Lemelson Center Fellowship Program Grant

Lemelson Center Fellowship Program Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Smithsonian Institution (SI)
Amount: US $8,501 - US $11,000
Last Updated: September 02, 2025

Summary

The Lemelson Center Fellowship Program offers support for innovative projects that delve into the history of invention and technology in American society. It encourages research on diverse inventors and technologies, particularly those related to under-represented groups. Fellowship tenure is flexible, with stipends of $850/week for pre-doctoral and $1,100/week for post-doctoral applicants. The program provides access to Smithsonian resources, fostering academic exchanges and presentations to enhance scholarly contributions in the field.

Overview

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 Robert W. Kearns Papers, which document the invention of the intermittent windshield wiper and Kearns’s defense of his patent. In addition, the NMAH Library offers long runs of historical technology serials like Scientific American and American Machinist, and the American Trade Literature collection(opens in new window), 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. 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. Pre-doctoral: $850/weekPost-doctoral/Professional: $1,100/week

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. 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).Fellows are expected to reside temporarily 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.

Ineligibility

Undergraduates and Smithsonian staff should not apply.