African American Studies & Artificial Intelligence (AI) Undergraduate Paper Award

Are you an African American Studies major or minor interested in AI, technology, creativity, and original research? Showcase your work and win!

Papers must be submitted with the subject line ‘AAS Award’ to AAS Professor Ronald Stephens stephe87@purdue.edu by March 31, 2026

Who Can Apply

  • Purdue University undergraduate majors and minors in African American Studies

What We’re Looking For

We invite undergraduate students to submit original papers or creative research projects that:

  • Engage AAS topics, histories, or communities
  • Use original research and/or creative approaches
  • Thoughtfully and ethically incorporate AI tools (for research, analysis, archives, writing support, digital humanities, or creative production)

Papers May Come From

  • A course project
  • Independent research
  • Creative or interdisciplinary work

Work completed this year or next academic year is eligible

Why Participate?

  • Gain recognition for your scholarship
  • Highlight innovative uses of AI in African American Studies
  • Strengthen your résumé or graduate school portfolio
  • Win prize money that will be applied to your bursar account
  • Be recognized at the School of Interdisciplinary Studies Award Ceremony in April

How Papers Will Be Judged

  • Originality and creativity
  • Strength and impact of ideas or outcomes
  • Effective and responsible use of AI tools
  • Clarity, rigor, and overall quality

Top papers will be selected by a panel of AAS faculty and affiliates

Awards

  • 1st Place: $500
  • 2nd Place: $350
  • 3rd Place: $150

Winner Announcement: April 2026

Scholarships, Awards, and Prizes must be considered educational resources for the student per federal regulations. Therefore, any funds awarded to the student are reported to the DFA and considered part of the student’s total aid package. Please note, students may not receive gift aid exceeding the total cost of attendance.

AI Transparency Statement (Required for Submission)

To support ethical, responsible, and transparent scholarship. All submissions must include an AI Transparency Statement describing how (if at all) artificial intelligence (AI) tools were used in the development of this paper or creative research project.

Please include a brief statement (150–250 words) addressing the following:

1. AI Tools Used (if any): Identify the AI tools or platforms you used (e.g., generative AI, data-analysis tools, image or audio tools).

2. Purpose of Use: Explain how AI was used in your project (e.g., brainstorming research questions, organizing notes, analyzing data, coding, creative experimentation, visualization, or drafting support).

3. Student Authorship & Intellectual Control: Describe how you maintained authorship and critical decision-making. Clarify which aspects of the work reflect your original analysis, interpretation, or creative choices.

4. Ethical Considerations: Briefly note any steps taken to ensure ethical use, such as fact-checking AI outputs, avoiding plagiarism, protecting sensitive data, or critically evaluating bias or limitations in AI-generated material.

Sample AI Transparency Statement

In this project, I used artificial intelligence tools to support my research and writing process. Specifically, I used AI to help brainstorm research questions, organize themes from my primary and secondary sources, and generate preliminary outlines. I also used AI-assisted tools to summarize scholarly articles, which I then independently read, verified, and analyzed.

All interpretations, arguments, and conclusions in this paper are my own. I made all final decisions regarding the structure, evidence, and claims of the project, and I critically evaluated all AI-generated content for accuracy, bias, and relevance. No AI tool was used to replace original analysis or to generate final arguments without revision.

I recognize that AI systems can reflect biases and inaccuracies. To address this, I cross-checked all factual claims, cited original sources directly, and ensured that the project reflects the values and methodologies of African American Studies, including ethical engagement with history, culture, and lived experience.