Kutztown Undergraduate Research Fund

Humanities and Arts Subcommittee - Eligibility and Restrictions

Eligibility

Any student who is currently enrolled as a full-time Kutztown University undergraduate student may apply to the Kutztown Undergraduate Research Fund for financial assistance to facilitate their research. The student must maintain this eligibility throughout the duration of the work, from the time the proposal is submitted until the time the project is completed.

We fund three (3) types of proposals from full time undergraduate students:

cost of materials for experiments
travel to do research at distant locations with facilities unavailable at Kutztown University
travel to present completed research at professional conferences

We do not fund proposals for:

travel to conferences for which abstracts have not been accepted by the conference organization
wages for student workers or researchers
travel, wages, or any other expenses for faculty
travel, wages, or any other expenses for graduate students
travel, wages, or any other expenses for part-time students
honoraria or gifts for participants in studies
travel to local study sites
software and/or hardware already available at Kutztown University
chemicals or other materials already available at Kutztown University or materials used in classes, labs, or studios at Kutztown University
travel to present research done solely with outside institutions (e.g., REU) (i.e., the KURF facilitates research performed at and initiated by Kutztown University)
research where the only beneficiary is you (i.e., your results must be disseminated)

Instructions for Applying to the Arts and Humanities Subcommittee

Complete a proposal cover sheet.
Write up your proposal using this template.
Using blue ink, fill in a signature page, (including getting your faculty advisor’s signature on it).
Email the cover sheet and the proposal to Dr. Jennifer Forsyth at forsyth (at) kutztown.edu.
Bring the original signature page to Dr. Forsyth at Lytle 249.

Proposal Deadlines and Meeting Dates

We will be meeting monthly as proposals warrant it.
In order to be considered for the current month’s meeting, your proposal must be completed and delivered to Dr. Jennifer Forsyth (Lytle 249) by 3:00 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month.

Members, Humanities and Arts Subcommittee

Jennifer Forsyth, English Dept. (literature professor)(chair)
Christine Zitrides Atiyeh, Fine Arts Dept. (art historian)
Rose DeSiano, Fine Arts Dept. (photographer)
Daniel Haxall, Fine Arts Dept. (art historian)
Eric Johnson, History Dept. (historian)
Dan Immel, Dept. of Music (pianist)

Past awards

Jaclyn Cole (Fine Arts working with Prof. Leigh Kane - April 2007) – Analysis of Focal Point and Scale as it Impacts Clarity and Visual Experience in Digital Fine-Art Photography
Today's consumer digital cameras have reached unprecedented levels of resolution, lens quality, and compact size. This opens up a new world of opportunity to professional photographers. Large, expensive, or delicate photographic equipment can be a burden in some situations, and a compact, reasonably priced digital camera is tempting as a potential tool. However, even after researching the technical specifications of various models the viability of these cameras as professional tools can remain ambiguous. It is extremely difficult to predict what the printed image will look like when it has been framed and hung for display. My research will focus on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX9, an ultra-compact 6-megapixel camera sporting the critically acclaimed Leica DC lens. I will produce three prints, at sizes of 11 x 14 inches, 20 x 30 inches, and 40 x 60 inches, for study, review, and critique. These will be prepared as if they were being sent to an exhibition or gallery, and will provide me, along with several photography professionals, with an opportunity to review quantitatively the output this camera is capable of producing. My results will be published as a submission to to JPG Magazine, a publication focusing on digital photography and the tools used to create it.

I am a writer, musician, aspiring world traveler, and, yes, senior fine arts major graduating in May 2007. After graduation I will be working with AmeriCorps in Baltimore before diving into academia and beginning my graduate degree in Fall 2008. I will continue to produce my writing and photographic work, submitting it to magazines for publication and establishing myself as an artist and intellectual in the community. This research will be a springboard for my writing on photography and an ideal first article to submit for publication. It will also provide me with key knowledge of current photographic tools, which will be very useful in attaining my goals to serve the Baltimore City community beyond AmeriCorps – I plan to propose youth photography projects in city schools, allowing students to document their young lives and see their work displayed in local art venues. I want to thank the Undergraduate Research Committee and the University Foundation for providing me with this wonderful opportunity, which will be a great capstone to my work here at Kutztown University as well as a first step toward success in my field.

Ms. Cole published her work in JPG Magazine - click here to read her article!

Matthew Griffiths (Fine Arts - working with Prof. Leigh Kane - Februrary 2007) Comparative analysis of large scale digital printing processes
The purpose of my research is to compare and contrast three different large-scale digital printing processes. I will be comparing a traditional chromogenic print to a Giclee print, which is a high quality inkjet print, as well as to a duratrans print, which uses a photographic printing process that is mounted onto a translucent display material that can be lit from behind for exhibition. These three prints will be printed at 24x48in to fully analyze the visual impact of large-scale photography. I will be noting what each process does well as well as what each is lacking. Once I more fully understand these procedures, I will be able to use them creatively and effectively to communicate as a photographic artist.
I am a senior fine art major concentrating in photography. After graduation I plan to continue creating art and be able to establish myself within the art community. This grant is very helpful to me in that it allows me to get a hands-on comparison of these large-scale prints. Having the ability to do this research, I will be able to enter my field with a more competitive edge in a hugely demanding field. I would like thank everyone on the Undergraduate Research Committee and the Kutztown University Foundation for they’re generosity and for giving me this opportunity.

Return to Undergraduate Research Committee website