The Gotham Center / Uris Foundation is pleased to offer short-term fellowships to support graduate students from the City University of New York (CUNY) in furthering the study of New York City history through New York Public Library (NYPL) collection materials. Fellowship stipends are $1,000 per week for a minimum of two and maximum of four weeks. Individuals needing to conduct on-site research in the Library’s special collections are welcome to apply. Preference is given to applications making a strong case for accessing special collections materials.

The fellowship is open to doctoral students and graduate students matriculated at the CUNY whose research touches on any aspect of New York City history: political, economic, social, or cultural. This fellowship is a joint venture between the NYPL and the Gotham Center.

Application

Deadline: April 1st, 2020

A complete application consists of three parts: the online application form, a project proposal (no more than 3 pages), an abbreviated CV (no more than 2 pages) and a professional letter of recommendation. The project proposal is to include a general description or abstract of the research project, its title and format and the applicant’s contact details. Applicants should identify specific material(s) to be consulted during the desired dates of the fellowship period. Successful applications will also include an in-depth explanation of how collections existing only at the New York Public Library are essential to the progress and completion of the research project. Applications are submitted through NYPL’s Fellowship Portal, where applicants are invited to create an account and upload a CV and then apply for the Short Term Fellowships specifically.

Each fellow is required to participate in a research roundtable and/or write a blog post about their project and work, completed at the Library by the end of the award period.

Fellowships

“Writing the History of Greater New York”

A fellowship program established with the generous support of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation. Two yearlong grants of $40,000 will be awarded to scholars with book manuscripts substantially near completion that explore 1) the history of the “outer boroughs” (Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and the Bronx), 2) Long Island’s contributions to the development of the metropolitan region, or 3) that integrate the history of Long Island and New York City somehow, approaching the fields of urban / suburban history with a metropolitan / regional lens. The award provides office space at The Graduate Center, City University of New York, and full access to the library consortium and its subscriptions. Benefits are not included.

Applying & Timeline

Applications must include PDFs of the following: an abstract, a statement of need, and a progress report (no more than three pages); a writing sample of no more than ten pages (longer, published articles based on the research are permissible, too); a scholarly C.V. (no more than two pages); and three letters of reference. The applications should be emailed to GothamCenter@gc.cuny.edu with the subject line: ‘Gardiner application.’ The deadline is December 15th. Special consideration will be given to independent and early-career professionals, but we invite all scholars to apply. A selection committee will notify the successful applicants by March 15th.

Terms of the Award

Gardiner fellows will be expected to submit an excerpt of no less than 50 pages of new material in late December, and once more in early May, for peer review by two experts in their subject area chosen by the Gotham Center. Fellows will also submit their manuscripts to Pulitzer-winning historian and Gotham Center board chairman / founder Mike Wallace, for editorial guidance at end-of-term. During the year, fellows will assist the Gotham Center in developing public programming based on their research at partnering institutions in the metropolitan region.