Submission Deadline: April 1, 2024
Academy for Public Scholarship on the Built Environment:
CLIMATE ACTION
Call for Applications
Do you want to maximize the impact of your research and strengthen your voice in the discourse about climate and the built environment?
The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) is establishing an extended training opportunity for faculty to expand the impact of their research and scholarship beyond the academy. ACSA is partnering with The OpEd Project and the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism to provide training and guidance on externalization strategies. This opportunity is for architecture faculty, whose research intersects with climate action or climate justice, and is intended to help them impact conversations that affect everyone.
ACSA will select an initial cohort of twelve academics to take part in The OpEd Project’s “Write to Change the World” workshops. The OpEd Project is a think tank and leadership organization that accelerates the ideas and impact of underrepresented voices. They are a community of journalists and thought leaders who actively share knowledge, resources, and connections. The workshops are 100% virtual with participants joining from across a range of identities, voices, and ideas.
Workshops consist of two consecutive days of 3.5-hours each, where participants emerge with tools to generate new ideas, tactics for being timely at any time, an outline for a draft op-ed, and a global network of diverse peers. Academics will explore the source of credibility; the patterns and elements of persuasion; the difference between being “right” and being effective; and how to think bigger about what you know – to expand the impact of your scholarship in the world.
After the workshop, academics will have up to three months of access to The OpEd Project’s Mentor-Editor network to get individualized feedback on their op-ed drafts to double their chances of publishing success.
In addition, ACSA will offer all its members the opportunity to join a series of climate training modules led by USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism. Academics will be highly encouraged to join these training modules as well, which will focus on storytelling, media, terminology, and more.
By the end of the training in July 2025, academics will be expected to have attended the workshops and submitted an op-ed for publication in a local, regional, or national newspaper.
The submission deadline of April 1, 2024, has passed, and we are no longer accepting submissions.
Key Dates
February 2024 | Call for Applications Announced |
April 1, 2024 | Submission Deadline |
April 17, 2024 | Selected Academics Notification |
May 2024 | Academics Announced |
April-August 2024 | Academics chose dates for participation in The OpEd Projects Workshops |
April 2025 | Submit or Draft op-ed article |
Eligibility
ACSA member school faculty are eligible to submit an application.
Review Process
A four-person jury from the ACSA Research & Scholarship Committee will review applications and select the first cohort of academics. We encourage applications from ACSA members traditionally underrepresented in architectural institutions, the profession, and discourse around climate change.
Submission
Submissions will be accepted through an online interface and must be received by April 1, 2024. The final submission must contain the following:
Contact Information: name, title, institute, & e-mail
Cover Sheet: confirming you have created or reviewed a My ACSA profile
Resume: two-page summary of selected accomplishments*
Question Responses: 250-word response to each of the following four questions:
- Describe why this academy will help you advance climate action and climate discourse in architecture (250 words)
- Describe ways that this academy will help you advance underrepresented issues and/or voices around architecture and climate change (250 words)
- Describe possible topics of interest and their potential to engage a broad audience (250 words)
- Describe your commitment to contribute to popular and trade discourse on architecture and climate change (250 words)
* Resume should be submitted in PDF format, with no more than two letter-sized (8.5” x 11”) pages, plus the Cover Sheet (3-pages total PDF for submission).
Evaluation Rubric
- Potential to advance climate action and climate discourse in architecture.
- Potential to advance underrepresented topics, projects, and/or voices around architecture and climate change
- Relevance and timeliness of topics for advancing discourse on climate change/justice and their potential to engage a broad audience
- Applicant’s commitment to contribute to popular and industry discourse on architecture and climate change
Questions
Eric Wayne Ellis
Senior Director of Operations and Programs
eellis@acsa-arch.org
202-785-2324