Research

The Department of World Languages and Cultures offers a wide range of research opportunities that allow students to collaborate with faculty on projects that span across language, culture, politics, and social issues. Through undergraduate research assistantships, LAS undergraduate research awards, and the WLC Connects Speaker Series, students have the chance to engage in hands-on research, attend lectures, and contribute. Join us to explore these opportunities and add to your academic experiences.

Undergraduate research assistantships

Opportunities are available for students to collaborate with faculty to explore how politics and policy work. The main program operates through the university’s financial aid office, but other projects will be announced as they arise.

LAS undergraduate research awards

The college of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers funds to pay students to work alongside a faculty mentor on a research project, up to 10 hours a week during the academic year and 40 hours a week during the summer. Find out more about the program or learn more about undergraduate research in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

WLC Connects Speaker Series

The WLC Connects Speaker Series is an annual event in the Department of World Languages and Cultures. With support from ISU lectures and other campus units, the WLC Research Committee invites an external speaker whose work connects to two or more WLC faculty members’ research. Two WLC faculty members give brief introductions prior to the visiting scholar’s talk that links the themes and ideas being presented to their own work. The speaker series shows out students and campus community how WLC faculty’s interdisciplinary interests connect on various levels and across different fields.

Previous Speakers

2024: Websder Corneille, “Language Inequality and the Fight for Free Speech in Haiti: Two Sides of the Same Coin” (introduced by Dr. Guedeyi Hayatou and Dr. Gulbahar Beckett)
2023: Dr. Nevine El Nossery, “Arab Women’s Revolutionary Art” (introduced by Dr. Michèle Schaal and Dr. Xavier Dapena)
2022: Dr. Kyrstin Mallon Andrews, “A Stamp on the Seafloor: Navigating Risk and Visual Ethnography in Dominican Seascapes” (introduced by Dr. Max Viatori and Dr. Megan Jeanette Myers)

Ty Henderson Innovation Fund

The Ty Henderson Innovation Fund helps facilitate new faculty interdisciplinary research and teaching, particularly for WLC faculty who are interested in developing or advancing their profile in Languages and Cultures for Professions and other applied areas.

2024-2025 Fellow: Dr. Luana Lamberti
2023-2024 Fellow: Dr. Lindsay Preseau