Year: 2016

2017-2018 Postgraduate/Postdoctoral Fellowships in Conservation of Museum Collections

The Smithsonian’s Office of Fellowships and Internships has announced one-year fellowships for recent graduates of masters programs in art and archaeological conservation (or the equivalent) or conservation scientists, including those at the postdoctoral level, to conduct research and gain further training in Smithsonian centers for the conservation and research of museum collections. The fellowship begins in the fall of 2017. A stipend of $37,700 is being offered at the postgraduate level and $48,000 at the postdoctoral level, plus a research allowance up to $4,000. While 12-month fellowship proposals are preferred, applications for projects of shorter duration (3 to 12 months) are acceptable, with a commensurate reduction to the stipend amounts. The prospective fellow must first contact the conservator or scientist with whom he or she would like to work and is encouraged to seek direction with crafting an effective proposal. Previously successful proposals have benefited from the proposed mentor’s guidance in developing the research question and navigating the Smithsonian collections. If the potential supervisor confirms that candidacy is suitable, application must be made through the Office of Fellowships and Internships by December 1, 2016. Program guidelines and instructions for application are available at http://www.smithsonianofi.com/fellowship-opportunities/smithsonian-postgraduate-fellowships-in-conservation-of-museum-collections-program/. 

As one of the conservation laboratories in which a fellowship is offered, the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute (MCI) offers postings for treatment and research projects benefiting Smithsonian collections that make use of MCI’s excellent analytical capabilities (http://www.si.edu/mci/). Contact:

Mary Ballard, Senior Textiles Conservator, 301-238-1210, ballardm@si.edu  

Shannon A. Brogdon-Grantham, Photograph and Paper Conservator, 301-238-1241, brogdon-granthams@si.edu

A. Elena Charola, Research Scientist (biodeterioration, stone), 301-238-1213, charolaa@si.edu  

Paula T. DePriest, Deputy Director (biodeterioration), 301-238-1206, depriestp@si.edu

Janet G. Douglas, Head of Technical Studies (analysis of cultural heritage), 301-238-1238, douglja@si.edu  

Christine France, Research Physical Scientist (stable isotopes), 301-238-1261, francec@si.edu  

Carol Grissom, Senior Objects Conservator, 301-238-1236, grissomc@si.edu   

Jessica S. Johnson, Head of Conservation (archaeological materials), 301-238-1218, johnsonjs@si.edu  

Rebecca Kaczkowski, Preventive Conservator, 301-238-1242, kaczkowskir@si.edu  

Gwénaëlle Kavich, Conservation Scientist (materials characterization), 301-238-1265, kavichgm@si.edu  

Robert J. Koestler, Director (biodeterioration), 301-238-1205, koestlerr@si.edu

Thomas Lam, Physical Scientist (SEM-EDS, CL, XRF and microfadeometry), 301-238-1232, lamt@si.edu

Nicole Little, Physical Scientist (ICP-MS, XRD, SEM-EDS), 301-238-1243, littlen@si.edu  

Odile Madden, Research Scientist (modern materials, plastic, Raman spectroscopy), 301-238-1257, maddeno@si.edu  

Dawn Rogala, Paintings Conservator (modern paints, artists’ materials research/archives), 301-238-1255, rogalad@si.edu  

Jia-Sun Tsang, Senior Paintings Conservator (research and treatment of modern and contemporary art), 301-238-1231, tsangj@si.edu   

Ed Vicenzi, Research Scientist (microanalysis & imaging of heritage materials), 301-238-1215, vicenzie@si.edu  

E. Keats Webb, Imaging Specialist (scientific and computational imaging), 301-238-1212, webbekeats@si.edu

Fellows may also be hosted in the conservation and analytical laboratories of other Smithsonian museums and research centers, with the possibility of additional facilities for analytical work available at MCI. The conservator contacts for these museums are listed below: 

Malcolm Collum, Engen Conservation Chair, National Air and Space Museum (objects,) 703-572-4361, collumm@si.edu

Tiarna Doherty, Chief of Conservation, Smithsonian American Art Museum (colonial to contemporary paintings, paper, objects, and frames), 202-633-5802, dohertyt@si.edu  

Janice Ellis, Senior Paper Conservator, National Museum of American History (books and paper), 202-633-3623, ellisjs@si.edu

Kira Eng-Wilmot, Senior Textile Conservator, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum (decorative/applied arts: textiles, paper, three-dimensional objects), 212-849-8462, engwilmots@si.edu

Sunae Park Evans, Senior Costume Conservator, National Museum of American History (costumes and textiles), 202-633-3629, evanssu@si.edu

Andrew Hare, Supervisory Oriental Art Restoration, Freer and Sackler Galleries (objects, paper, and Asian paintings; and conservation science), 202-633-0370, harean@si.edu . Special note: Due to museum construction, the Freer and Sackler Galleries are not currently accepting applications for fellowships in this cycle; however they do welcome inquiries from persons interested in developing a project at a future date.

Catharine Hawks, Natural History Conservator, National Museum of Natural History (natural history and anthropological objects), 202-633-0835, hawksc@si.edu

Nora Lockshin, Senior Conservator, Smithsonian Institution Archives (archives, books, and paper), 202-633-5913, lockshinn@si.edu

Dana Moffett, Senior Conservator, National Museum of African Art (objects), 202-633-4614, moffettd@si.edu . Special note: The National Museum of African Art is not accepting applications for the Smithsonian Conservation fellowships but will have other fellowship opportunities available for the 2017-2018 cycle. 

Lou Molnar, Head of Conservation, National Portrait Gallery (paintings and paper), 202-633-5822, molnarl@si.edu

Beth Richwine, Senior Objects Conservator, National Museum of American History (objects), 202-633-3639, richwineb@si.edu  

Gwynne Ryan, Chief Conservator, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (modern materials), 202-633- 2728, ryangw@si.edu  

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