Filling Ten-Week Graduate Student Fellowship: ANTHROPOLOGY
Background
The Robert D. Hevey, Jr. and Constance M. Filling Ten-week Graduate Student Fellowship in Anthropology was established in 2018 to support short-term, resident, graduate student fellowships focused anthropological studies related to contemporary indigenous communities, linguistics and endangered languages, or cultural diversity.
Robert Hevey is currently pursuing a PhD in Plant Conservation Biology at Northwestern University and the Chicago Botanic Garden focused on tolerance ranges of native bush clovers. Previously his nearly 40-year business career provided him a variety of opportunities ranging from public accounting to distribution, corporate restructuring, and inventory appraisals.
Constance Filling, EdD, serves as the Chief Learning Officer at the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC). In this role, Constance is responsible for building a highly effective learning unit with the goal of providing AAMC members the education, training, research, and clinical care models to succeed in the newly emerging field.
Robert Hevey and Constance Filling established this short-term graduate student fellowship at NMNH to help contribute toward the training and inspiration of the next generation of natural history researchers.
Eligibility
Currently enrolled graduate student. Fellowships are available to US and non-US citizens. Applicants must write and converse fluently in English. Candidates may not also be a Smithsonian employee or contractor during the period of his/her fellowship appointment and may not hold another type of Smithsonian academic appointment (e.g., Research Associate, fellowship or internship) during his/her appointment as a fellow. Awardees are expected to be resident in the Department of Anthropology at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC (NHB or MSC) full time and actively engaged in the NMNH community during the entire fellowship tenure.
Research topic must be focused on contemporary indigenous communities, linguistics and endangered languages, or cultural diversity. Priority will be given to applicants who have not previously had an opportunity to visit and conduct research at NMNH. Review factors include:
- Research of the highest intellectual and ethical standards
- Research with clear connection and purpose for NMNH on-site investigation utilizing collections and facilities
- Efforts toward creating a diverse community
Only NMNH employees are eligible to serve as fellowship advisors.
How it Works
Proposals for the Filling Ten-week Graduate Student Fellowship in Anthropology must be submitted through the central SI Fellowship Office, as part of the SIFP fellowship call.
Applicant proposals will be reviewed by SI staff with expertise in the proposed area of study and then reviewed, discussed and ranked by the central SIFP fellowship committee who will assess the relative merit of proposals, candidate’s eligibility, and appropriateness for placement as part of the NMNH community.
How to Apply
- Apply through: Smithsonian Academic Appointment System (SOLAA) found at https://solaa.si.edu
- Follow all guidelines for the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP).
- Applicants do not need to identify the Filling Graduate Student Fellowship Program to be considered for award. Appropriate top candidates will automatically be considered.
- To receive consideration, candidates must apply to the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP) with a research proposal in an area of study related to Natural Museum of Natural History (NMNH) facilities, collections, and select as the primary advisor an NMNH research scientist in the Department of Anthropology from the Research Staff listing provided in SORS.
- The application deadline and notification date for the Filling Graduate Student Fellowship Program are the same as the SIFP.
- Notification of status can be anticipated about 5 months following the application deadline; generally, in March.
- Fellowship tenure targets summer residency, must be continuous, and start within one year of notification.
Award
The ten-week fellowship includes stipend, research/travel/health allowance, plus a travel allowance to/from Washington DC.
- Stipend: $8,000
- Research Allowance: $4,000
- Relocation Allowance: as appropriate for location
Past Awardees
WELLMAN, Hannah. 2019. University of Oregon. Using archaeology to understand Native American use of sea otters and whales in Oregon prior to European contact. Advisor: Torben Rick
*No awardee was named in 2020.