Virginia Tech Visiting Scholars
Virginia Tech’s Office for Equity and Inclusion and AdvanceVT are pleased to invite proposals for the Virginia Tech Visiting Scholars Program. This program, initiated by AdvanceVT, is being expanded in response to recommendations of the Task Force on Race and the Institution.
The Visiting Scholars Program is designed to support faculty recruitment efforts through building or expanding connections between Virginia Tech and outstanding scholars from other institutions. Financial and administrative support is available to invite early- to mid-career professionals to campus for short visits outside the usual recruitment process. Participation in the Visiting Scholars Program offers high visibility and broad exposure across campus to both visitor and host. The program is especially interested in supporting visits by individuals who
- are potential candidates for current or future faculty hires; and
- contribute to increasing excellence, equity and diversity at Virginia Tech.
Visiting Scholars may be invited to present an overview of their research to a broad audience of the university community, followed by an open reception, or to an informal networking meeting with faculty, postdoctoral researchers and/or graduate students. Ample time will be available for the scholarly/technical aspects of the visit, to be organized by the host department in conjunction with the Office for Equity and Inclusion and AdvanceVT.
Virginia Tech academic units or faculty who wish to invite an individual to Blacksburg under the Visiting Scholars Program should submit an informal letter proposal including the following:
- a brief profile of the proposed visitor, preferably including a short resume (1-2 pages);
- a brief description of how the proposed visit will contribute to faculty recruitment efforts;
- a brief summary of how the proposed visit will support creating and sustaining a more diverse and inclusive community at Virginia Tech; and
- an endorsement by the department chair.
Proposals are accepted at any time during the academic year; about ten awards will be made in 2009-10. Cost sharing is encouraged. Flexible arrangements are welcome. For more information or to submit a proposal, please contact Peggy Layne at playne@vt.edu.
The Office for Equity and Inclusion is charged with creating and sustaining a more diverse and inclusive community of learners at Virginia Tech. For more information about the office, see www.oei.vt.edu. AdvanceVT works to encourage cultural change and remove barriers to success so that all faculty members can reach their greatest potential, with a special focus on women in science and engineering. AdvanceVT is supported by the National Science Foundation and the Office of the Provost. For more information about AdvanceVT, see www.advance.vt.edu.