NSF-IRES: Documenting & Analyzing Creole Languages

International Research Experiences for Students

NSF Award #2505515 • 2025-2030

About the Program

This International Research Experience for Students (IRES) program provides undergraduate and graduate students with hands-on research experience in documentary linguistics, focusing on understudied creole languages in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean regions. Over five years (2025-2030), student fellows will conduct fieldwork in five different creole-speaking communities.

5
Countries
2025-2030
Program Duration
5
Partner Institutions
🇲🇺

Mauritius 2026 • Flic-en-Flac

June 1 - July 1, 2026 6 Student Fellows Mauritius Institute of Education Local Researcher: Dr. Shrita Hassamal
Flic-en-Flac beach, Mauritius

Pre-Departure Training (Online) • May 15-31, 2026

Introduction to Mauritian Creole
  • Basic phrases & pronunciation
  • Grammar foundations
  • Conversational practice
  • 4 live Zoom sessions
CITI Certifications
  • Conflicts of Interest
  • CITI Export Controls
  • GDPR & Human Subjects Research in the U.S.
  • Social & Behavioral Research Investigators
  • Research Security Training (Combined)
  • Humanities Responsible Conduct of Research Course
  • Social and Behavioral Responsible Conduct of Research Course
Mauritian Culture & Ethics
  • Cultural norms & protocols
  • Community engagement ethics
  • Language attitudes

Le Grenadier, Flic-en-Flac

🏠 3 villas • 9 bedrooms 🏊 Pool • 7-min walk to beach 🍳 Full kitchens • ❄️ A/C • 📶 WiFi
View on Booking
Monday, June 1 Arrival Day
All day Arrival at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport Transfers to Flic-en-Flac
18:00 Welcome dinner & program overview Oasis Restaurant
Tuesday, June 2 Orientation
La Citadelle
13:00-15:00 U.S. Embassy Visit
Wednesday, June 3 Flic-en-Flac
10:00-11:00 Kreol Morisien
13:00-17:00 Discussion of topics of Research
Thursday, June 4 Flic-en-Flac
09:00-16:00 Individual Consultations
Friday, June 5 Flic-en-Flac
09:00-16:00 Questionnaire development
Saturday, June 6
14:00-16:00 Debriefing 1st week
Monday, June 8 MIE
10:30-12:00 Designing Language Technology for Fieldwork
13:00-15:30 Recordings/Meeting with Researchers from MIE/UoM
Tuesday, June 9 Port-Louis
10:00-12:00 Meeting with Speaker of the Parliament
13:00-14:00 Apravaasi Ghat
15:00-16:00 Indian Ocean Slavery Museum
Wednesday, June 10 Excursion
13:00-14:00 Explore north village and locals Home hosted lunch
Thursday, June 11 Flic-en-Flac
09:30-21:00 Recording sessions
Friday, June 12 Flic-en-Flac
09:00-16:00 Revisiting datasets and Analyzing collected data
Saturday, June 13 Beau-Bassin
10:30-16:00 ABAIM Center
Recording sessions
Monday, June 15 MIE/Moka
09:30-14:00 Recording Sessions @ UoM/MIE
15:00-16:00 Ledikasion pou Travayer — Lindsey Collen, Alain Ah Vee
Tuesday, June 16 Excursion
08:00-18:00 Slave Route: Le Morne Village with mountain guide & lunch
Wednesday, June 17 Flic-en-Flac
09:30-20:00 Recording Sessions
Thursday, June 18 Flic-en-Flac
10:00-20:00 Fieldwork sessions / recordings
Friday, June 19 Flic-en-Flac
10:00-12:00 Evaluation & Analysis
14:00-16:00 Father Alain Romaine
Saturday, June 20 Excursion
09:00-16:00 Chamarel & Seven Colored Earth
Monday, June 22 MIE
10:00-15:00 Recording Session
Tuesday, June 23 Quatre-Bornes
11:00-13:30 Quatre-Bornes SSS
14:00-16:00 Recording Session @ CAEC
Wednesday, June 24 MIE/UoM
10:00-12:00 Meeting with Prof. Dany Adone
13:30-15:00 Sybille Kriegel UoM Conference
Thursday, June 25 MIE
11:00-12:00 Project Presentations
16:00-17:00 Meeting/Recordings at ABAIM
Friday, June 26 Flic-en-Flac
11:00-16:00 Meeting with Dr. Nita Raghoonundun
Saturday, June 27 Debriefing
Monday, June 29 Flic-en-Flac
09:00-16:30 Final recordings with speakers
Tuesday, June 30 Excursion
09:00-16:30 Exploring East Village; Mahebourg, GRSE

Apply for Mauritius 2026

QR Code to apply for Mauritius 2026 program
Contact for additional information:
maurires2026@gmail.com
Deadline: March 30th, 2026
🇸🇨

Seychelles 2027 • Mahé

Summer 2027 6 Student Fellows University of Seychelles

Documenting Seselwa (Seychellois Creole)

Status: Program development in progress

🇬🇫

French Guiana 2028 • Cayenne

Summer 2028 6 Student Fellows Université de Guyane

Documenting Kréyòl Gwiyannen (Guianese Creole)

Status: Program development in progress

🇬🇵

Guadeloupe 2029 • Pointe-à-Pitre

Summer 2029 6 Student Fellows Université des Antilles

Documenting Guadeloupean Creole

Status: Program in development

🇲🇶

Martinique 2030 • Fort-de-France

Summer 2030 6 Student Fellows Université des Antilles

Documenting Martinican Creole

Status: Program in development

Important Notes

  • All expenses covered: airfare, lodging, per diem
  • Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents
  • Undergraduate and graduate students eligible
  • Backgrounds: linguistics, cognitive science, psychology, data science and related fields