Research Travel Award: Study Software Preservation and Emulation in Libraries, Archives in Museums OVERVIEW The Fostering a Community of Practice: Software Preservation and Emulation Experts in Libraries and Archives (FCoP) [IMLS grant RE-95-17-0058-17] project is calling for FCoP Research Travel Award applications <http://www.softwarepreservationnetwork.org/fcop-research-travel-award/> from October 24, 2018 - December 5, 2018. Research undertaken using the FCoP Travel Award will take place at two of the six FCoP project sites: University of Arizona <http://www.softwarepreservationnetwork.org/fcop/#fcop-team4>, Guggenheim Museum <http://www.softwarepreservationnetwork.org/fcop/#fcop-team2>, University of Virginia <http://www.softwarepreservationnetwork.org/fcop/#fcop-team1>, University of Illinois <http://www.softwarepreservationnetwork.org/fcop/#fcop-team6>, Living Computers: Museum + Labs <http://www.softwarepreservationnetwork.org/fcop/#fcop-team5>, Georgia Tech University <http://www.softwarepreservationnetwork.org/fcop/#fcop-team3>. Research outcomes are expected to complement the efforts of the FCoP project, and the Software Preservation Network <http://www.softwarepreservationnetwork.org/about/> more broadly, which seeks to bring software preservation into mainstream digital preservation practice (addressing specific legal, metadata and technical preservation and access challenges). RESEARCH TRAVEL AWARD DESCRIPTION In complement to research-in-practice currently underway by members of the FCoP cohort, the FCoP Research Travel Award will fund an academic researcher (doctoral students, post-docs or junior faculty/pre-tenure faculty) to travel up to four times (two visits each to two different project sites - once earlier in their project timeline and once closer to completion of their projects) in order to observe and document different organizational approaches to software preservation and emulation. The researcher will be expected to submit at least two peer-reviewed open access journal articles before May 2020. Important practice-based questions driving the creation of the FCoP Research Travel Award include: 1. How are the outcomes of local problem solving, policy development and changes to practice translated to shifts reflected in discussions between cohort members? 1. How do these outcomes help us to focus the field on areas of activity that would benefit the most from collective action? 2. How does each organization translate system-level activity into their local context? 1. Where are their major gaps in the translation of more general tools and outcomes in local organizational contexts? 3. What types of data are more or less comparable across organizational contexts? 1. Where else can we look to understand the relationship between local and field-level changes to practice? 2. How does the available data limit our understanding of which strategies are most effective for broadening participation in software preservation? Given these practice-based questions, we invite scholars from information studies, sociology, law, sociotechnical systems/science and technology studies, communication studies, public policy, economics, organizational studies, and related fields to apply for the award. In particular, the FCoP team is looking for proposed research that advances understanding of practice through the lens of one or more of the following research areas: Standards Development and Sociology of Standards; Information Infrastructure; Capacity Building and Economic Sustainability of Public Institutions; Cross-institutional and Cross-sector Alignment (Collective Impact); Information and Technology Policy; Legal Advocacy for Cultural Institutions; and Social Impact of Public/Private Partnerships. Any research resulting from the travel award should aim to build stronger theory and empirical evidence in at least one of these areas. Regardless of the applicant’s scholarly/discursive community, researchers will be asked to explicitly address the ways in which their research methods speak to the goals of “participatory action research” in their application. Selection for the/Benefits of the FCoP Research Travel Award includes: - $5,000 travel award to be used primarily for airfare, hotel accommodations, ground transportation and travel per diem. If, after completing their research site visits, the researcher’s travel costs are below the $5,000 allotted, additional uses including conference registration costs and publication costs may be considered. - Direct access to FCoP Cohort members for interviews and observation - Access to Software Preservation Network community resources - Action research opportunity that has the potential to make a significant impact on cultural stewardship practice All FCoP Research Travel Award applications must include: - Research Statement - How does the fellowship fit into your research agenda - How will you bring your research interests and skills to bear on the intended practical outcomes of the project - 1-3 well-defined research questions that could be answered in the scope of this research travel award - CV from the Applicant - 2 Letters of Recommendation APPLICATION TIMELINE
From October 24 to December 5, 2018 the FCoP Project Staff for the FCoP Research Travel Award <http://www.softwarepreservationnetwork.org/fcop-research-travel-award/>
MORE INFORMATION: For more details about the FCoP project, check out the project website: http://www.softwarepreservationnetwork.org/fcop/