Finding the right opportunity
Choosing the best program that meets your goals and provides you with the experience you need to excel academically and professionally.
Project AROS Lab Research Intern Program
The Project AROS Lab Research Intern program is a Montclair State University initiative in collaboration with US-based and international partners, offering rising MSU undergraduate students practical experience to hone their applied research skills by conducting scholarly research and putting it into practice.
The research intern will primarily work under the supervision of a Project AROS Lab (PAL) faculty member that is and includes a variety of research areas, such as outlined on the PAL research page. Research projects explore, among other areas, various archival resources and create powerful online tools to present research findings and archival content in a user friendly and interactive fashion. Students will acquire digital skills, including virtual mapping skills with ArcGIS software tools and gain familiarity with online publishing tools to transform research results into compelling blog-style stories for public dissemination. Research topics vary on the program cycle but include a range of historical and contemporary issues, such as Cold War world politics, human rights, and environmental justice. Research materials consist mainly of digitized archives, online sources, and social media. Program participants will learn how to collect, organize (code) and analyze large data sets, eventually putting their new skills into practice by drafting research summaries, digitally visualizing their findings, and reporting results among their peers.
The program is a virtual learning experience and offered during regular academic terms lasting one semester starting in the fall or spring. Students register for a course INDT 499 and receive 3 academic credit for the experience. The program experience is renewable.
This experience is also open to John Martinson Honors EDGE students who will register for HONP 490.
Research Intern Responsibilities
- Acquire digital research methods skills, including software tools such as ArcGIS.
- Hone analytical and research writing skills by discussing and summarizing current scholarship.
- Support document curation by creating descriptions of archival documents.
- Collect and organize data from various digital archives, based on institutional websites, database portals and other, related websites.
- Create research summaries, especially for text and visual data in order to create metadata for content analysis.
- Populate and organize online databases with collected data.
- Assist in dataset analysis and visualization.
- Conduct research on topics in global history, international politics, and human rights issues.
- Commit 10-15 hours per week.
- Enroll in course INTD 499 for 3 credits (John Martinson Honors EDGE students participating in the program register for HONP 490).
Profile
The candidate is required to:
- be detail oriented;
- be an independent self-starter;
- be familiar with Microsoft Office software and Google Docs; and
- have an interest in global history, international politics, and human rights issues.
Compensation
- Students will be issued a permit to register for a course INTD 499 and receive 3 academic credits for this experience. The student needs to also fulfill the requirements of that specific course. John Martinson Honors EDGE students participating in the program will register for HONP 490.
Please Contact Project AROS Lab at pal@montclair.edu or Amanda Choo at chooa@montclair.edu if you have any questions.
EDGE Junior Researcher and Leadership Program
The EDGE Junior Researcher and Leadership (E-Research) program is a John Martinson Honors EDGE initiative providing outstanding honors undergraduate students with an opportunity to conduct research and hone essential leadership skills. It is a year-long, academically focused research program embedded within Project AROS Lab (PAL) led by of Professor Arnaud Kurze.
Each cohort of EDGE Junior Researchers works around a specific annual research theme, defined in advance, that reflects ongoing scholarly projects within Project AROS and engages questions of justice, political transformation, governance, technology, human rights, and the arts.
EDGE Junior Researchers participate in sustained, mentored research and are expected to contribute meaningfully to the intellectual development of the annual theme. Depending on the project, research activities may include archival and documentary analysis, qualitative and mixed-methods research, digital humanities approaches, policy analysis, and the development of digital research outputs such as interactive maps, visualizations, or curated online collections. Emphasis is placed on methodological rigor, theoretical grounding, and analytical depth.
Over the course of the scholarship year, participants are expected to produce substantive academic outputs, which may include literature reviews, research memos, annotated archives or datasets, digital research exhibits, conference papers, or co-authored scholarly publications. EDGE Junior Researchers work closely with the Project AROS Lab research cohort, take part in regular research meetings, and receive individualized mentorship aimed at strengthening their academic writing, research design, and professional trajectory.
The scholarship is designed for students seeking intensive research experience and preparation for graduate study, academic careers, or analytically demanding roles in policy, advocacy, and cultural institutions.
EDGE Junior Researcher Responsibilities include:
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Support document curation by creating analytically grounded descriptions of archival and primary-source materials.
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Collect, clean, and organize qualitative and quantitative data from digital archives, institutional repositories, database portals, and related sources.
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Produce research summaries and analytical memos for textual, visual, and audiovisual materials to generate metadata suitable for content analysis and digital publication.
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Populate, manage, and maintain structured online databases in accordance with Project AROS data standards and documentation practices.
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Assist in dataset analysis and the development of visualizations using digital and geospatial tools where appropriate.
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Conduct independent and collaborative research on the annual Project AROS theme, engaging relevant literatures in global history, international politics, justice studies, human rights, and cultural analysis.
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Contribute to the development of research questions, coding frameworks, or analytical categories in consultation with the project lead.
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Participate in regular research meetings, workshops, and peer-review sessions, providing constructive feedback on ongoing work.
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Lead or co-lead small workshop or seminar groups and present research findings in public-facing or academic settings.
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Use digital research methods to design and complete an individual or collaborative research project to be featured on the Project AROS Lab website or associated platforms.
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Contribute to the preparation of conference presentations, policy briefs, digital exhibits, or draft manuscripts, as appropriate to the annual theme.
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Adhere to ethical research standards, including data management, citation practices, and, where applicable, human subjects protocols.
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Commit approximately 10–15 hours per week for the duration of the program (Fall and Spring semesters).
Profile
Applicants should demonstrate:
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A strong academic record and demonstrated commitment to scholarly work;
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Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills;
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The ability to work independently and manage research tasks with minimal supervision;
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Proficiency with standard productivity tools, including Microsoft Office and Google Workspace; and
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Demonstrated interest in global history, international politics, justice, human rights, or related fields.
Compensation and Academic Credit
Students selected for the program will receive a scholarship in recognition of their research contributions. Participants may also apply to receive academic credit, subject to departmental and university guidelines.
For questions regarding the program or academic credit options, please contact Arnaud Kurze. at KurzeA@montclair.edu.
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