Academic research sits at the crossroads of curiosity and expertise; however, these categories are often at odds. Our research should be driven by curiosity and about the questions we hope to answer. We are intrigued by these yet unanswered questions that pique our curious explorations of a field of study.

In contrast to a curiosity-driven approach, we are often compelled to consistently demonstrate expertise in a field and to show that we have a firm purchase on the answers we are in process of answering. In this talk, Jason Farman discusses his own balance between these categories, providing a how-to guide for pursuing curiosity and fields of study that are outside your specific areas of expertise.

Sponsored by the MSU Graduate School, Dept. of History, Dept.of WRAC, Dept. of English and the MSU Council of Graduate Schools Humanities Coalition Grant. Reception to follow