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Distinguished Fellowships

Science History Institute Support

Foundation Annual Grants for Science ResearchHumanities Grants

Funding Amount

Varies

Deadline

January 15, 2027

112 days left

Grant Type

foundation

Overview

Distinguished Fellowships

Offered by: Science History Institute, Beckman Center for the History of Chemistry

Geographic Scope: International

Eligibility:

  • Open to distinguished scholars whose research in the history of chemical or molecular science, broadly construed, would benefit from access to the Institute's collections

  • Eligible candidates include:

    • - Academics at the rank of senior lecturer or above
    - Established scholars in independent research libraries or museums
    - Independent scholars with a commensurate record of scholarly achievement
  • Must be taken up for a continuous four-month period between July and the following June

  • Applicants for postdoctoral and dissertation research fellowships may opt to be considered for distinguished fellowships

  • May not hold multiple fellowships in the same academic year

  • Prior year fellowships do not affect eligibility for future awards

    • Focus Areas:

  • History of chemistry, chemical engineering, and modern life sciences

  • History and social studies of chemistry and the life sciences

    • Collections Available:

  • Over 7,000 rare books

  • Significant archival holdings

  • Thousands of images and graphic materials

  • Oral histories

  • Scientific instruments and artifacts

  • Fine art collection

  • Over 100,000 modern primary-source volumes and journals

  • Specialized collections in corporate records, scientific organizations, immigration and exile, food science, information science, materials science, modern bioscience and medicine, women in science, alchemy, and color studies

    • Selection Criteria:

  • Scholarly achievement and potential

  • Clarity, insightfulness, and originality of scholarly project

  • Extent to which project draws upon Institute collections

  • Feasibility of realizing stated goals by end of fellowship

    • Contact: fellowships@sciencehistory.org

    How to Apply

    Application Process

    Deadline: January 15 (annually)

    Required Documents:
    1. Cover letter (maximum 2 pages)
    - Introduce yourself and your project(s)
    - Explain why the Science History Institute is a suitable host institution

    2. Research proposal (maximum 4 pages) including:
    - Detailed description of your research project
    - Scholarly rationale
    - Research objectives during the fellowship
    - Account of how your research project would draw upon the Institute's collections

    3. Abstract (up to 150 words)

    4. Curriculum Vitae (maximum 4 pages)

    5. One piece of sample work (e.g., published paper, dissertation chapter, or master's thesis)
    - Preferably not more than 10,000 words

    6. Personal statement (up to 150 words)

    7. Contact details of two referees unaffiliated with the Science History Institute

    Application Timeline:

  • January 15: Application deadline

  • January 31: Deadline for upload of referee letters

  • March: Meeting of review committee

  • April 15: Candidates notified of decisions

    • Selection Process:

  • Independent review committee consisting of international panel of leading scholars

  • Committee evaluates applications and draws up ranked shortlist

  • Associate director of Beckman Center matches selection to available named fellowships

  • Committee may recommend awarding short-term fellowships to qualified candidates

    • Confirmation Process:

  • Email confirmation of successful application upload (usually immediate)

  • Email confirmation when reference letters are uploaded

  • Email notification of outcome

  • Contact if delays anticipated or further information needed

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    What Science History Institute Support actually gave

    Source: IRS Form 990-PF, 2025

    Grants in 2025
    1
    Total given
    $4.45M
    Median grant
    $4.45M
    • By dollars: Pennsylvania 100%. Top recipient cities: Philadelphia, PA.

    Example grants

    • Science History Institute · Philadelphia, PA

      General assistance

      $4.45M

    IRS Form 990-PF, 2025. Amounts as reported by the funder. Full 990 history →

    Focus Areas & Funding Uses

    Fields of Work

    science-researchhumanities

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