is the third in a series of profiles on the recipients of the Arts & Sciences Faculty Grants Fund. The Faculty Grants Fund provides support for A&S faculty research, conference travel, and student hourly wages that are related to a specific research project. You can support efforts like the Faculty Grants Fund by giving to the Arts & Sciences Annual Fund.

Most of us see oceans as in-between spaces, separating continents, people and cultures. Magali Compan, Professor of French & Francophone Studies, sees oceans differently, as places filled with humanity. Most of all, she is interested in what oceans can tell us about the hidden dynamics of colonialism and their lasting impacts.

Language is essential to community. Jack Martin, Professor of English and Linguistics at William & Mary, works with Native American communities across the American south to document and revitalize Native languages. With funding from the Faculty Grants Fund, Martin has embarked upon the latest phase of that research: creating a digital dictionary of the Muscogee language.