Fellowships in Museum Practice (FMP)

Overview

_NOTE: Applications for the program are considered throughout the year; however, solicitations for the FMP program are reviewed beginning May 1 for the following academic year. Because of processing time at the Smithsonian, applicants should submit proposals no less than 12 weeks before their proposed start dates. For example, applicants who submit a proposal on May 1 should indicate a start date of August 1 or later. Notification of decisions will be within eight weeks from proposal submission._

The Smithsonian Fellowships in Museum Practice (FMP) program has awarded fellowships to professionals and scholars since 1993. We at the Smithsonian Office of Educational Technology (OET) are constant in our search for dedicated, forward-thinking individuals with outstanding expertise in the areas of museum education; education technology; and cultural heritage institutions and their use of digital technologies to further their missions, connect with audiences, and create new opportunities for formal and informal learning. Fellows will be expected to take advantage of their proximity to Smithsonian collections, platforms, and experts while advancing their particular field of research.

Fellows will continue to promote the exchange of knowledge in their field, and the results of their research should help to increase the Smithsonian's impact as a national educational organization.

Fellowship Details and to apply

Most fellowships include a $4,000 monthly stipend plus round-trip travel expenses between the recipient's home and Washington, D.C., and are awarded annually for a period of up to six months. The six-month period need not be congruent. Fellowships may also be awarded to those who demonstrate an ability to further the use of digital museum resources by working remotely, or through a mix of Washington, D.C.,-based research and remote engagement. Travel funding for a mixed-location fellowship will be dependent on resources for the funding year.

On occasion, the program offers an award of merit to an applicant whose proposal is worthy of further study but is not sufficiently structured to meet OET’s selection criteria. In these cases, the applicant may be awarded funds to support the costs of a short-term professional visit to the Smithsonian. Fellows in residence for up to 21 days or less are eligible to receive up to $250 per day, plus round-trip travel expenses between the recipient’s home and Washington, D.C.

OET may choose to provide fellows with physical or digital access to office spaces, advisory services, Smithsonian facilities, resources, staff, reference collections, and informal forums in which to present work-in-progress.

Fellows are expected to share their research and findings at the culmination of their fellowship via an internal Smithsonian presentation or other method(s) agreed upon by the fellow and their OET advisor/host.

OET reserves the right to not award a fellowship in a year if the reviewers decide that none of the applications are suitable.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

* Mid-career practitioners who empower students, teachers, and lifelong learners to access, integrate, and add to the Smithsonian's digital collection of assets.

Ineligibility

* Collection surveys
* Converting theses or dissertations into films, websites, books, or exhibits
* Requests to fund advanced degree study (universities, colleges, continuing education programs, certificate or graduate programs, material culture or connoisseurship programs or that are part of an institutional project, etc.)
* Smithsonian employees, current Smithsonian research associates, and individuals who perform Smithsonian Institution service contracts are not eligible. Scholars who have previously received a Smithsonian Fellowship in Museum Practice will be considered.