Institution: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Programme Unit: Center for Humanities & History of Modern Biology
Opportunity Type: Research Fellowship
Award Amount: Up to $5,000 USD
Annual Deadline: August 31
Applicant Group: Scholars, journalists, and writers
The Sydney Brenner Research Fellowship funds substantial research in the history of the life sciences. The fellowship helps recipients cover travel and related project expenses while using Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory collections and archival resources.
About the Sydney Brenner Research Fellowship
The Francis Goelet Charitable Trust endowed the fellowship in 2006. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory lists it as one of three opportunities from its Center for Humanities & History of Modern Biology.
The programme supports ambitious and original projects. It focuses on research and publication, as well as other forms of exhibition or dissemination.
Projects should be broad and advanced. Moreover, they should connect in some way to the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Archives.
What the Fellowship Provides
The award supports direct costs needed to complete the proposed project.
✓ Up to $5,000 USD in fellowship support
✓ Funding for travel and other project-related expenses
✓ Workspace in the Carnegie Library at CSHL
✓ Full access to CSHL collections
✓ Help from CSHL archivists, librarians, and historians
✓ Possible campus accommodation rental, if space allows
Who Can Apply
Applicants must be working on a substantial project in the history of the life sciences.
• Scholars at any stage of their career
• Journalists
• Writers
The source does not limit eligibility to one academic rank. Therefore, applicants should focus on the strength, originality, and relevance of the proposed research.
Application Package
A complete application must include several required items.
• Completed application form
• Names and contact information for two people who can provide recommendation letters if requested
• Research proposal
• Selected bibliography of relevant CSHL Library and Archives titles or collections
• Short budget statement
• Curriculum vitae
The CV should list education history, employment history, study dates, study areas, previous publications, and current or past fellowships, grants, and awards.
Proposal Instructions
The proposal may be up to 1,000 words. It should describe the research question or objective and explain the sources the applicant plans to use.
Applicants should include sources at CSHL and elsewhere. They must also explain the project’s importance to their scholarly path and to the wider discipline or field. In addition, the proposal should identify CSHL Library and Archives items or record groups and give a tentative completion schedule.
Submission Process
Applications must be sent by email. Applicants should attach all documents in .pdf, .doc, or .docx format.
The email body should include a brief covering letter. Also, the subject line should read: “Sydney Brenner Research Fellowship application [Year] – [Your Name].”
Review Criteria
The Brenner Fellowship committee seeks sophisticated, detailed, and original proposals. Relevance to CSHL collections is an important factor.
Still, the committee mainly considers the overall quality and significance of the project. If a project is still in its earliest planning stage, the source suggests considering a CSHL travel grant instead.
Recipient Responsibilities
Recipients must use the fellowship funds during the academic year after award notification. The official period runs from September 1 to August 31.
During the fellowship, Brenner Fellows must give a talk to the CSHL community about their preliminary results. They should also share findings through professional talks or other venues. Finally, the work should result in scholarly articles, books, or other creative expression. A copy of the final output must go to the CSHL Library and Archives.
Eligible Costs
The stipend may cover expenses connected to the research project. These include travel, transportation, daily expenses, and accommodation at CSHL and other relevant archives.
It may also cover translation of primary sources, oral history recording, oral history transcription, and microfilming of archival materials. The award is disbursed in two parts: two-thirds at the start of the initial CSHL Archives visit and one-third after research completion and presentation at CSHL.
Key Dates
Applications must arrive by August 31 each year. The committee notifies recipients in September of that year.
