Department of English
research-grant
The Penn Program in Environmental Humanities is now accepting applications for up to five one-year research fellowships to Penn graduate students who have completed their qualifying exams. The Fellows Program supports individual projects (either the dissertation or research in preparation for it) with a stipend between $2,000-4,000 and convenes a year-long Collaborative Public Research Colloquium for PPEH’s Graduate and Undergraduate Fellows. In AY 2021-22, Fellows will participate in a collaboratively organized series of seminars and lectures organized by the cluster for graduate training in the environmental humanities at the University of Toronto, Oxford University, and Penn. This colloquium is designed to facilitate alternative academic career exposure and training in public research methods with invited experts. It further provides Graduate Fellows opportunities to develop research mentorship experience; and to develop and execute cross-disciplinary, public engagement projects, including public writing on the well-trafficked PPEH Fellows blog. In the spring semester, participants in the Research Colloquium receive one course credit by enrolling in Public Environmental Humanities taught in 2022 by PPEH Faculty Director Bethany Wiggin.
To apply, please submit the following to director@ppehlab.org:
- 1000-word research statement, including a project abstract, a brief statement about how the project interacts with the environmental humanities, and how it might encourage collaboration across the disciplines
- 250-word statement addressing the candidate's vision for public, collaborative humanities projects
- A C.V
- One confidential letter of recommendation, emailed to director@ppehlab.org by the dissertation advisor or graduate chair
The Penn Program in Environmental Humanities is now accepting applications for up to five one-year research fellowships to Penn graduate students who have completed their qualifying exams. Students should be conducting dissertation research related to PPEH’s annual topic. In 2020-2021, PPEH programs, research initiatives, workshops, seminars, performances, and public engagement projects engage the topic “Transition/Transformation.”
Each PPEH Graduate Fellowship carries a $2,000 stipend designed to support EH projects at the doctoral level, and, in select cases, for projects leading to a M.A. M.S., M.F.A, or M.P.H. The Fellows Program supports individual projects (either the dissertation or research in preparation for it) and convenes a year-long Collaborative Public Research Colloquium for PPEH’s Graduate and Undergraduate Fellows. This colloquium is designed to facilitate alternative academic career exposure and trainings in public research methods with invited experts. It further provides Graduate Fellows opportunities to develop research mentorship experience; and to develop and execute cross-disciplinary, public engagement projects, including public writing on the well-trafficked PPEH Fellows blog. In the spring semester, participants in the Research Colloquium receive one course credit by enrolling in Public Environmental Humanities (ANTH 543, COML 562, GRMN 544, URBS 544), taught in 2021 by PPEH Faculty Director Bethany Wiggin. In our regular meetings, we will frame the role of the environmental humanities and transdisciplinary research and scholarship and think together about how public engagements, whether virtual or in-person, can intersect with and even enhance scholarship.
Past PPEH Fellows’ collaborations include public art/history/science installations, organization of reading groups and workshop series, a conference or un-conference, co-authored articles, a co-edited book, an installation, and Data Refuge and Remediations. All PPEH Fellows are expected to attend and contribute as appropriate to PPEH events and symposia. For further information, visit us at ppehlab.org
Call for Applications, 2020–2021
Research Topic: Transition/Transformation
Application deadline: Friday, May 15, 2020
To apply, please submit the following via email to director@ppehlab.org:
- 1000-word research statement. This statement should include a project abstract, a brief statement about how the project intersects with the environmental humanities and the research topic, and about how it might foster collaboration across disciplines.
- 250-word statement addressing the candidate’s vision for public, collaborative humanities projects
- C.V.
All documents should be submitted as a single PDF, with the file name <PPEHgrad_your Last name_First name.pdf> (e.g., PPEHgrad_Franklin_Ben.pdf)
Also required:
- One confidential letter of recommendation from your dissertation advisor or graduate chair. Please ask your referee to email their letter to director@ppehlab.org no later than the application deadline, May 15, 2020.
The Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies (SIMS) is accepting applications for its 2020-2021 Graduate Student Research Fellowship. The fellowship has been established to encourage emerging scholars to engage with the rich physical and digital manuscript resources at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries, including the Lawrence J. Schoenberg Collection and the Schoenberg Database of Manuscripts. Working closely with a SIMS staff member, the fellow will have the opportunity to develop a project and gain experience working in a collaborative, digital humanities environment. The fellow will be expected to present his or her research in some form at Penn Libraries either during the term of the fellowship or on a selected date following the completion of the term.
The fellow may undertake research on any aspect of the collections of premodern manuscripts in the Penn Libraries. Research proposals are invited from any area of manuscript studies, including but not limited to the study of the material text, scripts, decoration and illustration, paleography, codicology, binding, provenance, and the history of libraries and collecting. Proposals should demonstrate that the Libraries’ premodern manuscript resources are integral to proposed research topics. Proposals with a digital component are encouraged though not required.
Eligibility
The fellowship is available to all graduate students at universities in the greater Philadelphia area during the 2020-2021 academic term. International students at these institutions are welcome to apply but must be work eligible according to their visa terms and have approval from their host institution.
All application materials must be received by May 1, 2020, to be considered. For more information regarding the award and to apply, go to https://schoenberginstitute.org/graduate-student-research-fellowship-2/ .
The MCEAS Dissertation Fellowship Program
Since 1978, some 300 advanced graduate students from universities across North America and Europe have received dissertation fellowships from the McNeil Center. At least eight new fellows will be appointed for the 2020-2021 academic year, most for nine-month terms. Nine-month fellows will receive a stipend of $25,000, office space in the Center's home on the University of Pennsylvania's campus and library, computer, and other privileges at the University. Limited travel funds for research will also available. All fellows are expected to be in residence in Philadelphia during the terms of their appointments in order to participate fully in the Center's programs.
Doctoral candidates from any PhD-granting institution who are in the research or writing stage of the dissertation are eligible. As outlined below, some fellowships are targeted at specific areas, but any project dealing with the histories and cultures of North America in the Atlantic world before 1850 will be considered. Proposals dependent on the use of Philadelphia-area archives and libraries are particularly welcome. Applications are encouraged from students of all relevant disciplines, including Africana Studies, American Studies, Anthropology, Archaeology, Comparative Literature, Economics, English, Folklore, Gender Studies, History, Latinx Studies, Law, Music, Native American and Indigenous Studies, Political Science, Queer Studies, Religious Studies, Urban Studies, and Women’s Studies.
Nine-Month or One-Semester Fellowships
Awards may be made in the following categories, depending on the qualifications of the applicants and the availability of funding:
--MCEAS Barra Dissertation Fellowships and Advisory Council Fellowships are open to candidates from any discipline working on topic within the McNeil Center's area of interest.
--The Richard S. Dunn Fellowship, acknowledges excellence in any aspect of Early American Studies.
--Barra Foundation Fellowship
The Barra Foundation Fellowship supports research related to art or material culture.
--Friends of the MCEAS Fellowships
Friends of the MCEAS Fellowships support research on any relevant topic, with a preference for projects dealing with Philadelphia or the Mid-Atlantic region.
--MCEAS Consortium Fellowships are reserved for candidates from research universities that are members of the McNeil Center Consortium. Projects on any topic within the Center's areas of interest are eligible. (For more information about the Consortium, please visit www.mceas.org.)
--The E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Fellowship in Early American Religious Studies is open to candidates in any discipline researching any aspect of religion in North America and the Atlantic world before 1850.
--Marguerite Bartlett Hamer Fellowships are awarded to advanced doctoral candidates from any relevant program at the University of Pennsylvania who meet the same rigorous standards as external candidates.
Other Fellowships
--The Society of the Cincinnati Fellowship, supports research on the era of the American Revolution.
--The Monticello-McNeil Fellowship, co-sponsored by the McNeil Center and the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello, facilitates scholarship on Thomas Jefferson and his times. Holders of this fellowship spend a portion of their fellowship term at the ICJS in Charlottesville, Virginia.
How to Apply
A single online application suffices for all fellowships. Categories and duration of awards are determined by the selection committee. Applications need to be uploaded at: https://apply.interfolio.com/71856 Categories and duration of awards are determined by the selection committee, but candidates interested in the Monticello-McNeil fellowship should state their interest clearly in their research proposals. The following items must be prepared for uploading as pdf files:
--A curriculum vitae;
--A proposal not to exceed 1,500 words, double-spaced, describing the general scope of the project and the specific work proposed for the fellowship term
--an unpublished writing sample related to the project, double-spaced, limited to 7,500 words exclusive of notes.
--two letters of recommendation should be uploaded through Interfolio or submitted by email to mceas@ccat.sas.upenn.edu Please ask recommenders to address the specifics of this application. Do not send generic letters from placement dossiers.
Questions can be directed to:
The McNeil Center for Early American Studies
University of Pennsylvania
3355 Woodland Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-4531
The deadline for online applications is 3 February 2020.
The American Antiquarian Society offers both short-term and long-term research fellowships, tenable for periods of one to twelve months during the period June 1, 2020 to May 31, 2021.
Short-term research fellowships are tenable for periods of one to two months' residence at the Society, with a monthly stipend of $1850. The application deadline for these fellowships is January 15, 2020.
Long-term fellowships, supported by funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, support periods of four to twelve months' residence at the Society. The application deadline for these fellowships is January 15, 2020.
The American Antiquarian Society (AAS) is the leading archive in the United States for research in pre-twentieth-century U.S. history, literature, and culture. In addition to unsurpassed resources focused on the history and culture of the United States, AAS holds rich collections of materials dealing with Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. AAS collections focus on all aspects of American life from contact to 1900, and provide rich source material for projects across the spectrum of early American studies. We invite you to discover these resources as a visiting academic research fellow.
Further information about the fellowships, along with application materials, is available on the AAS website, http://www.americanantiquarian.org/fellowships.htm
Questions should be directed to cmrell@mwa.org
Through its program of Fellowships, the Ford Foundation seeks to increase the diversity of the nation’s college and university faculties by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, to maximize the educational benefits of diversity, and to increase the number of professors who can and will use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students. Dissertation fellowships provide one year of support for individuals working to complete a dissertation leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree. The Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship is intended to support the final year of writing and defense of the dissertation.
http://sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/fordfellowships/index.htm
Deadline: December 10, 2019 5pm EST
Penn’s Application Process
- While the Ford Fellowship does not require Penn’s nomination, CURF will be happy to provide advice, guidance, and application assistance to you.
Contact Information
Dr. Wallace Genser
Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships
The ARCH, 3601 Locust Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6224
genser@upenn.edu
Please call 215-746-6488 to schedule an appointment
Through its program of Fellowships, the Ford Foundation seeks to increase the diversity of the nation’s college and university faculties by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, to maximize the educational benefits of diversity, and to increase the number of professors who can and will use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students. Predoctoral fellowships provide three years of support for individuals engaged in graduate study leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree.
http://sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/fordfellowships/index.htm
Deadline: December 17, 2019 5pm EST
Penn’s Application Process
- While the Ford Fellowship does not require Penn’s nomination, CURF will be happy to provide advice, guidance, and application assistance to you.
Contact Information
Dr. Wallace Genser
Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships
The ARCH, 3601 Locust Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6224
genser@upenn.edu
Please call 215-746-6488 to schedule an appointment
The Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fund was established by the Will of Dolores Zohrab Liebmann and is administered by JPMorgan, Trustee. Mrs. Liebmann was the daughter of a prominent Armenian intellectual, writer and statesman and was married to one of the owners of a successful American business. She supported students and educational and charitable organizations during her lifetime. Mrs. Liebmann's primary concern, as expressed in her Will, was to attract and support students with outstanding character and ability who hold promise for achievement and distinction in their chosen fields of study. The trustees welcome applications from students of all national origins who are United States citizens.
Eligibility:
Fellowships are available to students who are currently enrolled in and pursuing a graduate degree at a designated institution of higher learning located in the United States of America.Undergraduate students are no longer qualified candidates.
The program of study being pursued by the candidate may include any recognized field of study in the humanities, social sciences, or natural sciences (including law, medicine, engineering, architecture or other formal professional training).The selection committee has a strong preference for supporting scholarly endeavors.
The candidate must have received a baccalaureate degree at the time of application and have an outstanding undergraduate record.
The candidate must demonstrate a need for financial assistance.
The candidate must be a citizen of the United States of America.
The candidate may be of any national descent or background.
Fellowship Details
The amount of each Fellowship will cover actual tuition costs plus an $18,000 annual stipend to be allocated towards room, board, and ordinary living expenses, as well as any income taxes thereon.
The recipient of a Fellowship shall be known as a Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fellow.
Fellowships are awarded annually. Each Fellow MUST APPLY FOR A RENEWAL of his or her fellowship by March 30 of the following year in accordance with the terms in effect at the time the fellowship is awarded. (No reminder will be sent by the Fund or by the University of Pennsylvania). Fellowships will be limited to a maximum of three years.
Awarded fellowships may not be deferred.
A Fellowship may be canceled at any time if a Fellow engages in misconduct affecting the Fund, breaches any of these rules, or provides false information to the Fund either directly or indirectly. The Fund is the sole arbiter of this term and the University of Pennsylvania takes no stance and will provide no mediation.
Penn Application Instructions:
This internal Penn application requires 2 letters of recommendation from professors who have taught or worked closely with you. Please visit the Letter of Recommendation Request form as soon as possible so as to give your recommenders ample time to submit letters of recommendation before the December 1 Penn Deadline. Penn will require a letter from the Dean of your Graduate School or your Department Chair if you are nominated.
Please combine the following into one PDF:
1. A completed version of this document. For now you may omit the financial aid information and tax returns.
2. Most current CV
3. All undergraduate and graduate transcripts
4. Copy of graduate exam scores, or a statement explaining why these were not needed.
5. A Statement of Purpose up to three pages long (double spaced) which considers the relationship between your graduate level study and your intended personal and/or professional goals. Your Statement of Purpose must include a 10-15 line abstract at the top (included in the three pages) that explains, in LAYMAN’S terms, the essence of your proposed topic of study or dissertation, the methodology of its treatment and its anticipated impact on your field of study.
Once that is prepared, visit the Penn Internal Fellowships Application to submit your application.
Please note that official transcripts, official copies of test scores, FAFSA, School Financial Aid Summary and tax returns (along with a letter from the Dean of your Graduate School or your Department Chair) will only be required if you are chosen as one of the three institutional nominees.
Contact Information
Dr. Aaron Olson
For more information or to apply, see Penn's Dolores Zorab Liebmann Fellowship page.
The National Academy of Education and the Spencer Foundation are seeking applications for their Dissertation Fellowship Program. The Dissertation Fellowship Program seeks to encourage a new generation of scholars from a wide range of disciplines and professional fields to undertake research relevant to the improvement of education. These $27,500 fellowships support individuals whose dissertations show potential for bringing fresh and constructive perspectives to the history, theory, analysis, or practice of formal or informal education anywhere in the world.
This highly competitive program aims to identify the most talented researchers conducting dissertation research related to education. The Dissertation Fellowship program receives many more applications than it can fund. This year 35 fellowships will be awarded. For more information or to apply, visit their website.
Every year, The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans supports thirty New Americans, immigrants or the children of immigrants, who are pursuing graduate school in the United States. The application for the 2020 Fellowship is now open.
Each Fellowship supports one to two years of graduate study in any field and in any advanced degree-granting program in the United States. Each award is for up to $25,000 in stipend support a year, as well as 50 percent of required tuition and fees, up to $20,000 per year, for one to two years. The first year of Fellowship funding cannot be deferred.
Most importantly, new Fellows join a strong community of current and past Fellows who all share the New American experience. There is an alumni association, The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellows Association (PDSFA), which actively engages current and past Fellows in events held across the country. For example, in 2015 the PDSFA held events with US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy (1998 Fellow) in both New York City and Washington, DC. In 2016, the PDSFA hosted events with Congressman Keith Ellison, Sachin Jain (2004 Fellow), Abdul El-Sayed (2012 Fellow), and Aarti Shahani (2010 Fellow) among others. They kicked 2017 off with an event in New York City co-hosted by the Marshall Scholars, which featured Thomas Friedman.
Full eligibility requirements can be found here. If you are interested in connecting with a university fellowship advisor, you can find a list of university's with advisors here.
The competition is merit-based. Selection criteria emphasize creativity, originality, initiative, and sustained accomplishment. The program values a commitment to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The program does not have any quotas for types of degrees, universities or programs, countries of origin, or gender, etc. Unsuccessful applicants are welcome to reapply in subsequent years if they are still eligible.
What is required of Fellows? Over the two years of the Fellowship, Fellows are required to attend the annual Fall Conference in New York City, which is fully paid for by the program. The Fall Conference takes place over a weekend in late October and is an opportunity for the new Fellows to get to know one another and the Fellowship staff, alumni, and community, celebrate, and examine the New American experience. In addition, the director or deputy director of the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships will visit each Fellow on their respective campus during the first fall semester of their Fellowship. The Fellowship funding should allow Fellows to focus on their studies full-time, which is why Fellows are not able to work full-time during their graduate program. Finally, Fellows are required to remain in good standing in their graduate program while receiving funding. At the close of their two years as an active fellow, Fellows must submit an exit report. More details on the visit and the requirements of the Fellowship are provided when selected applicants sign a contract with the Fellowship.
For more information or to apply for the fellowship, please visit the P.D. Soros Fellowship website.