2025 SUMMER RESEARCH LABORATORY 
ON RUSSIA, EASTERN EUROPE, AND EURASIA

June 9 – August 1, 2025

Priority Application Deadline for Title VIII Research Awards is February 17, 2025.
Final deadline for all SRL applications, funded and unfunded, is March 17, 2025.

OVERVIEW:

The Russian, East European, and Eurasian Center and the Slavic Reference Service at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are accepting applications for our 2025 Summer Research Laboratory (SRL) program. The SRL is an in-person program that offers comprehensive research support, access to library resources, and competitive Research Awards to graduate and post-graduate scholars developing projects on all aspects of Russian, East European, and Eurasian studies. It is funded by the U.S. Department of State through its Program for Research and Training on Eastern Europe and the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union (Title VIII).

While staying in Champaign-Urbana, take advantage of convenient on-campus housing and access the unparalleled research collections and databases offered by our University Library. The skilled librarians of our Slavic Reference Service will be available for consultations, to make sure that you not only find everything Illinois has to offer, but also identify the most important sources elsewhere. During their visit, SRL Associates will have access to the extensive holdings of the Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Collection at the University of Illinois Library and will receive research assistance from the librarians of the Slavic Reference Service (SRS). Whether you are beginning a new project or finishing an old one, a visit to the SRL provides a great opportunity to get important work done. 

Established over four decades ago, the SRL has from its inception sought to make first-class research resources available to the broadest possible community of scholars. Our top-five research Library holds one of North America’s largest collections of contemporary and historical materials on the REEES region, in a broad range of languages and formats. For generations, scholars preparing for fieldwork have found a visit to SRL an invaluable way to exhaust US-based resources so as to make more efficient plans for their visits to libraries and archives abroad. In addition, each year we host a range of research and training workshops, discussion groups, and conferences during the first month of our Lab. These allow Lab participants to learn more about ongoing research in a variety of disciplines and create networks for their own professional development.

A pleasant college town in East Central Illinois, Champaign-Urbana offers a peaceful work environment for the summer. Its amenities include numerous restaurants, cafes, and breweries, a vibrant weekly farmer’s market, and excellent recreational facilities on campus. Bicyclers love to ride in the surrounding countryside, while hikers and kayakers have access to Kickapoo State Park, a riverine landscape that is about a 45 minute drive away. Chicago, one of the world’s great cities, is a little over two hours away by car, with daily trains and buses making the connection as well.

SRL applicants are also encouraged to consider studying an area language at Indiana University’s Summer Language Workshop, located in nearby Bloomington, IN, whether immediately before or after their participation in the SRL. Funding in the form of Title VIII fellowships and other sources is available to eligible applicants. Those interested in overseas language study are particularly encouraged to pair SRL participation with an application for an IU Title VIII Overseas Fellowship. More information and the application can be found at the Summer Language Workshop website.

This year’s SRL is made possible by generous support from the US Department of State, through its Program for Research and Training on Eastern Europe and the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union (Title VIII).

The SRL will take place on our campus from June 9 - August 1, 2025.

It is open to advanced graduate students, independent scholars, and academic professionals in government and nongovernmental organizations. Graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and early career scholars are especially encouraged to apply.

Any researcher may apply to be an SRL Associate, and receive the following forms of research support:

  • Reference assistance throughout the summer and beyond from the Slavic Reference Service (SRS);
  • In-person access to digital and database collections of our University Library during onsite visit;
  • Thematic and skill-building workshop events, as well as opportunities to present and discuss works in progress;
  • Designation as a 2025 SRL Associate.

All Associates may request one-on-one personalized bibliographic sessions before and during the SRL with SRS. These sessions, prepared in advance by a regional specialist at the SRS, introduce relevant sources and methods, and may address specific needs tied to ongoing research projects. Priority for these individualized bibliographic sessions is given to graduate students and early career scholars.

Please note: the SRS research services are available to REEES scholars throughout the year, regardless of institutional or program affiliation.

 

Funding Opportunity: Title VIII Research Awards

U.S. Citizens conducting policy-relevant research may also apply for one of our Title VIII Research Awards.

Funded by the U.S. Department of State, these awards provide:

  • Dormitory accommodation on campus for up to 12 nights (room in a shared suite);
  • Travel reimbursement for transportation to Champaign-Urbana, up to $800;
  • A research stipend of $1250.

These Research Awards are offered on a competitive basis. The priority application deadline for Title VIII Research Awards is February 17, 2025. The final deadline for all SRL applications, funded and unfunded, is March 17, 2025.

 

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

All applicants are required to submit an online application, a short-form CV (5 pages maximum), a research proposal and, if applying for funding, a clearly formulated statement of policy relevance, as described below.

SRL Application 2025

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

All applicants are required to submit a one to two-page research proposal, single spaced with 12-point font. Your proposal should answer the following three questions:

  1. What research question or topic are your currently exploring?
  2. What is the goal of your current research? (e.g. complete monograph, finish dissertation, prepare for fieldwork research)
  3. What do you hope to achieve as an SRL Associate? How will you benefit from the services provided by the SRS and the University Library?

STATEMENT OF POLICY RELEVANCE

If applying for Title VIII funding (restricted to applicants who are U.S. citizens and conducting policy-relevant research; funded by the U.S. Department of State)

US citizens applying for Title VIII financial support must also upload a Statement of Policy Relevance. This statement should comprise a brief project abstract (up to 500 words) that draws a connection between your research topic and any aspect of US foreign policy issues, strategies, emphases, or concerns. The extent to which a project is policy-relevant will vary with the field of study, but most research pertaining to the region informs our understanding of, helps contextualize, or otherwise holds implications for the history, nature, or legacy of policy considerations. A partial list of contemporary policy-related topics might include security issues of all sorts (e.g., border, military, energy, food, and water security); conflict, extremism, terrorism, trafficking, violence, and international criminal syndicates; government, politics, sociopolitical movements, state building, elections, populism, and the cult of political personalities; Cold War studies and the  legacies of state socialism; environmental policy, degradation, and climate change; displaced populations and demographic movement (political, economic, and climate-change refugees, migrants, and immigrants); studies of social identity and difference (gender, sexualities, ethnicity, nationalism, class, religion and belief); information access and dissemination (freedom of the press, communications, education, journalism, social media); international and supranational alliances; technological advances and artificial intelligence (e.g., aeronautical, bio-, communications, computer, information, medical, nano-, and military technology); and artistic and popular culture engagement with or commentaries on any of these topics, whether through literature, film, music, visual art, dance, or other expressive culture media. In short, applicants are asked to indicate how their research might inform, resonate with, or otherwise contribute to the understanding of regional topics of concern to policy makers as well as the scholarly community.

 

FEATURED RESEARCH AND TRAINING WORKSHOP: The Contemporary Baltics, Eastern Europe, and the Russia-Ukraine War (June 24-25, 2025)

Moderated by Dr. Violeta Davoliūtė (Vilnius University, Institute of International Relations and Political Science) and Dr. Dovilė Budrytė (Georgia Gwinnett College, Department of Political Science, Criminal Justice and International Studies, and  Vytautas Kavolis Transdisciplinary Research Institute, Vytautas Magnus University), this workshop will focus on how scholars can understand the changes in identities and mnemonic policies of the Baltic states and countries in Eastern Europe, as they grapple with the many consequences of the Russia-Ukraine war. 

For a full description of the research and training workshop, please visit: https://reeec.illinois.edu/courses-rees-rubric/summer-research-laboratory/events-calendar/workshop-lab-programs/contemporary

 

FAQ:

  1. When can I participate in the program?
    Participation in the Summer Research Lab 2025 requires in-person attendance. You must participate at any time between June 9 and August 1, 2025. Please indicate your planned dates of attendance on your application. If you need to change your dates, please notify us well in advance of your arrival so we can make the necessary arrangements.
  2. How is Title VIII funding awarded?
    Title VIII funding is awarded on a competitive basis. Eligible applicants with strong proposals are more likely to receive funding for their research. SRL awards are made by a committee of scholars derived from the Research Laboratory Advisory Board and University of Illinois faculty.
  3. What kind of funding is available?
    US Citizens who are applying to the SRL are eligible for funding from the Title VIII program (Title VIII Research Award). Successful applications for the in-person associateship award will receive a stipend in support of their work ($1250), dormitory accommodation on campus for up to 12 nights (room in a shared suite), and travel reimbursement for transportation to Champaign-Urbana, up to $800. 
  4. Can I access any of the print resources after my time at the SRL?
    Yes! The Slavic Reference Service librarians are very adept at loaning circulating items through Inter-Library Loan (ILL) and assisting you with any follow-up research requests. The SRS is committed to supporting REEES scholars year-round. 
  5. Why should I participate in the SRL, if SRS is willing to loan so much material via ILL?
    The SRL is a great opportunity to develop good relationships with SRS librarians. They are ready to work with you one-on-one and use their specialized knowledge to assist with complex queries associated with dissertation research or long-term projects. SRS librarians have a long history of collaborating with SRL Associates long after they leave the SRL. Additionally, an in-person visit gives scholars the opportunity to access and utilize one of the largest research collections in North America. Scholars who utilize the SRL also receive onsite access to an extensive collection of databases and digital collections.
  6. Am I allowed to make digital copies of materials that I receive from the SRL?
    Absolutely! You can create your own digital library of the resources acquired during the SRL.
  7. Is the SRL only for preliminary research, or does the SRL have more in-depth resources that would cater to more specialized research?
    The SRL can assist both preliminary and advanced stages of research. The SRL also facilitates access to hard-to-find materials that are not located anywhere else in the US. This can be especially helpful to scholars who have done their preliminary work using more available resources.
  8. What are the library hours for the Slavic Reference Service?
    Slavic Reference Service hours is open Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, and is located on the 2nd floor of the University library. Scholars can check the Library website for a full schedule of Library hours. Please be aware that the University library maintains limited hours on weekends.

If you have any additional questions, please contact the Russian, East European, and Eurasian Center (REEEC) at reeec-srl@illinois.edu.