Fellowships at NMAH

Are you looking for opportunities for independent study and research that make use of American history experts, facilities and collections under the advice of a Smithsonian advisor?  The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History (NMAH) offers formal fellowships to qualified applicants!

Programs

Margaret S. Vining and Barton C. Hacker Fellowship in Women's Military History

The Division of Military History at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History (NMAH) is pleased to accept applications for the 2024-25 Margaret S. Vining and Barton C. Hacker Fellowship in Women’s Military History.

The theme for this year’s fellowship is “From Combat to Haute Couture.” The successful candidate will demonstrate an interest in gender and dress which is anchored in Military History collections but may involve comparative study in other costume and textile collections in the Museum and across the Smithsonian. 

About the Fellowship

The Vining and Hacker Fellowship offers access to a range of resources, including Smithsonian staff, NMAH’s military history collections and research files, access to collections across the Smithsonian, and office space in NMAH. 

The Fellowship offers $20,000 to pre-doctoral candidates and $28,000 to post-doctoral or professional candidates, who work on independent research projects that substantially use Military History collections at NMAH. Fellowship tenure is negotiable, as the Fellow may choose to complete their work during a single 6-month residency working primarily at the museum, or to distribute the equivalent number of hours over a 9 or 10-month term, either at fewer hours per week or in multiple shorter periods working primarily at the museum. Fellows are encouraged to make a presentation of their work to colleagues at NMAH at some point during their tenure. 

For a comprehensive catalog of objects, manuscripts, images, and research materials available at the NMAH (and other Smithsonian units), see the Smithsonian's Collections Search Center.

Eligibility

The Fellow is expected to reside in the Washington, DC area and work at least three days per week in the museum or a related collection during their Fellowship period(s). Pre-doctoral graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, and other professionals who have completed relevant advanced training are invited to apply. Undergraduates and Smithsonian staff are not eligible. 

Fellowship Stipends

All stipends are subject to tax; non-US applicants should inquire about visa status and tax implications. Stipends are based on the understanding that the Fellow may choose to complete their work during a single 6-month residency working primarily at the museum, or to distribute the equivalent number of hours over a 9 or 10-month term.

  • Pre-doctoral candidates: $20,000
  • Post-doctoral or professional candidates: $28,000

Application Details

Applications should be submitted via the Smithsonian's Online Academic Appointment (SOLAA) database and are due by 5 PM EST on Monday, February 27, 2024. Only complete applications will be considered, which must include: 

  • a 2-page CV or resumé 
  • a 2-page statement that summarizes the proposed project, its current state and plan for completion, and how Military History and other collections at NMAH will substantially contribute to it 
  • one writing sample (maximum 30 pages, not including notes) 
  • a timeline for the tenure of the proposed Fellowship period 
  • two letters of recommendation from people familiar with the project  

Applicants must apply through the Smithsonian OnLine Academic Appointment system (SOLAA). 

  1. From the SOLAA homepage, click the link that reads: Don't have an Account? Create an Account.
  2. Once you have created a SOLAA account and successfully logged in, click Start Your Application. 
    • For Program Category select Fellowship/Other Academic Appointment.
    • For Office/Museum/Research Center select National Museum of American History.
    • For Program Status select All.
    • Click Search. You will see a result set of various fellowship programs.
  3. Find the Margaret S. Vining and Barton C. Hacker Fellowship in Women's Military History and click Apply Now.
  4. On the following confirmation screen, click Continue Application.
  5. Proceed with entering your information and uploading your documents. For Year of Program Competition, please select 2024.

All application materials will be made available to the Office of Curatorial Affairs, Division of Military History staff and its selection committee, which may include outside readers. The Vining and Hacker Fellowship is open to all qualified individuals without regard to race, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or national origin.

Deadline: Applications must be submitted via SOLAA by by 5 PM EST on Monday, February 27, 2024.

**Note: Get your application uploaded early! Several academic appointment programs across the Smithsonian have applications due during the end of February, and because of high user volumes, the SOLAA website may exhibit poor performance during our application deadline. Please plan ahead!

Program-specific questions should be directed to Kenneth Cohen, Chair of Military History and Curator of Early American History, at cohenk@si.edu. Application questions should be directed to Caroline Fiertz, Interns & Fellows Program Manager, at NMAHintern@si.edu.  

Smithsonian resources: More information about Smithsonian collections and staff can be found on the following websites:

Lemelson Center Fellowship Program

APPLICATIONS FOR THIS PROGRAM ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED. The information shared below is for potential applications to reference for future planning purposes; it is not a current recruitment announcement.

The Lemelson Center Fellowship Program supports projects that present creative approaches to the study of invention and innovation in American society. These include, but are not limited to, historical research and documentation projects resulting in dissertations, publications, exhibitions, educational initiatives, documentary films, or other multimedia products.

The program provides access to the expertise of the Smithsonian's research staff and the vast invention and technology collections of the National Museum of American History (NMAH). The NMAH Archives Center documents both individuals and firms across a range of time periods and subject areas. Representative collections include the Western Union Telegraph Company Records, ca. 1840–1994 and the Earl S. Tupper Papers, documenting Tupper, and his invention, Tupperware. In addition, the NMAH Library offers long runs of historical technology serials like Scientific American and American Machinist, and the American Trade Literature collection, which includes 300,000 catalogs, technical manuals, and advertising brochures for some 30,000 firms, primarily from 1880–1945. For a comprehensive catalog of objects, manuscripts, images, and research materials available at the NMAH (and other Smithsonian units), see the Smithsonian Collections Search Center.

Topics: The Lemelson Center invites all applications covering the broad spectrum of research topics in the history of technology, invention, and innovation. However, the Center especially encourages proposals that align with one (or more) of its strategic research and programmatic areas, including 1) projects that illuminate inventors from diverse backgrounds or any inventions and technologies associated with under-represented groups, such as women, minorities, LGBTQ, and the disabled; (2) projects exploring innovation in sports and sports technology; or (3) projects that explore the broader ecosystem of individuals and institutions that support inventors, including inventors' professional organizations; angel investors, venture capitalists, and financiers; incubators and entrepreneurial coaches; patent agents and IP attorneys; product designers, manufacturers, and marketers; and bankruptcy-liquidation specialists.  

Eligibility: The Center annually awards two to three fellowships to pre-doctoral graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, and other professionals (e.g. authors, journalists, attorneys) who have completed some advanced training (e.g. usually an MA or JD, but please inquire if you have questions). Undergraduates and Smithsonian staff should not apply. Fellows are expected to reside in the Washington, DC area, to participate in the Center's activities, and to make a presentation of their work to colleagues at the Museum.

Awards: Fellowship tenure is based upon the applicants’ stated needs (and available funding) up to a maximum of 10 weeks. All stipends are subject to tax; non-US applicants should inquire about visa status and tax implications. Stipends for 2020–2021 were:

  • Pre-doctoral: $750/week
  • Post-doctoral/Professional: $1,000/week

Application: Learn how to apply by checking out their fellowship website here!

Smithsonian Institution Fellowships

Each year dozens of fellows, working on a variety of research topics, find a home at the National Museum of American History. They are selected by the Smithsonian's Office of Academic Appointments and Internships (OAAI), which issues announcements, asks the appropriate curator to review the incoming proposals, and then refers the proposal to a special committee to make the final determination about awards. These decisions are based on the candidates' academic standing, scholarly competence, experience, and the suitability of the proposed research project of study.

During their fellowship tenure, fellows are advised by museum staff and have access to the museum's libraries, archives, and many other resources depending on the nature of their research. Fellows are encouraged to give a presentation on their research as part of the weekly Tuesday colloquium series here at NMAH. At the completion of their appointment, fellows take their work with them.

There are so many different fellowship opportunities at the Smithsonian! Learn more about different Smithsonian fellowship opportunities here, and find out the fellowship application deadlines here! Might we recommend perusing the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program page?

Not sure who you'd want to ask to be your NMAH fellowship advisor? Check out our different teams (including museum staff's bios) on our website to see who might be a great advisor for your research. Applicants should consult with their potential Smithsonian advisors early in the application process to discuss specific research needs and collections availability.

Have questions about fellowship funding, visas, tax information, and more? Check out OAAI's general information on the SI fellowships here.