Opportunities

The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and the Area Global Initiative (AGI) invite faculty to apply to participate in a series of grant development retreats to support collaborative research teams. Designed in response to a survey of faculty affiliates of AGI’s member centers, the program provides a framework that includes time, space, and community to support faculty seeking major grants to conduct collaborative, interdisciplinary research. Throughout the academic year, faculty teams will participate in writing retreats and individualized sessions with grant development specialists in Strategic Research Initiatives of the Office of Research with the aim of preparing grant proposals for extramural funding within the next 18 months. Each proposing team must include at least one faculty member who is affiliated with an AGI member center (Africa Center, CLAIR, CMES, EAC, or Orfalea Center). For more information and directions to apply, click header.

The Nancy Gallagher Best Undergraduate Essay Prize in Middle East Studies is given annually for undergraduate papers on topics in Middle East Studies. Awarded papers are conducted with careful research producing imaginative arguments. The prize is named in honor of UCSB Professor Emerita Nancy Gallagher, a historian of the Middle East and North Africa, who helped build the thriving intellectual community that is CMES.

Eligibility: Entry is open to all UCSB Undergraduates, who are currently registered students. Students applying must have attended one quarter of the 2025-26 academic year. 

Award: Awards up to $1,000 will be presented each year to the recipients of this prize.

For instructions on how to apply and additional information, click header.