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University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
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Scholars-in-Residence

The School of Information Sciences is pleased to host a number of scholars-in-residence. These visiting scholars work with faculty and students on specific research projects, offer guest lectures about their research, and attend the course lectures, study groups, and formal presentations within the iSchool and the wider University.

Current and recent scholars-in-residence include:

Ke Liu, visiting scholar
Institution: Renmin University of China
Research Area: Digital Humanities & Archival Education
September 2022 - August 2023
Faculty Sponsor: J. Stephen Downie

Zhang Sun, visiting scholar
Institution: Nanjing University, China
Research Area: Digital Humanities & History of Books & Reading
September 2022 - August 2023
Faculty Sponsor: Ryan Cordell

Trish Luker, visiting scholar
Institution: University of Technology Sydney (UTS)
Research Area: Legal Decision Making
August - September 2022
Faculty Sponsor: Bonnie Mak

Julian Schröter, visiting scholar
Institution: University of Würzburg, Germany
Research Area: Digital Humanities
August 2022 - February 2023
Faculty Sponsor: Ted Underwood

Amna Farzand Ali, visiting scholar
Institution: University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Research Area: Information Privacy & Social Networking
June-December 2022
Faculty Sponsor: Madelyn Sanfilippo

Johan Krause, visiting scholar
Institution: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany
Research Area: Knowledge Representation & Information Extraction
May-October 2022
Faculty Sponsor: Jodi Schneider

Yongming Li, visiting scholar
Institution: Xi’an Jiaotong University, China
Research Area: HCI & Human-AI Interaction
January 2022 - December 2023
Faculty Sponsor: Yun Huang

Interested in applying to be a scholar-in-residence? 

We welcome requests from potential visiting scholars and are excited by the prospect of working with as many as possible; however, the School often receives more applications than it can accept. Priority is given to applicants working in the current research areas of those faculty who will be on campus during the proposed visit. We also give preference to scholars who have already completed a doctorate degree and doctoral students who are actively engaged as researchers at other institutions. 

We will entertain applications from advanced students who are currently enrolled at another university and actively involved in research. All applicants should identify an iSchool faculty member whose work is relevant to their interests and submit the information specified below. 

Visits may last up to one calendar year.

Support Offered

Although the iSchool is unable to provide financial support, each scholar-in-residence is given a workspace, university library access, network access, and other forms of support for research. 

Visiting scholars who will not be paid from a source on campus during their visit are required to provide documentation of financial support in the amount of $1,700 per month for themselves, $600 per month for their first dependent, and $300 per month for each additional dependent. Proof of health insurance coverage is also required. 

The iSchool and the University will assist in completing the paperwork to obtain a J-1 Visa from the United States government. Additional information of interest to international visitors can be found on the International Student & Scholar Services website. 
 

Application Process

1. Identify a faculty member with whom you’d like to work. Use Research Areas and Faculty webpages. You are welcome to reach out to faculty members ahead to time to ask if they would be interested in serving as your supervisor. 
Note: please do NOT apply to work with multiple faculty members at the same time; it will not improve your chances for acceptance to the Scholars-in-Residence program.
 

2. Send the following application information to ischool-sir@illinois.edu

  • Email: Your name, contact information, institution, area of study, and date of birth, and the name and email of the iSchool faculty member who would serve as your supervisor.
  • Attach: A letter of intent, stating 1) a desire to participate in the Scholars-in-Residence program in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2) the expected dates of the visit, and 3) sources of financial support;
    A research interest statement, including 1) the name and outline of your proposed plan of work, 2) an iSchool faculty research collaborator, and 3) a statement of how your work connects with that of your chosen collaborator;
    A current resume or curriculum vita;
    The name and contact information for three academic references, who may be contacted regarding your scholarly ability and/or your facility with written and spoken English (if not a native speaker). 

3. Watch for emails ischool-sir@illinois.edu. These will keep you up to date on where your application is in the process. 

Accepted as a scholar-in-residence? 

Once you have received your official notice of acceptance, please remember to: 

  • Work with the iSchool on visa documents. You will receive an email from someone in our Human Resources office.
  • Work with your collaborator to finalize your timeline for arrival. They will be your point of contact for access and support, including keys, desk, and wifi access. 
  • Please email ischool-sir@illnois.edu if you have questions.

Other Visiting Scholar Opportunities

International visitors who are currently employed in a library, information center, or archive should also consider applying to the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs based at the University of Illinois Library.