Call for Applications: Humanities EXPLORE Undergraduate Research Fellowship with Professor Zac Zimmer, 2024-2025
Research Assistant: Human Imagination and Artificial Intelligence (Literature)
We encourage work-study and non-work-study students to apply. This role is only open to undergraduate students with a declared or proposed Humanities major or minor and requires work authorization.
Application Deadline: Wednesday, November 20, 2024
The Humanities Division and The Humanities Institute are excited to announce an experiential learning opportunity for undergraduates at UC Santa Cruz to work with Literature Professor Zachary.
The Humanities Experiential Learning Opportunities in Research (EXPLORE) Program connects Humanities majors and minors to faculty-led research projects in the division. EXPLORE Fellows are mentored by faculty members to develop skills and knowledge to help them make an impactful intellectual or creative contribution to their field. Students gain practical experience and professional training that builds on their studies in the Humanities. At the same time, faculty benefit from students’ assistance and academic expertise.
Applicants must have a declared or proposed major or minor in the Humanities Division at the time of their application to be eligible. Please see the Humanities Division majors and minors list to check your eligibility before applying.
About The Project
This mixed-methods project explores the intersection (or the missed connection) between human imagination and artificial intelligence technosystems. Research assistants will monitor the news for AI stories with a critical edge, search for examples of contemporary cultural production (narrative, art, film, digital projects) that critically engage AI techno systems, and conduct historical and archival research on the cultural components of AI tehcno systems. Research assistants will be encouraged to enroll in my spring quarter seminar on "Artificial Intelligence and Human Imagination".
Position Description
RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPECTATIONS
- Weekly Meetings(15%): one 90 minute meeting with Professor Zimmer, and one 90-minute meeting with cross-disciplinary AI research teams across campus
- Reading/Summarizing Research Papers(20%): journals and groups like Critical AI, Big Data & Society, Distributed AI Research (DAIR), and the Algorithmic Justice League.
- 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.
Required Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities
- You are a declared or proposed major or minor in a department in the Humanities Division and are in good academic standing. If your major or minor is proposed, you can declare by the end of the academic year in June. [strict eligibility requirement]
- 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]
- An interest in exploring critical perspectives on technology
- The ability to work independently and collaboratively
- Strong organizational and communicative (writing) skills
Preferred Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities
- Some familiarity with Generative AI systems is helpful but not required.
- Previous coursework or independent study of cultural/literary analysis
Position Term: Winter 2025 - Summer 2025
Hours: 15-20 hours/week
Compensation: $20/hour
# Positions Available: 2
Mentorship: You will work closely with and report to Literature Professor Zac Zimmer. They will delegate tasks, review your work, provide coaching, and help you understand professional research. You will meet to check in at least once per week
Apply By Submitting
- Your updated resume
- A short cover letter (no more than one page) answering these questions: Why are you interested in this position? How does your academic expertise and skillset prepare you for this role? What are you hoping to gain from this opportunity?
REVIEW these resume and cover letter resources to ensure you are a strong candidate! For application help, see Humanities Career Engagement.
- Address your cover letter to Zachary Zimmer
Once the application window closes, there will be an interview process with top candidates. This job is expected to start in January 2025.
Please contact the EXPLORE Program coordinator, Kylie Rachwalski, at hum-experiential-learning@ucsc.edu with any questions.
The Mellon Foundation, The Helen and Will Webster Foundation, The Humanities Institute, and the UCSC Humanities Division generously support the Humanities EXPLORE Program.
