Interdisciplinary Language Science for Undergraduates: PULSAR

Maryland’s vibrant interdisciplinary language science community has mostly benefited faculty and grad students, with limited impact on undergraduate programming. Until now. The new PULSAR program, which is accepting applications now, seeks to spread the language science action to the university’s largest constituency by bringing together undergraduate students from diverse fields.

PULSAR, which unpacks as Program for Undergraduate Language Science Ambassadors in Research (try to say that three times quickly) will develop students’ abilities in integration, communication, discovery, and leadership – skills that are in high demand in current graduates. It will do this by building on the successes of the NSF-IGERT interdisciplinary graduate program that has run since 2008. Members of PULSAR will join a broad community of students, researchers, and faculty from areas such as Computer Science, Psychology, Hearing & Speech Sciences, Electrical Engineering, the College of Education, the iSchool, the School of Public Health, Linguistics, and the School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures.

PULSAR students will take some courses outside their major area, will get involved in research, education, or policy initiatives, and will join LSC’s growing outreach efforts. They will also participate in a weekly PULSAR seminar course that focuses on sharing research with peers. The program involves a 2-year commitment, so it is intended for freshmen, sophomores, and rising juniors.

PULSAR is now accepting applications for the fall 2014 cohort, so please encourage your undergraduate students to apply. Applications can be completed online, and are due by April 25th. Information sessions for interested students will be offered on April 11th and 23rd. Questions should be directed to PULSAR Director Rochelle Newman, who is also Associate Director of LSC. (Or email can be sent to pulsar@umd.edu.)