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Brown University departments can propose postdoctoral appointments to meet ongoing or emergent instructional needs. Postdoctoral fellows are appointed jointly at the Cogut Institute and in the departments. Individuals may not apply to the Cogut Institute for postdoctoral fellowships: the Institute does not recruit postdoctoral fellows directly.
Postdoctoral fellows enrich Brown University’s curriculum and research culture by bringing to campus expertise in a range of humanities fields. In turn, postdoctoral fellows have the opportunity to gain additional teaching experience and develop their research while seeking permanent positions.
In Fall 2023, the governing board of the Cogut Institute for the Humanities will be considering departmental and program proposals for:
- up to 2 two-year appointments of Mellon Postdoctoral Fellows.
- up to 2 two-year appointments of Postdoctoral Fellows in International Humanities.
The award covers salary, standard employee benefits, and a $2,000 per year reimbursable research fund. The award also provides up to $1,000 per fellow for search costs.
Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowships are awarded to departments or combinations of departments/programs emphasizing one of two priorities:
- The case for an appointment in a new or experimental area that may constitute a position description for a future faculty search.
- The need for instruction in a traditional field not adequately covered by the relevant department or combination of department(s) and institute(s)/center(s)/program(s).
International Humanities Postdoctoral Fellowships may also be defined in one of these ways, with the expectation that the search field will include an international dimension. In International Humanities searches, the recruitment of fellows from outside North America is encouraged.
Mellon and International Humanities Postdoctoral Fellows are scholars who have received their degrees from institutions other than Brown University within the last five years and pursue work in the humanities, the humanistically-oriented social sciences, and new fields with close ties to the humanities. They are appointed to academic departments, where they teach one course per semester. They are also affiliated with the Cogut Institute where they participate in a weekly seminar with faculty, graduate, and undergraduate fellows. The institute seeks to provide a stimulating scholarly environment in which to pursue research, develop new interdisciplinary connections, and network with others. Fellows join lectures and conferences as appropriate to their research and may play a role in the planning of working groups and events.
ELIGIBILITY
All Brown University academic departments are eligible to submit proposals to the Cogut Institute. Brown University programs, centers, and institutes are also welcome to submit proposals, but must demonstrate the willingness of appropriate departments to sponsor, house, and actively mentor a postdoctoral fellow. After a departmental proposal is chosen by the Cogut Institute governing board, that department recruits and hires a candidate for the position. Individuals may not apply to the Cogut Institute for postdoctoral fellowships: the institute does not recruit postdoctoral fellows directly.
DEPARTMENTAL APPLICATION
We welcome proposals for 2024–2026 postdoctoral fellowships. The deadline is Monday, October 2, 2023, 11:59 p.m.
The institute normally awards two Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship searches and two International Humanities searches each year.
Proposals should include:
- A one-page statement outlining how the proposed area of teaching and research fits into the intellectual goals for research and/or teaching in the department, program, center, and/or institute.
- A job posting as it would appear on Interfolio, written in accordance with the Dean of Faculty requirements for faculty postings.
- A commitment to develop and implement a mentoring plan for the postdoctoral fellow. A mentoring plan is expected to include syllabus consultation and other steps to promote healthy course enrollments, teaching observations at least once annually, and an invitation to present scholarly work to the department. It is often most useful to assign a specific faculty mentor though guidance can be shared among faculty as well. We welcome any information you can provide at this stage about the department’s mentoring plans and practices.
The governing board of the Cogut Institute reviews all departmental proposals.
SUBMIT A DEPARTMENTAL APPLICATION
Questions? Email humanities-institute@brown.edu.
