Student Scholars & Faculty Mentors
Projects funded by our internal grants program. Search the table to find students or faculty mentors that share in your interests, and could help you achieve your goals in research, creative activity, or service.
Native Representation in North American Museums: Subverting Relative Invisibility in Exhibits Through the Use of Visual Artifacts
Name: Traut,
Advisor: Amber Pfannenstiel
Department: ENGL
Award: Student Research Grant
Abstract: My project, two independent graduate research courses with original curriculum supplemented by attendance at an American Indian conference and theatrical performance, is multidisciplinary and spans several semesters. The first independent research course is ENGL 698 Legal Studies in American Indian Literature, blending Tribal and Federal American Indian law and policy (legal studies and anthropology) with indigenous literature (English). Attending the annual Repatriation Conference in the fall and Distant Thunder musical in the spring prior to ENGL 698 will enable me to determine which modern legal affairs are most relevant to study and network with contemporary professionals and artists in the American Indian community. The second independent research course is my capstone: ENGL 699 Native Voices Documentary. I will apply what I have learned in a documentary with real-world impact. The goal is to show the film at the Ware Center with a post-screening panel discussion. All aspects of this project which may benefit other students (conference/musical) are open to them, and I am working with their departments to identify collaborative opportunities.