Each year, students in the IU Department of Musicology have the opportunity to apply for grants and fellowships that support travel, research, and study abroad. These funds, generously provided by donors and department supporters, help students access archives, participate in language programs, and engage with primary sources and cultural contexts crucial to their research.
In the following reflection, Musicology Ph.D. student Grace Pechianu shares highlights from her recent travels to Budapest, funded by the A. Peter Brown and Carol V. Brown Research Travel Fund. Read on to hear about how this trip enriched her research and impacted her degree progress.
Support for my travels to the Vera and Donald Blinken Open Society Archives from the A. Peter Brown and Carol V. Brown Research Travel Fund directly contributed to my growth as a researcher and scholar. With the necessary time and resources to orient and familiarize myself with the Radio Free Europe materials at the Open Society Archives, I was able to develop a clear vision for the dimensions and scope of my dissertation. Being able to perform exploratory research enabled me to promptly embark upon and make tangible strides towards the completion of my project. Travel assistance made all the difference in making feasible my endeavors and directly allowed me to pursue my research in a timely manner.
I am indebted to Dr. Carol Brown for her continued support of my dissertation research, which has enabled me to immerse myself in my field and connect with my Romanian cultural heritage.
– Grace Pechianu
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