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Historic Preservation Home > Jobs in Preservation > Fellowships > Smithsonian's Lemelson Center Fellowship, Washington D.C., Closes 1/15/10

 

The Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center is seeking proposals for its 2010 Fellows Program, which 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 publications, exhibitions, educational initiatives, and multimedia products. The fellowship program provides access to the Smithsonian’s vast artifact and archival collections, as well as the expertise of the Institution’s research staff.

The Center offers fellowships to scholars and professionals who are pre- or postdoctoral candidates or who have completed advanced professional training.

Fellowships are awarded for a maximum of ten weeks and carry a prorated stipend. Fellows are expected to reside in the Washington, D.C. area, to participate in the Center's activities, and to make presentations on their work to colleagues at the museum.

Applicants are required to consult with the fellowship coordinator prior to submitting a proposal.

The Lemelson Center was established at the National Museum of American History in 1995 through a gift from The Lemelson Foundation. Jerome Lemelson (1923-1997) was an independent inventor who earned more than 600 patents, representing one of the largest patent portfolios in the nation’s history.

The Center's mission is to document, interpret, and disseminate information about invention and innovation, to encourage inventive creativity in young people, and to foster an appreciation for the central role invention and innovation play in the history of the United States.

The deadline for applications is January 15, 2010. Application materials are available on the web at http://invention.smithsonian.org/fellowships.

Contact:   

                Maggie Dennis, Historian and Fellowship Coordinator

                National Museum of American History

                Rm. 334, MRC 604

                Smithsonian Institution

                P.O. Box 37012

                Washington, D.C.  20013-7012

                Tel: 202-633-3441

                Fax: 202-357-4517

                E-mail: dennism@si.edu

Nota Bene:

For researchers seeking a shorter stay at the Smithsonian, the Lemelson Center also offers a Travel to Collections Award, which covers transportation costs and daily expenses up to $100 a day for a maximum of 21 business days. Proposals are accepted throughout the year. Scholars, graduate students, and independent researchers not residing or attending school within commuting distance of the National Museum of American History may apply for the Travel to Collections Award.