Fellowships at the Smithsonian Institution provide students and scholars with
opportunities to pursue independent research projects in association with members of
the Smithsonian professional research staff. Applicants must propose to conduct
research in a discipline pursued at the Smithsonian and must submit a specific and
detailed research proposal indicating why the Smitsonian is an appropriate place to
carry out the study. Projects that broaden and diversify the research conducted
within these disciplines are encouraged.
Applicants are evaluated on the scholarly merit of their proposals; their ability to
carry out the proposed research and study; the likelihood that the research can be
completed during the requested appointment period; extent to which the Smithsonian,
through its research staff members or resources, can contribute to the proposed
research project; and the inclusion of diverse perspectives. Included in the
proposal evaluation will be its relevance in terms of the Smithsonian's Strategic
Plan and how the research reflects one or more of the Four Grand Challenges:
* Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe
* Understanding and Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet
* Valuing World Cultures
* Understanding the American Experience
Fellowship Categories
Postdoctoral Fellowships are offered to scholars who have held a Ph.D. or equivalent
for less than seven years.
Senior Fellowships are offered to scholars who have held a Ph.D. or equivalent for
seven years or more. The term is 3 to 12 months.* Both fellowships offer a stipend
of $42,000 per year plus allowances. Earth and Planetary Studies - Senior and
Postdoctoral - offer a stipend of $47,000 per year plus allowances.
Predoctoral Fellowships are offered to doctoral candidates who have completed
preliminary course work and examinations, and have been advanced to candidacy.
Candidates must have the approval of their universities to conduct doctoral research
at the Smithsonian Institution. The term is 3 to 12 months. The stipend is $27,000
per year plus allowances.
Graduate Student Fellowships are offered to students formally enrolled in a graduate
program, who have completed at least one semester and not yet been advanced to
candidacy if in a Ph.D. Program. Applicants must submit a proposal for research in a
discipline which is pursued at the Smithsonian. The term is 10 weeks; the stipend is
$6,000.
*Postdoctoral applicants in Science may apply for up to 24 months.
Fields of Research and Study
The following information is offered as a general guide to the reader in suggesting
the Smithsonian museums, research facilities, archives, and other reference
resources which may be pertinent to the individual's field of interest.
American History, American Material and Folk Culture, and the History of Music and
Musical Instruments, consult the following entries: National Museum of the American
Indian; National Museum of American History; National Portrait Gallery; National Air
and Space Museum; Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum; Anacostia Community Museum;
National Museum of African American History and Culture; National Postal Museum;
Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage; and the Smithsonian Institution Archives.
History of Science and Technology, consult the following entries: National Museum of
American History; National Air and Space Museum; Smithsonian Institution Archives;
and Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology under Smithsonian
Institution Libraries.
History of Art, Design, Crafts, and the Decorative Arts, consult the following
entries: Smithsonian American Art Museum; Archives of American Art; Hirshhorn Museum
and Sculpture Garden; Freer Gallery of Art/Arthur M. Sackler Gallery; Cooper-Hewitt,
National Design Museum; National Museum of African Art; National Museum of the
American Indian; National Museum of American History; National Portrait Gallery; and
National Postal Museum.
Anthropology, Archaeology, Linguistics, and Ethnic Studies, consult the following
entries: National Museum of Natural History; National Museum of African Art;
National Museum of the American Indian; National Museum of American History;
Anacostia Community Museum; Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage; Smithsonian
Tropical Research Institute; and the Museum Conservation Institute.
Evolutionary, Systematic, Behavioral, Environmental, and Conservation Biology,
consult the following entries: National Museum of Natural History; National
Zoological Park; Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and Smithsonian
Tropical Research Institute.
Earth, Mineral, and Planetary Science, consult the following entries: the
Departments of Mineral Sciences and Paleobiology of the National Museum of Natural
History; and Center for Earth and Planetary Studies of the National Air and Space
Museum.
Materials Characterization and Conservation, consult the Museum Conservation
Institute; Freer Gallery of Art/Arthur M. Sackler Gallery; and the National Museum
of the American Indian.
Closing Date: January 15, 2011
Link to Full Announcement
http://www.si.edu/ofg/
