MLA Public Humanities Incubator
The Modern Language Association Public Humanities Incubator program serves current graduate students who have an interest in contributing to public humanities scholarship.
Twelve participants are selected through a competitive application process and placed in teams with mentors active in the public humanities. Over the course of the incubator, from September to December, teams work with their mentors to envision their research as contributions to public humanities scholarship and to imagine audiences and impact, form and dissemination, collaboration and partnerships, and the project’s life cycle.
The MLA Public Humanities Incubator mentors for 2024 are
- Sarah Buchmeier, National Park Service
- Adam Capitanio, Humanities NY
- Stacie McCormick, Texas Christian Univ.
- Katherine Trostel, Ursuline Coll.
Public Humanities Incubator participants and their mentors present their projects in an innovative session at the 2025 MLA Annual Convention in New Orleans. Visit MLA Commons to view past projects.
The 2024 application cycle opens on 2 April and closes on 24 May. An information session will be held on 24 April, 3:00–4:00 p.m. ET.
Applications include a description of the candidate’s research and vision for public humanities scholarship, as well as a preliminary assessment of impact on the candidate’s professional development. Notifications of acceptance are sent in early July.
Apply for the 2024 MLA Public Humanities Incubator.
Register for the information session. This session will be recorded and made available on the MLA website.
Please note:
- Only applications prepared by current graduate students will be considered.
- No funding is associated with this program. Participants are encouraged to apply for an Edward Guiliano Global Fellowship to support their work.
- Participants must be MLA members. If you are not a member at the time of application and your project is selected, you will be asked to join at the time of notification.
- Those participating in the MLA Public Humanities Incubator must commit to at least three meetings with their mentor between September and November and to a convention run-through with the MLA staff in December.
- Participants must commit to attending the MLA Annual Convention to present their projects. The names of Public Humanities Incubator participants and mentors will appear in the convention program. Participants are also honored at the convention’s awards ceremony. Participants are encouraged to apply for partial assistance to attend; applications are available beginning in September.
Questions? Contact Janine Utell, associate director for academic program services and professional development, at jutell@mla.org.