Collaborative High-Risk Anthropological and Archaeological Research Program (HRAR)
Program Description:
The intent of this program is to encourage scholars to assess the feasibility of an archaeological research project, and to encourage the use of innovative research methods. Proposals with a high risk of failure are less likely to receive funding from traditional research grant programs, but they may also have great potential for the advancement of the discipline. The collaborative high-risk program intends to give an opportunity to risky projects by providing small awards that permit investigators to assess the feasibility of an archaeological research project. Funding is provided for developing pilot archaeological projects that have challenges related to the development of innovative, but untested, research methodologies. Funding can also be requested for research that has severe time restraints due to social, environmental, or political circumstances. The information gathered during the assessment phase of research may then be used as a basis for preparing a more fully developed research program.
The program promotes international collaboration between scholars from Bulgaria and the Balkans with those from the US, and other nations in Western Europe. The intent of the program is to fund archaeological and bioarchaeological research, including field work, museum and/or laboratory research. The program strongly encourages proposals from researchers interested in employing and developing innovative analytical techniques that will advance the scientific study of the human past.
Projects are required to be collaborative with at least one Bulgarian co-primary investigator (PI) and one international co-PI from the US or Western Europe. The project must focus on issues central to Bulgarian or Balkan archaeology. The program requires that international and Bulgarian researchers serve as co-Primary Investigators (PIs) on the grant. The international PI from the US or Western Europe must apply through an accredited institution with which the international researcher is affiliated and to which the grant will be made. That institution will be responsible for financial oversight of the grant. All projects funded through this program are required to acknowledge ARCS and ABF in presentations and publications that derive from the research.
Since these funds are intended to support preliminary high-risk research, requests for funds should not under normal circumstances exceed $30,000 for a one-year period. Requests for smaller projects are especially welcome. Applicants, however, are encouraged to apply for other ARCS archaeology programs once the tested research methods have been developed and refined. Requests for funding must be in US dollars.
Eligibility Requirements:
At the time of application submission, applicants must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:
The international co-PI must have a Ph.D. from an accredited academic institution.
The Bulgarian co-PI must have a Masters or a Ph.D. from an accredited academic institution.
The Bulgarian co-PI must hold a permanent position in a Bulgarian research institute, museum, or university.
Applicants must demonstrate evidence of English proficiency.
Applications must be made through an institution in the US or Western Europe to which the grant will be awarded, and which will assume financial oversight of the award.
Pre-Application Submission:
Prospective applicants must first submit a completed pre-application that briefly presents the applicants, the research objectives, project duration, and a high-risk statement, as well as the total amount of the request. Pre-Applications should be sent no later than November 1, 2011 to the following e-mail address: abf@fieldmuseum.org.
Full Application Submission: Applicants must use the most recent pre-application and full application materials, which are available online at: www.arcsofia.org http://fieldmuseum.org/explore/america-bulgaria-foundation-archaeological-advancement-program
Please note that if our review of your initial inquiry is favorable, the program administrator will notify you within a week that you may complete the full application. All full application materials must be received no later than December 1, 2011. A hard copy of the proposal materials must be submitted as well as a CD with an electronic copy to each of the following:
HRAR Proposal Coordinator Department of Anthropology The Field Museum 1400 S Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60605-2496, USA
Archaeology Program Officer American Research Center in Sofia 75 Vasil Petleshkov Str. Sofia 1510, Bulgaria
Inquiries:
Inquiries about eligibility and pre-application can be sent in English via email to abf@fieldmuseum.org or ehn2@cornell.edu. Inquiries in Bulgarian can be addressed to Mrs. Dilyana Ivanova at divanova@fieldmuseum.org and Dr. Emil Nankov at ehn2@cornell.edu.