Applying for a Stipend in Support of a Research Visit to the DEFA Film Library

THE FOUNDER'S FUND FOR STUDENT RESEARCHERS

All graduate and undergraduate students in the U.S. or Canada who are undertaking supervised research into topics related to East German cinema are welcome to apply for Founder’s Fund support for a research visit to the DEFA Film Library. The following information will be helpful in developing projects and applying for support:

  • All inquiries and applications should be directed to Prof. Mariana Ivanova and Dr. Victoria Rizo Lenshyn. Please include “FOUNDER’S FUND” in the subject line of all emails.
  • All DEFA Film Library staff members are always happy to answer questions, advise students on our resources and help plan student research projects.
  • Research visits must be arranged well ahead of time, so as not to coincide with periods of peak activity at the DEFA Film Library. Please email as soon as possible in your planning process to discuss a mutually practical time for a visit.

Students wishing to come to the DEFA Film Library to use our collections and consult with our staff should email a proposal to Dr. Victoria Rizo Lenshyn. Our collections include historic film journals* and a reference library, as well as an extensive collection of films on DVD, print (16 and 35mm) and video streaming; in developing your proposal, please be advised that primarily films available on DVD can be viewed on our premises. Further collections on East German society and culture are held in the Special Collections of the University Archives (SCUA).**

The proposal should include:

  • Name; title of research project; academic level; institution; name and contact information for professor or instructor overseeing the project; your resume or CV.
  • Project proposal, including:
    • Size, scope and type of project (e.g., paper, thesis, film, etc.)
    • Summary description of project
    • Background or literature review explaining the context and importance of the project
    • Main question/s driving the research and the sources you plan to use
    • At the DEFA Film Library: what specific materials or types of materials would you like to consult? Insofar as possible, please list the titles of films and journal articles.* Please also indicate if you wish to consult SCUA materials at the WEB Du Bois Library.**
    • Proposed dates or general timeframe of visit
    • Budget itemizing costs involved in the research visit and total expense
    • Other possible sources and amounts of funding

*  You can see indexes for many of our film journals on our website. 

**  You can also see some collections related to East Germany at SCUA, part of UMass Amherst's W.E.B. Du Bois Library, on their website.

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