The McNeil Center for Early American Studies expects to appoint two postdoctoral fellows for terms beginning in 2025. Each fellow will enjoy private office space in the Center’s building at the northeastern gateway to the University of Pennsylvania campus; library, computer, and other privileges at the university; and access to the Philadelphia area’s magnificent manuscript, rare book, and museum collections. Within the parameters described below, applications are welcome from scholars whose work focuses on any aspect of the histories and cultures of North America in the Atlantic world before 1850. Proposals reliant on research in Philadelphia-area archives, libraries, and museums are especially welcome.
Barra Postdoctoral Fellowship
(24 months, 2025–2027)
The McNeil Center for Early American Studies will appoint a Barra Postdoctoral Fellow for a two-year term, beginning 1 July 2025. Applications are welcome from junior scholars whose work focuses on any aspect of the histories and cultures of North America in the Atlantic world before 1850. Applicants must have earned the PhD no earlier than 2021 and must have completed all requirements for the degree when the appointment commences. Candidates who have received McNeil Center funding for a related project at the pre-doctoral stage are not eligible. Proposals reliant on research in Philadelphia-area archives, libraries, and museums are especially welcome. The Barra Postdoctoral Fellow will receive a starting stipend of at least $65,000, health insurance, and modest funds for travel and research.
Barra Sabbatical Fellowship
(9 months, 2025–2026)
The McNeil Center for Early American Studies will appoint a Barra Sabbatical Fellow for a nine-month term, beginning 1 September 2025. This fellowship is designed for a scholar on leave from a faculty position for the 2025–2026 academic year and at work on a book-length research project. Applications are welcome from scholars whose project focuses on any aspect of the histories and cultures of North America in the Atlantic before 1850. Candidates who have received McNeil Center funding for a closely related project are not eligible. Proposals reliant on research in Philadelphia-area archives, libraries, and museums are especially welcome. This award takes the form of a cash grant, paid directly to the fellow's home institution. The amount is negotiable, based on the assumption that the fellow will be receiving benefits and partial salary from the home institution.
The deadline for the Barra Postdoctoral Fellowships is November 1, 2024.
The deadline for the Sabbatical Fellowship is December 9, 2024.