Call for Applications: Humanities EXPLORE Research Fellowship with Professor Zac Zimmer–2025-2026
Alien Intelligence & Human Imagination (Literature)
We encourage work-study and non-work-study students to apply. This internship is only open to undergraduate students with a declared or proposed Humanities major or minor and requires work authorization.
Application Deadline: May 18, 2025
The Humanities Experiential Learning Opportunities in Research (EXPLORE) Program connects undergraduate Humanities majors and minors with faculty-led projects in the division for paid research positions. Fellows gain valuable mentorship and practical experience.
Details
Duration: Summer 2025 (remote) and Academic Year 2025–26
Hours: 10-15 hours/week
Pay: $20/hour
Mentorship: Weekly meetings and support from Professor Zac Zimmer (Literature)
About the project
This project examines how two kinds of AI–artificial intelligence and alien intelligence–connect to the human imagination, or sometimes don’t. As a research assistant, you'll work on projects connected to two of Professor Zimmer's research areas: Astrobiology and AI Training Data. You'll track contemporary developments that raise important questions or challenges in those fields. You’ll also look for creative works like films, art, stories, or digital media that explore or critique these alien and/or artificial intelligences in ways that fully engage the imagination. Part of the work will include digging into the history and cultural background of how people have thought about both artificial intelligence and astrobiological concepts of extraterrestrial intelligence over time in comparative cultural contexts.
What You’ll Do
- Weekly Meetings(15%): one 90-minute meeting with Professor Zimmer and one 90-minute meeting with cross-disciplinary research teams across campus
- Reading/Summarizing Research Papers (20%): journals and groups like Critical AI, Big Data & Society, Distributed AI Research (DAIR); and publications in the interdisciplinary field of Astrobiology.
- Reading/Watching Literary and Popular Depictions of AI systems(25%): writing abstracts/summaries/reviews (examples: the film Ex Machina, Ted Chiang's short story collection Exhalation, Molly White's Web3 is Going Just Great)
- Historical Research(25%): on the cultural origins of AI research (example: Wendy Hui Kyong Chun's Discriminating Data: Correlation, Neighborhoods, and the New Politics of Recognition)
- Assembling Research Notes(15%): into a bibliography of Critical AI scholarship and critical cultural depictions of AI technosystems.
- Humanities EXPLORE Programming (5%): Attend a quarterly meeting when possible and participate in asynchronous Canvas experiential learning reflection.
Eligibility & Qualifications
- You must be a declared or proposed major or minor in a Humanities Division department and have good academic standing. If proposed, declare by June.
- Eligible majors: Applied Linguistics and Multilingualism, Classical Studies, Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, Feminist Studies, History, Jewish Studies, Language Studies, Linguistics, Literature, Philosophy, Spanish Studies
- Eligible minors: Black Studies, Classical Studies, East Asian Studies, History of Consciousness, History, Italian Studies, Jewish Studies, Language Studies, Linguistics, Literature, Middle Eastern and North African Studies, Philosophy, Spanish Studies
- You have work authorization (required)
- You can work independently and collaboratively (required)
- An interest in exploring critical perspectives on technology
- The ability to work independently and collaboratively
- Strong organizational and writing skills
- Some familiarity with Generative AI systems is helpful but not required.
- Previous coursework or independent study of cultural/literary analysis is helpful but not required
How To Apply
- Updated resume
- 1-page cover letter addressing:
- Why you’re interested in this role
- If you're more interested in the Artificial Intelligence side or the Astrobiology (i.e. Alien Intelligence) side of the project.
- How your background and skills apply
- What you hope to gain from the experience
- Address your letter to Professor Zac Zimmer
Review these resume and cover letter resources to ensure you are a strong candidate! For application help, see Humanities Career Engagement.
Questions? Email Kylie Rachwalski at hum-experiential-learning@ucsc.edu
The Mellon Foundation, The Helen and Will Webster Foundation, The Humanities Institute, the UCSC Humanities Division, and private donors generously support the Humanities EXPLORE Program.
Misconduct Disclosure Requirement:
As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.
- “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC’s policies addressing some forms of misconduct:
