Science History Institute Long-Term Research Fellowships

With around 20 scholars in residence each year, the Science History Institute (Philadelphia, PA) is home to the largest private fellowship program in the historical study of science, medicine, and technology in the United States. Researchers travel from all over the world to use our collections and take part in a vibrant scholarly community.

The Institute’s primary collections focus is the history of chemistry, chemical engineering, and the modern life sciences. Our materials range chronologically from the 15th century to the present and include more than 7,000 rare books, significant archival holdings, thousands of images and other graphic materials, memorabilia of various kinds, oral histories, scientific instruments and artifacts, and a substantial fine art collection, supported by over 100,000 modern primary-source volumes and journals. Within the collections there are many areas of special strength of interest to historians of art, business and labor, and the environment, as well as historians of science, technology, and medicine and scholars in science and technology studies.

Dissertation Fellowships (9 months)

These fellowships are open to graduate students whose PhD dissertation proposals have been accepted by their respective university departments by the application deadline. Dissertation Fellowships are intended to support nine months of full-time research and writing that will make use of our collections. Fellows will participate in Beckman Center scholarly programs, including the Works in Progress writing group and Fellows’ Talks lecture series. Applicants may be citizens of any country. The stipend is US$27,500, with an additional available reimbursement of up to US$2,500 for health insurance.

Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (12 months)

Postdoctoral Research Fellowships are open to researchers who have earned a doctoral degree and graduate students who will have defended their dissertations by the end of July of the application year. These fellowships are intended to support 12 months of full-time research and writing in residence that will make use of our collections. Fellows will participate in Beckman Center scholarly programs, including the Works in Progress writing group and Fellows’ Talks lecture series. Applicants may be citizens of any country. Postdoctoral Fellowship stipends are US$50,000, paid in monthly installments, with an annual US$1,000 stipend for travel and professional development and an additional available reimbursement of up to US$2,500 for health insurance.