Applications for 2026–2027 Beckman Center Fellowships Now Open

The Beckman Center for the History of Chemistry at the Science History Institute is now accepting applications for our 2026–2027 fellowships. Scholars whose research would benefit from the use of our collections—including our newly acquired History of Molecular Biology Collection—are invited to apply for one of our long- or short-term programs by January 15, 2026. Library travel grants are also available and are accepted and approved on a rolling basis.

The Institute offers 12-month postdoctoral fellowships that are open to researchers who have earned a doctoral degree or graduate students who will have completed all requirements for a doctoral degree by the end of July 2026. Scholars can also apply for a curatorial fellowship, a two-year, benefit-eligible position that integrates fellows as staff members and offers professional development, portfolio building, networking, and mentorship opportunities in the library and museum fields. Several dissertation, short-term, and distinguished fellowships are also available.

Thanks to the Institute’s partnership with the American Trust for the British Library (ATBL), the Beckman Center’s short-term fellows can also apply for an ATBL research fellowship. The award comes with an additional $2,500 stipend to support similar research at the British Library in London. Opting in to be considered for an ATBL fellowship does not impact your application to the Science History Institute.

All fellows participate in regular informal writing groups, give at least one lecture, and actively contribute to the vitality of the Institute’s Beckman Center.

With around 20 scholars in residence each year, the Science History Institute is home to the largest private fellowship program in the historical study of science, medicine, and technology in the United States. Researchers travel from all over the world to use our collections and to take part in a vibrant scholarly community.

About the American Trust for the British Library

Founded in 1979, the American Trust for the British Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the work of the British Library, one of the world’s greatest research libraries. The ATBL provides financial and gifts-in-kind support for the British Library’s collecting, preservation, and outreach activities. The ATBL also seeks to celebrate and extend engagement with the British Library, its work, and its collections within the United States through programs, events, lectures, collaborations, and fellowships like the ATBL’s research fellowship program.

About the Beckman Center

The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center for the History of Chemistry at the Science History Institute supports a dynamic community of researchers interested in the history and social studies of chemistry and related sciences, technologies, and industries. In addition to offering a robust fellowship program, the Beckman Center is also home to associated scholarly events and activities, including an annual conference, a public lecture series, writing workshops, a book series, and a network of more than 250 alumni.