James Smithson Fellowship Program
Forecasted
James Smithson Fellowship Program supports early-career postdoctoral researchers using Smithsonian resources for independent research connecting scholarship and public policy to inform policy conversations.
Funder: Smithsonian Institution
Due Dates (Anticipated): October 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: $62,000 stipend and $5,000 research allowance for 12 months
Summary: Supports early-career postdoctoral researchers using Smithsonian resources to explore connections between independent scholarship and public policy.
Key Information: Applicants must be U.S. citizens and identify a Smithsonian research advisor to receive review.
Description
The James Smithson Fellowship Program offers early-career researchers in science, the humanities, and the arts an immersive opportunity to examine the interplay between scholarship and public policy. Fellows pursue independent empirical research using Smithsonian experts, facilities, and collections. The program encourages interdisciplinary perspectives, deeper disciplinary expertise, and reflection on research’s wider significance, while helping fellows develop skills to inform policy conversations.
The published 2027 theme, Regeneration, explores how societies, environments, and cultural traditions renew and adapt while preserving continuity. It encompasses ecosystem restoration, revitalization of cultural practices, community rebuilding following disruption, and technological innovation. Applicants are encouraged to examine restoration, resilience, adaptation, and continuity across diverse temporal and spatial contexts.
