Postdoctoral Fellowships

Postdoctoral Fellowships 2020

ITALIAN STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

OVERVIEW
Value Currently at $35,000 (CAD), plus benefits
Duration 12 months: 1 July – 30 June
Teaching teach one full course equivalent (FCE), that is, one half course at the undergraduate level (September to December or January to April) + possibly co-teaching a graduate course or other various contributions to courses at the graduate level
Application Deadline 31 January 2020
Results Announced 31 March 2020
Number of positions per year 2
Application instructions below

DESCRIPTION OF THE POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP

The aim of the Postdoctoral Fellowship in Italian Studies at the University of Toronto is to support the most promising Canadian and international new scholars in Italian Studies and assist them in establishing a research base at an important time in their careers. We encourage applications from candidates working on any aspect of Italian Studies, including Literature, Linguistics, Cinema, Diaspora Studies, History, Arts, Theatre, Media, Cultural Studies, and Pedagogy, as well as from candidates working on interdisciplinary and comparative subjects involving Italian Studies.

Postdoctoral Fellowship provide stipendiary support to recent Ph.D. graduates who are:

  • undertaking original research
  • publishing research findings
  • developing and expanding professional research networks
  • broadening their teaching experience
  • preparing for research-intensive careers within and beyond academia
  • capitalizing on the resources of the University of Toronto in fields related to Italian Studies

VALUE AND DURATION

The Postdoctoral Fellowship in Italian Studies at the University of Toronto is currently valued at $35,000 (CAD) plus benefits per year. This is a taxable, non-renewable fellowship, tenable for a maximum of 12 months. The award will begin on 1 July and end on 30 June. Due to immigration and administration requirements, the fellow may request a postponement only under exceptional circumstances. Start dates may be postponed by a maximum of 15 days. Requests must be made at the time of application, if known, or in writing as soon as possible after the offer is made.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Subject Matter
The Postdoctoral Fellowship in Italian Studies at the University of Toronto is awarded through an open competition. Fellowship proposals may involve any aspects of Italian Studies, including Literature, Linguistics, Cinema, Diaspora, History, Arts, Theatre, Media, Cultural Studies, and Pedagogy, as well as interdisciplinary and comparative research involving Italian Studies.

Proposed research
The research proposed in the Postdoctoral Fellowship application must be significantly different and distinct from, or add significantly to, the work done by the applicant in his/her doctoral thesis. Research programs proposing simply the adaptation of doctoral theses for publication, the editing of textbooks, or translation are ineligible.

Eligibility to apply

  • Candidates must have a Ph.D. (or equivalent) in hand by December 31, 2019 and must have earned their first doctorate (or equivalent) from a recognized university no earlier than 5 years prior to and including the date of application (the date of completion is considered to be the date of completion of all degree requirements, not of graduation). Proof of degree must be included in the application package.
  • Allowable extensions to eligibility window: the window of eligibility can be extended by a cumulative maximum of two years if applicants had their career interrupted for the following reasons: parental leave; illness; health-related family responsibilities; or mandatory military service. No other exceptions will be allowed.
  • Candidates must have a native or near-native level of proficiency in English.
  • Exclusions: candidates must not hold a tenure or tenure-track, or equivalent, faculty position.

Candidates must find, prior to the application, a suitable faculty member supervisor within the Department who agrees to supervise them.

Responsibilities and duties of the Fellow:

To hold the award, fellows must:

  • engage in postdoctoral research for the period of the award
  • teach one full course equivalent (FCE): that is, one course at the undergraduate level (September to December or January to April) + various contributions to courses at the graduate level. Courses will normally be related to the areas of specialization of the candidate, as well as to the needs of the Department
  • present their research in a public Goggio Lecture
  • prepare a report at the end of the fellowship, before leaving the University of Toronto

APPLICATION PROCESS

Before submitting their application, applicants must ensure that they meet the requirements specified under Eligibility Criteria (see above).

In order to apply, candidates must send the following documents to Andrea Santos, italian.studies@utoronto.ca. Correspondence must be conducted strictly in English.

  1. Cover Letter (including first and last name, current university, title of the project, name of supervisor from the Department of Italian Studies, University of Toronto.)
  2. A letter from the supervisor, confirming that the professor has accepted this role.  Click here to download the template to be completed by you and the supervisor.
  3. CV (including list of publications)
  4. Research project (max 3000 words), which includes:
    1. Description of the project and of its relation to current research on the subject
    2. Explanation of the research objectives
    3. Description of the theoretical approach and methodology
    4. Rationale for the expected supervisor at the Department of Italian Studies
    5. Rationale for carrying on the research project at the University of Toronto (specific resources available, etc.)
    6. Expected outcomes (including dissemination activities and publications)
    7. Work plan
    8. Bibliography (this section should not be counted as part of the 3000 words)
  5. 1 sample of academic writing
  6. A title and short description of 2-3 proposed undergraduate courses. Please see here for list of undergraduate courses. Click the course code for the course description, to be used as examples. At least one proposed course should be in a field other than your area of research. Please see here for example of course previously submitted course.
  1. State which graduate course taught by the supervisor you can participate in. Please note this course must be agreed upon with the Supervisor prior to the application being submitted. Please see graduate courses offered by the department, here.
  2. Proof of PhD obtained.

 

All documents must follow this naming convention:   titled as follows: yourlastname_yourfirstname_titleofdocument.pdf.  For example, Smith_Laura_CoverLetter.pdf

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Two letters of recommendation are requested.
    • letters must be sent directly by the referee to Andrea Santos, italian.studies@utoronto.ca.  Letters sent by the candidate will be discarded.
  • All documents must follow this naming convention: titled as follows: yourlastname_yourfirstname_titleofdocument.pdf.  For example, Smith_Laura_Letter_of_Reference_Referree_Name.pdf

ADDITIONAL NOTES

  • It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all required application components (including all attachments and letters) have been submitted.
  • Under no circumstances will any applications be accepted after the deadline.

EVALUATION AND ADJUDICATION

The following criteria are used by the committee to evaluate the Postdoctoral Fellowship in Italian Studies at the University of Toronto:

  • Originality and potential significance of the research project.
  • Feasibility and appropriateness of the research in the Department of Italian Studies.
  • Capability and expertise of the candidate to succeed (fellowships, scholarships or other awards obtained; previous research experience and/or publications; and timely completion of doctoral studies).
  • Capitalization of the resources of University of Toronto in fields related to Italian Studies.

NOTE ON TEACHING

Employment as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto is covered by the terms of the CUPE 3902 Unit 5 Collective Agreement. However, teaching will be covered under the CUPE 3902 Unit 1 collective agreement.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Andrea Santos: italian.studies@utoronto.ca. Correspondence must be conducted strictly in English