Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Programs

GENERAL INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS

Fellowships are offered by the Smithsonian Institution to provide opportunities for graduate students, predoctoral students, and postdoctoral and senior investigators to conduct research in association with members of the Smithsonian professional research staff, and to utilize the resources of the Institution. These fellowships are offered through the Smithsonian's Office of Fellowships, and are administered under the charter of the Institution, 20 U.S. Code section 41 et seq. Fellowship awards under this program are contingent upon the availability of funds.

The publication, Smithsonian Opportunities for Research and Study (www.si.edu/research+study), outlines Smithsonian research activities and lists the research staff. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact staff members to help identify potential advisors, determine the feasibility of the proposed research being conducted at the Smithsonian Institution, and the availability of relevant resources such as staff, collections, archives and library materials during the proposed tenure dates. (Other Smisthsonian fellowship opportunities availalble here.)

PROGRAM GUIDELINES

Qualifications for Application

Applicants must propose to conduct research at the Smithsonian in one of its areas of research as outlined in the publication, Smithsonian Opportunities for Research and Study, for a period of three to twelve months, or ten weeks for the Graduate Student Fellowship. Past or current fellowship recipients are eligible to apply for another award.

Applicants whose native language is not English are expected to have the ability to write and converse fluently in English. All application materials must be presented in English (foreign transcripts may be translated, see below).

Determination of the fellowship category for which to apply should be based on the anticipated academic level at the time the fellowship would begin:

Postdoctoral Fellowships: Applicants are eligible to apply for postdoctoral fellowships who have or will have received the Ph.D. or equivalent after January 15, 2014. The degree must be completed by the time the fellowship begins.

Senior Fellowships: Applicants who have received the Ph.D. or equivalent before January 15, 2015 are eligible to apply for senior fellowships. Senior Fellowship applications may be submitted one and a half years in advance (see below).

Application Submission and Deadline

All applications must be submitted by January 15, 2015 via SOLAA

Notification of decisions will be made on April 15, 2015.

Criteria for Selection

Applications are evaluated and fellows are selected, by scholars in appropriate fields, on the basis of the proposal’s merit, the applicant’s ability to carry out the proposed research and study, the likelihood that the research could be completed in the requested time, and the extent to which the Smithsonian, through its research staff members and resources, could contribute to the proposed research. 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 outlined in the plan (see details at http://www.si.edu/Content/Pdf/About/SI_Strategic_Plan_2010-2015.pdf ). The number of appointments made each year is determined by the availability of funds for the program. The Smithsonian Fellowship Program does not discriminate on grounds of race, creed, sex, age, marital status, condition of handicap, or national origin of any applicant.

Conditions of Appointment

Predoctoral, postdoctoral and senior fellowships are awarded for periods of three to twelve months (Postdoctoral fellowships in science may be awarded for up to twenty-four months and must be discussed in advance with the proposed advisor**). Appointment periods are in accordance with the applicant's proposal for the research, unless the length of tenure requested is considered by reviewers to be more than required. All graduate student fellowships are ten weeks long**. In accepting an appointment, the fellow will be expected to devote full time effort to the research proposed and to be in residence at the Smithsonian except for approved absences.

Financial support, in addition to a Smithsonian fellowship, for such purposes as research travel and equipment may be received from other sources provided that no special demands are made upon the fellow's time. Permission to receive additional stipend support must be requested in writing from the Office of Fellowships.

**Postdoctoral and Graduate Fellowships with advisors at the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) are eligible for extended tenures through the Peter Buck Fellowship Program.

In submitting an application for a fellowship at the Institution, the applicant does not incur any obligation to accept the appointment if selected.

Use of Smithsonian Facilities

Fellows will be provided with space to conduct their research within the department in which they are working. Applicants should consult in advance with their proposed advisor(s) regarding the availability of facilities and necessary equipment. The amount of support services available to the fellow will be determined by the workload of the department and the policy of the department chairperson and/or unit director. Fellows have access to the Smithsonian Institution

Libraries with privileges which include borrowing library materials, interlibrary loans, intralibrary loans, document delivery, database searching, and reference assistance.

Stipends and Allowances

Predoctoral, Postdoctoral and Senior Fellowships: The stipend for Predoctoral Fellows is $30,000 per year (twelve months). The stipend for Postdoctoral and Senior Fellows (other than those in Earth and Planetary Science, see below*) is $45,000 per year (twelve months). Stipends are prorated for periods of less than twelve months. In addition to the stipend, allowances to assist with the fellow’s research related expenses and for temporary relocation to the Smithsonian are possible. A maximum research allowance of $4,000 is available. The amount awarded will be determined based upon the budget and justification presented by the applicant. The budget for the research allowance should not include costs for relocation to the Smithsonian, which is awarded separately. The Office of Fellowships and Internships cannot provide funds for the travel or living expenses of dependents.

Graduate Student Fellowships: The stipend for Graduate Student Fellows is $6,500. Graduate student fellowships are offered for a period of ten weeks only and are not available for periods of less or more than ten weeks**. Relocation and research allowances are not offered for graduate student fellowships.

*Postdoctoral and Senior fellows in Earth and Planetary Science will be awarded a stipend based on $50,000 per year.

**Postdoctoral and Graduate Fellowships with advisors at theNational Museum of Natural History (NMNH) are eligible for extended tenures through the Peter Buck Fellowship Program.

All funds provided under Smithsonian fellowships, including stipends and research and travel allowances, are subject to tax.