The Research Hub
Through the Research Hub, a faculty-led initiative that supports research and creative scholarship across the College, Emerson faculty are given the community and resources they need at every stage of their research process.
Across Emerson, and especially at the Research Hub, we fully believe in the importance of advancing research in all its forms. As the iconic author Zora Neale Hurston said, “Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.”
Supporting Faculty Research
Emerson College is committed to fostering a vibrant culture of research and creative scholarship by providing faculty with funding, dedicated time, and opportunities to engage students as research partners. Our internal programs are designed to help faculty develop innovative projects, advance scholarly and creative work, and build collaborative research communities.
Funding for Research
Emerson offers a range of internal funding opportunities to support research and creative practice across disciplines and career stages. These include the Faculty Scholarship and Creative Practice Fund for projects at any stage of development; the Provost’s Fund for Collaborative Research, which supports interdisciplinary faculty collaborations; the Hub Fund for Advancing Research, which provides smaller-scale, flexible funding to help tenure-line, tenured, term, and affiliated faculty complete or advance their research projects; the Affiliated Faculty Professional Development Fund, which invests in the scholarly and creative work of part-time faculty; the Provost’s Fund for Internationalization, which advances globally engaged scholarship and curriculum; and the Robert Engel Research Grants Fund, which supports student and faculty research in science, environmental studies, and related interdisciplinary fields.
Time for Research
Recognizing that meaningful scholarship requires dedicated time, Emerson offers several mechanisms that can provide faculty with sustained time to advance ambitious scholarly and creative work Such opportunities include: Advancing Research Fellowships; course releases to pursue major externally funded research initiatives; and Structured Study Leaves to support Guggenheim, Fulbright, and Radcliffe Fellowships.
Research with Students
Research and learning at Emerson are enriched through meaningful faculty-student collaboration. The Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) program funds graduate students to work alongside faculty mentors on ongoing research and creative projects. The Research Co-Curricular program connects undergraduate students with faculty-led research through sustained, hands-on experiences that integrate students into active scholarly and creative work. These collaborations foster inquiry, mentorship, and experiential learning while strengthening Emerson’s research community and preparing students for future academic and professional success.
Collaboration and Community
The Research Hub cultivates a vibrant community of scholarship and creative practice by creating opportunities for faculty to connect, collaborate, and share ideas across disciplines. Through activities such as co-writing sessions, writing retreats, research conversations, faculty gatherings, workshops, research showcases, and other community-building events, the Research Hub supports meaningful exchange and interdisciplinary connections. These programs foster a shared culture of inquiry at Emerson, helping faculty develop collaborations, strengthen their research and creative work, and engage with a community of scholars and practitioners across the College