Background
The arts and sciences have a multidimensional relationship, with intersection and inspiration that is recurrent and reciprocal. Beyond creativity, the relationship between the arts and the sciences is informed by curiosity, a desire to understand the world, and experimentation. Just as the fine and performing arts can convey scientific concepts, the sciences inform and inspire artistic exploration and invention. The Office of the Provost is pleased to fund a new pilot initiative, the William & Mary Art & Science Exchange (ASE). This program advances interdisciplinary, public-facing exhibitions, performances, workshops, and presentations devised by William & Mary students, faculty, and staff that illuminate the interplay between the arts and the sciences, the art in science, and conversely, the science in art. Selected interdisciplinary collaborations will be featured in a week-long series of public exchanges from March 24-28, 2025.
Considerations
Teams composed of William & Mary students, faculty, and staff are eligible to apply for grants to fund new interdisciplinary collaborations that result in a public-facing exhibition, performance, workshop, or presentation. Funded exchanges will provide students with transformative and personalized experiences, while encouraging the exploration of the relationship between the arts and the sciences, stimulating new discoveries, concepts, and perspectives, and inviting students of the arts to explore the sciences, and students of the sciences to explore the arts. While there is no limit on the size of each team, selected teams must have:
- At least one internal faculty investigator from Area I (fine, visual, or performing arts),
- At least one internal faculty investigator from Area II, III, (to include science disciplines previously within Area III, e.g., computer science, data science, applied science, and physics), or VIMS, and
- One or more student investigators (undergraduate and/or graduate). If your student investigator is a 1693, Monroe, Posse, Sharpe, or WMSURE Scholar, please note this in your proposal.
For more information regarding Arts & Sciences Areas, view page 38 from the A&S Faculty Manual.
Applicants can participate in more than one interdisciplinary collaboration. Teaching faculty and staff are eligible to participate. Forming collaborations across schools is encouraged. Exchanges that advance the goals of Vision 2026 and speak to any dimension of the Inclusive Excellence Framework will be prioritized. Selected teams should plan to present their work during the exchange, scheduled for the week of March 24-28, 2025.
Prior to the opening of the proposal submission window, to assist with organizing diverse perspectives and developing synchronicity, ASE will host two I.D.E.A. Exchanges on Monday, September 9, 2024 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. and Thursday, September 12, 2024 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., in the Glenn Close Theatre of PBK Memorial Hall. We are also pleased to partner with the W&M Entrepreneurship Hub, who will offer a workshop on “Entrepreneurial Thinking” (date TBD) for selected teams whose work will be featured in the spring event.
*I.D.E.A. stands for Innovate, Develop, Execute, and Achieve.
Funding
Three research teams will be allocated up to $25,000 each. Funding may be used to support the needs of the proposed collaborative endeavor. This funding may be used for personnel, supplies, travel, and other relevant and necessary, state-approved expenses needed to develop a public-facing exhibition, performance, workshop, or presentation. Grants awarded must be fully expended by April 30, 2025.
Review application here.
Apply Here
Review Process and Timeline
The submission window for proposals opens on Monday, September 16th and closes on Friday, October 11, 2024. The review committee will consist of faculty from across the university. Accordingly, each proposal should be written in a manner that is accessible to the reviewers outside of the expertise of the team. The review committee will make recommendations to the Provost’s Faculty Fellow, Omiyẹmi (Artisia) Green, who will make final funding decisions in consultation with the provost. Selected teams will be notified by Friday, October 25, 2024, with confirmations of acceptance due by Monday, October 28th.
Questions
For questions, please contact [[avgreen,Omiyẹmi (Artisia) Green]], Professor of Theatre & Africana Studies, and Provost’s Faculty Fellow.
