Opportunities: Funds & Positions for Students & Faculty

Undergraduate Student Research Funding

Current undergraduate students at the University of Pennsylvania are elgible to apply for a wide range of funding opportunities both inside and outside of the University. Possibilities include research assistantships, fellowships, scholarships, paid internships, and unpaid internships, on campus and elsewhere. Just a few opportunities are listed here. Students are encouraged to meet with faculty and with their respective departmental coordinators for additional guidance on sources of funding for Native American and Indigenous Studies projects.

Center for Undergraduate Research Funding (CURF) 

The Center for Undergraduate Research Funding (CURF) at the University of Pennsylvania is available to assist Penn undergraduates in developing and implementing independent research projects. CURF provides personal research consultations, funding, and administration for a wide array of competitive research grants. CURF mentors can help Penn undergraduates identify resources, narrow their search, shape their research inquiries, and direct their interests to appropriate faculty mentors and research funding. Students can start by listing the types of projects and research questions they are most interested in pursuing. They can also search CURF’s Research Directory, where Penn faculty and researchers post research projects and invite undergraduate participation. To participate in existing Native American and Indigenous Studies research projects (see examples on this NAIS webpage), or to develop new ones, students are encouraged to reach out to NAIS faculty directly. After reviewing the Research Directory and/or meeting with the appropriate faculty, students can call the CURF office at (215) 746-6488 or email curf@upenn.edu to make an appointment for a Research Consultation.

Department of Anthropology Undergraduate Student Research Fellowship

The Department of Anthropology  at Penn invites undergraduates majoring in Anthropology to apply for funding to support research conducted during the school year or over the summer. Although priority is given to majors, students minoring in Anthropology may also apply. Fellowship applications will be judged on the basis of the faculty mentor's evaluation, the quality and feasibility of the proposed project, the applicant's ability to complete the project successfully, and the overall scholarly performance of the applicant. Reviewers also consider a student's eligibility for the Center for Undergraduate Research Funding (CURF), so students should start by preparing a CURF proposal. An annual workshop is held each year to showcase student fellows' research and findings. For more information, contact the Undergraduate Coordinator, Ariel Smith (phone 215-746-0418 or email arields@sas.upenn.edu).

Also, see links to a long list of other research and funding opportunities on the department of Anthropology website.

Penn Museum Summer Field Research Grants

The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (Penn Museum) provides support for current Penn undergraduate students to pursue field research related to Archaeology and Anthropology. The Penn Museum accepts applications twice a year for summer and winter projects. Requests for grant support up to a maximum of $1050 will be considered. Applicants must secure  a letter of support from a Penn Museum-affiliated faculty or adjunct faculty member (e.g., Curator, Associate Curator, Assistant Curator, Consulting Curator, or Consulting Scholar). For questions, contact Dr. Anne Tiballi, Director of Academic Engagement at atiballi@upenn.edu. For details, see the Penn Museum Field Funds webpage.

Penn Museum Student Internships

The Penn Museum offers an 8-week internship that runs from approximately June 1-August 1. These positions offer hands-on behind-the-scenes training alongside curators and faculty, and are excellent for students seeking training in object analysis, curation, display, and interpretation. The Summer Internship Program provides practical and educational experience in the museum profession, archaeology, anthropology, and related fields. Each intern is assigned to a department where he or she works closely with a supervisor on special and ongoing projects. Internships are available in the following areas: collections management, curatorial, archives, registration, conservation, education, and development. Placements vary depending on the ongoing and special project needs of individual departments. This internship is open to college students of diverse disciplines. Preference will be given to those who will have completed their junior year. To apply, see Summer Internship Program.

Undergraduate students can also get involved with the Penn Museum through student groups. The Clio Society offers training as a museum docent, sponsors visits to other museums, and hosts special events. The Penn Museum Student Advisory Board is a group of undergraduate, graduate, and professional Penn students who meet twice a semester to advise the Museum on behalf of the Penn student body. The group comprises students from various disciplines, levels, and courses of study to advise the Museum on ways to engage a diverse audience of students, aiming to increase student involvement in Museum events, programming, and research.

 

Graduate Student Research Funding

Current graduate students at the University of Pennsylvania are elgible to apply for a wide range of funding opportunities both inside and outside of the University. Just a few opportunities are listed here. Students are encouraged to meet with faculty and with their respective departmental coordinators for additional guidance on sources of funding for Native American and Indigenous Studies projects.

Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Grants

The Graduate Professional and Student Assembly (GAPSA) at Penn provides range of funding opportunities for Penn graduate and professional students. GAPSA grants may cover costs of travel to academic conferences, research, special initiatives, and/or events. Some funds are awarded by the Professional Council or Research Council; others are awarded by the Finance Committee and General Assembly. The methods of application and eligibility criteria vary per grant, so students should thoroughly read all instructions and eligibility criteria for each grant before applying. See the GAPSA Decision Chart and contact GAPSA for more information.

Department of Anthropology Graduate Student Field Research Grants

The Department of Anthropology offers a limited amount of funding each year to assist Anthropology Graduate students in doing summer fieldwork that leads to the formulation of a dissertation research proposal. Field funds may be used only for travel, basic subsistence, and lodging.These funds are designed to help students: write stronger dissertation research proposals; compete successfully for funding from outside sources (e.g., Fulbright, SSRC, NSF, Wenner-Gren, and others); make professional contacts with relevant government officials, museum personnel, overseas research institutions, local communities, and other relevant groups; obtain permission to conduct their dissertation research in the appropriate country or locale; gain experience in preparing competitive research proposals. Graduate students seeking this and other research funding should speak to their faculty advisor and to Graduate Chair Dr. Deborah Thomas. Students can also contact the Graduate Coordinator (phone 215-746-0409 or email hildebmk@sas.upenn.edu) for more information.

Latin American and Latino Studies Graduate Student Field Research Grants

The Latin American and Latino Studies Program (LALS) provides small grants to support summer research by Penn graduate students who require travel to Latin America. Grant information is announced in early spring and awards are made in April. For more information, contact LALS.

Penn Museum Summer Field Research Grants

The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (Penn Museum) provides support for current Penn graduate students to pursue field research related to Archaeology and Anthropology. The Penn Museum accepts applications twice a year for winter and summer projects. Requests for grant support up to a maximum of $1500 will be considered. Applications are due in February for fieldwork conducted in May-August, and in September for fieldwork conducted November-January. Read about past projects funded by Museum grants under Students in the Field on the Penn Museum Blog. To apply, contact Dr. Anne Tiballi, Mellon Curricular Facilitator of the Penn Museum, email: atiballi@upenn.edu. 

Graduate students can also get involved with the Penn Museum through student groups. The Clio Society offers training as a museum docent, sponsors visits to other museums, and hosts special events. The Penn Museum Student Advisory Board is a group of undergraduate, graduate, and professional Penn students who meet twice a semester to advise the Museum on behalf of the Penn student body. The group comprises students from various disciplines, levels, and courses of study to advise the Museum on ways to engage a diverse audience of students, aiming to increase student involvement in Museum events, programming, and research.

 

Library and Museum of the American Philosophical Society

 

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