Applications are open for the Smithsonian Resilience and Sustainability Science Postdoctoral Fellowship 2025. Through the Resilience and Sustainability Fellowship, the Smithsonian seeks to support up to five post-doctoral fellows as they conduct independent research in support of the Smithsonian's goals to understand and expand resilience.
About Smithsonian Resilience and Sustainability Science Postdoctoral Fellowship
These fellows will be able to leverage the Smithsonian's resources, including its scientists, collections, exhibits, and data sets, to advance scientific understanding resilience and sustainability in either marine or terrestrial systems.
All proposals are welcome, but proposals should focus on the resilience and sustainability connecting complex marine or terrestrial systems (e.g., forests, freshwater systems, soils, etc.) with the people who depend on these systems and the services these systems provide. By resilience, they mean the ability of people and nature to respond and/or adapt to external stressors. As such, proposals must address at least two of the following:
- Socio-environmental external stressors as drivers of change
- Socio-environmental factors that influence the ability to adapt or that convey resilience
- Adaptive strategies
- Adaptive responses/outcomes
Importantly, proposals must also demonstrate that the research:
- is use-inspired;
- clearly relates to or informs solutions to current global environmental challenges; and
- includes a diversity, equity, access, and inclusion (DEAI) component.
Applications may be focused on any number of a broad set of natural or social science disciplines (inclusive of, but no limited to: animal behavior, anthropology, archeology, chemical ecology, conservation biology, ecology, economics, evolutionary biology, functional genomics, geography microbial ecology, molecular biology, marine biology, natural history, neurobiology, paleoecology, paleontology, physiology, political economy, political ecology, public policy, sensory ecology, sociology, soils sciences, taxonomy, etc.).
Research proposals should be constructed and submitted with two advisors:
- One primary research advisor from STRI or NMNH (depending on where the proposed research is based), and
- A second advisor from another organization or Smithsonian Unit.
They particularly encourage the following:
- Proposals with a second advisor from the private sector, civil society, or the public sector
- Research that takes advantage of the facilities and capacities of STRI and/or NMNH, including Smithsonian collections, to better understand resilience in nature and human communities, and to strengthen connections between Smithsonian collections and the latest interdisciplinary research innovations
- Proposals that include comparative research across tropical countries and/or collaborations with other Smithsonian units and museums
Benefits of Smithsonian Resilience and Sustainability Science Postdoctoral Fellowship
Recipients will receive a stipend of $62,000 per year for Postdoctoral Fellows. Stipends are prorated for periods of less than 24 months. A maximum research allowance of $10,000 is available for the fellowship period.
Smithsonian Resilience and Sustainability Science Postdoctoral Fellowship Requirments
Applicants for Postdoctoral Fellowships must have or will have received the Ph.D. by the time the fellowship begins. Applicants must propose to conduct research in residence.
How are fellows selected? Selection criteria will include:
- Alignment with the theme of resilience, as described in this document
- Effective demonstration that proposed research is use-inspired
- Demonstrated interdisciplinary effort (e.g., through the external partner and other collaborators, inclusive of people and nature, innovative methodologies, etc.)
- Clear commitment to DEI
Applicants will be informed in Fall 2024.
Awards are based upon merit, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship, age, or condition of handicap of the applicant. Proposals received after the application deadline will not be considered. Incomplete applications will be eliminated.
For more information, please send an email to [email protected].
Application Date and Process
Apply Through the Smithsonian Online Academic Appointment System (SOLAA). Select "Start Your Application" and only enter the program name.
Follow these steps:
- Go to: https://solaa.si.edu
- Select "New to SOLAA?” Complete the information to create an account.
- Once you create your account and provide the information required, you can select the type of appointment. Choose as follows: 4
- Program Type: "Fellowship"
- Unit of interest: "Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute" or "National Museum of Natural History"
- Program: "STRI Sustainability and Resilience Science Postdoctoral Fellowship"
- Fill in the application questions
- Upload the required documents
- Request reference letters, giving sufficient time for referees to submit them. It is your responsibility to send the email request to your recommenders and check in the system that the letters have been submitted.
Application Materials
The SOLAA application will allow you to upload the following files types (there is a 3MB limit and only the following types of documents are supported: .bmp, .doc, .docx, .gif, .jpeg, .jpg, .pdf, .png, .rtf, .tif, .tiff, .txt, .xls, and .xlsx):
The complete application should include the following information:
- A detailed research proposal (summary [one page] + project description [5-page maximum]):
- The one-page project summary should provide an overview of the proposed research and broader impact. The project description should provide clear description of research and broader impact, and must not exceed a maximum 5 pages total, font size 12 pts, single spaced on 8 ½ x 11 paper size.
- The project description must include objectives, hypotheses or research question(s), experimental design, significance, and a broader impacts engagement plan.
- A max. 1 page information sheet about the proposed external advisor and their institution, and how this proposed research aligns with the institution’s goals.
- A detailed budget. The research/travel allowance is not expected to exceed $10,000.00.
- Bibliography: The References Cited section is limited to 3 pages.
- A Curriculum Vitae
- A max. 1 page diversity statement that aligns with Smithsonian (a statement that reflects your views and experience in working towards the goal of promoting a diverse, inclusive, collegial, and rigorous scientific workplace; and how these views relate to your research project and expected outcomes). For guidance on the preparation of this statement, please click here.
- Two letters of reference (should not be from your proposed co-advisors)
- Applicants must designate a staff member from STRI or NMNH to serve as a research advisor, and a secondary advisor from another institution or another Smithsonian Unit. Both the primary and secondary advisors must be consulted during the proposal construction process, and before the application is submitted. STRI Staff members are listed here, NMNH staff members are listed here.
Application Deadline
15 October, 2024
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Smithsonian Resilience and Sustainability Science Postdoctoral Fellowship
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