On a Wednesday afternoon in April, a cohort of seven professors from MIT’s School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS) gathered at the Lewis Music Library as the inaugural SHASS Faculty Fellows. This semester-long program aims to foster collaboration among scholars from diverse disciplines. The faculty met biweekly to share lunch and updates on their research.
At this meeting, associate professor Emily Richmond Pollock presented her work on an opera festival in Sarasota, Florida, exploring how American institutions relate to opera traditions. The SHASS Faculty Fellows program is designed to cultivate such scholarly environments, encouraging dialogue among scholars with varying approaches and methodologies.
Faculty must apply for the program, which is administered by the MIT Human Insight Collaborative (MITHIC). Participants also engage with students, as shown by Faculty Fellow Volha Charnysh’s presentation on the effects of large-scale humanitarian aid to Burchard Scholars, connecting faculty with promising MIT undergraduates.
Pollock described the program as an opportunity to focus on her book, "Opera on Uncommon Ground: Five American Festivals," aimed at opera enthusiasts. Faculty Fellow Richard Nielsen is working on his project, "Fighting War with Divine Intervention," examining how beliefs influence combatants in conflicts. He highlighted the value of engaging with a diverse group of fellows, which has enriched his research perspective.
This program not only fosters academic collaboration but also strengthens collegial ties among faculty. Applications for the next cohort of SHASS Faculty Fellows will open this fall, promising to attract more scholars to this vibrant academic community.
Blogger's Review: The SHASS Faculty Fellows program at MIT exemplifies the immense potential of interdisciplinary collaboration. Through regular discussions and exchanges, scholars can break down disciplinary barriers and inspire innovative thinking. This open academic environment not only directly benefits participants' research but also injects fresh vitality into the broader academic community.