Eight Lesser Known Grant & Fellowship Competitions Open to Adjuncts
by Vicki Urquhart
There are hundreds of grants and fellowships available to contingent faculty who want to conduct research or complete a dissertation. Many programs are run by internationally-known organizations such as Fulbright, Guggenheim, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Others are less well-known, and the amounts and types of stipends such programs award vary widely. We’ve put together a fellowship/grant sampler of programs which are not well known. All of the programs below are are open to individuals whose proposed work merits an award.
Aerospace History
The American Historical Association Fellowship in Aerospace History annually awards one Fellow $20,000 for one academic year to undertake a research project related to aerospace history. The Fellow will have access to the resources of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The fellowship is open to applicants who hold a doctoral degree in history or a closely related field or who are enrolled in and have completed all course work for a doctoral degree-granting program. Applicants must offer a specific and detailed research proposal. Applications are due March 1st, and announcements are made in May. Download an application at http://www.theaha.org/prizes/NASA_ap.pdf
American history
The Lemelson Center Fellows Program is sponsored by the National Museum of American History and supports projects that present creative approaches to the study of invention and innovation in American society. These include historical research and documentation projects that result in publications, exhibitions, educational initiatives, and multimedia products. Fellows have access to the Smithsonian’s collections and research staff, are expected to reside in the Washington, D.C. area, participate in the Center’s activities, and make presentations on their work to colleagues at the museum. Fellowships are awarded for up to ten weeks and carry a prorated stipend. Scholars and professionals who are pre- or postdoctoral candidates or who have completed advanced training should apply by January 15th. Fellowships are announced by April 15th and begin on or after June 1st. Applications include a C.V., proposal abstract, detailed project description, and letters of support. Applications cannot be submitted by e-mail, but you can download an application form at http://www.si.edu/lemelson/lemelson/fellowshipform.pdf.
Economics
The Library Company of Philadelphia offers one dissertation fellowship and one advanced research fellowship through its Program in Early American Economy and Society. The fellowships are designed to promote scholarship on the origins and development of the early American economy to approximately 1850. Scholars will have access to the extensive printed and manuscript collections at the Library Company and other institutions in its vicinity. Awards are for nine consecutive months in local residence and carry stipends of $17,500 and $38,000, respectively. Also, four awards of one-month research fellowships carrying stipends of $1,750 are available. Applicants must send by mail, four copies each of a C.V., a detailed description of the intended research, a relevant writing sample of no more than 25 pages, and two letters of reference. For one-month fellowships, send a C.V. and one letter of reference. The deadline is March 1, with a reply date of March 31st. For an application and more information, contact the program director via the Web site at http://www.librarycompany.org/Economics/EFellowships.htm.
Environmental studies
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, offers Graduate Fellowships for master’s and doctoral-level students in environmentally related fields of study. Master’s level students may receive support for a maximum of two years, and doctoral students for a maximum of three years. Students must attend a fully accredited U.S. college or university and be pursuing a degree in an environmentally related field of specialization. The fellowship program provides up to $37,000 per year of support. The deadline for receipt of pre-applications is in November, and the Agency awards approximately 50 new fellowships in July. For additional information, visit the Web site at http://epa.gov/ncer.
Humanities
The Center for Hellenic Studies has a Junior Fellowship program designed to provide an opportunity for full-time research on a major project for scholars in the earlier stages of their careers. You must have a Ph.D. or its equivalent and have written scholarly publications in ancient Greek studies. The maximum stipend is $24,000 for a full academic year and fully-furnished housing for Fellows and their families. Applications must be postmarked by October 15th and are available at http://www.chs.harvard.edu/fellowships/applic.htm.
IBM Ph.D. Fellowships
This annual program is open to scholars in the areas of business, chemistry, computer science, electrical engineering, materials science, mathematics, mechanical engineering, physics, autonomic computing, nanotechnology, grid computing, and e-business on demand. Fellows are expected to intern (with pay) at an IBM research or development laboratory. Awards cover tuition and fees, plus a stipend of $17,500 and are renewable for up to three years contingent on continued progress and achievement. Students must be nominated by a faculty member and should have completed at least one year of graduate study. The deadline is December 14th of each year. More information and forms are available at IBM’s Web site: http://www-3.ibm.com/software/info/university/fellowship/phd/.
International policy
The Individual Advanced Research Opportunities Program provides fellowships to pre-doctoral and post-doctoral scholars from the United States under the auspices of the International Research & Exchanges Board. Fellows complete long-term research in Europe and Eurasia. Grants vary in length from two to nine months for policy-relevant research at institutions in the host country. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card holder) of the U.S. for three consecutive years prior to application, submit a research proposal, hold a Ph.D. or other terminal degree or be enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program, and submit a complete application package by the November 1st deadline. More information and an application are available at http://www.irex.org/programs/iaro/applications/application.pdf.
Science and the Media
The purpose of the Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellows Program is to increase public understanding of science and technology. The program, supported by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, strives to enhance coverage of science-related issues in the media by having fellows collaborate with media professionals. Applicants must be enrolled as college or university students (in their senior year, or in any graduate or post-graduate level) in the natural, physical, health, engineering, computer, or social sciences, or mathematics. Twenty to thirty Fellows each summer are provided a weekly stipend of $450 for 10 weeks and travel expenses. The deadline is January 15th. Download an application from ehrweb.aaas.org/massmedia.htm.
