As part of Outweek (Feb 4-9), PRIDE UBC, with the support of Critical Studies in Sexualities and The Network: Queer Grad Students, is organizing Queer U, an annual graduate level academic conference on sexualities and genders. The conference centers on bringing the research and work of graduate students and established scholars from across the West Coast of North America and beyond to a broad audience in an attempt to foster understanding and discussion.
This year, Queer U seeks to generate a discussion on the Fluidity of Queer Identity. Who we are and who we will become changes over time – new experiences shaping us as we grow. How people see themselves – their very identity – changes and swerves between defined structures, occasionally pushing the boundaries of everyday understanding. Queer Identity, just one part of many people’s overall identity, is not immune from these fluid movements and, in turn, often helps shape one’s perception of almost anything.
How does one’s Queer Identity shape their view of the world? How does it impact their relationship with their body, their soul or their mind? Their politics? Or how does one’s politics impact their “Queerness”? Is there even such a thing as a Queer Identity and, if it does exist, to what level of influence does it have one one’s life? Queer U 2013 is interested in these questions and more.
This call for papers is open to graduate contributors and established scholars from any department or area of research related to sexualities or genders. Strong Undergraduate submissions are also accepted. All topics are welcome; however Queer U is especially seeking submissions dealing with the following topics.
 The (non)existence of Queer Identity and its impact on people
 The impact of politics, popular culture and education on Queer Identity or vice versa
 Bodies and Queer Identity
 International comparisons of identity
 Relationships between gender and queerness
 Innovative looks into gender or sexuality
Send in abstracts (300 words MAX) to gradrep@prideubc.com no later than
December 5th. The conference is hosted at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. DEADLINE EXTENDED
The Queer U academic panel is open to the general public on Saturday, February 9th and will be immediately followed by a Wine & Cheese reception.

VRA Travel Awards are available for attendance at the 2013 VRA conference “Capitalizing on Creativity” in Providence, Rhode Island April 3-6.  The deadline for receipt of applications will be Monday, November 26, 10 am EST.  The list of recipients will be announced on the VRA listserv the third week of December.

A preliminary conference schedule with a listing of workshops and sessions has already been posted at: http://vra2013annualconference.sched.org and information about costs is posted here: http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/vra31/?page_id=8 and here: http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/vra31/?page_id=11

Before you apply, PLEASE READ “Travel Award Rules and Guidelines”, “Tips for VRA Travel Awards Applicants”, and “Types of Travel Awards”, all linked here as PDFs: http://www.vraweb.org/about/awards/index.html#travel

HERE’S THE LINK TO THE APPLICATION: 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dEM1Zkdsdlo2dGZ1TEJRN3hGQWxjR2c6MQ#gid=0

The form is also linked from the What’s New on the VRA homepage.

You do not need to be a member of the VRA to apply for a travel award, but please note that upon winning an award an applicant who is not a member of VRA must purchase a membership, with the option to use funding from the travel award to do this.  This year by removing the membership requirement for all applicants, we hope to draw more interest and expand membership.

In order to allow funding to go further, Tansey awards will be distributed according to financial need i.e. full awards (up to $850) may be given to some, whilst lower amounts may be awarded to others with partial institutional/ other support.

For 2013, we are fortunate to have generous financial support from sponsors and funds provided by the membership:

    * The Archivision award of $1000 for a international attendee and/or a media professional in an architecture library or program

    * The Gallery Systems award of $750 for a media professional in a museum environment

    * The Davis Art Images award of $250 for a conference attendee with partial funding

    * The Kathe Hicks Albrecht award of $850 for a first-time conference attendee

    * Two New Horizons awards of $850 each.  These awards are aimed at members in the following categories: solo VR professionals, part-time VR  professionals, geographically isolated VR professionals, VR professionals in smaller institutions, and/or first-time attendees

    * The Joseph C. Taormina Memorial award of $250 for an applicant with partial funding

    * A New Horizons student award of $300, for a full-time student enrolled in an accredited degree program and considering a career in visual resources

    * $4800 in Tansey fund awards ranging from $250 to $850 each

More awards may become available and will be announced on the VRA listserv. Also, stay tuned and watch VRA-L and the VRA website for further details about the conference.  Please email if you have any questions not answered by the documents noted above.

So don’t delay – apply today!