"2026-28 Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in Science and Technology Studies"

With the sponsorship of the Society for the Humanities, the Department of Science & Technology Studies invites applications for a two-year Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship position beginning August 1, 2026. The fellowship carries a stipend of $64,000/year.

The Department of Science and Technology Studies at Cornell University invites applications for a two-year Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in the area of “Science, Technology, and Governance.” The geographical area of research is open; we are particularly interested in those working in the period between 1900 and the present. Open to scholars with PhDs in Science and Technology Studies and related fields whose research engages with both the social and epistemic dimensions of science and technology.

Recent events have drawn particular attention to the ways that technoscientific knowledges and practices have been co-constituted with the modern state. At the same time, we are seeing renewed attention to the roles played by scientists, non-governmental organizations, and social movements in shaping science and technology and contemporary modes of governance.

Possible research programs include, but are not limited to, the social and epistemic dimensions of:

• Expertise and the Politics of Regulatory Science
• Environmental Politics and Governance
• Public Health Politics
• Science, Technology, and Social Movements
• Patronage and Control of Science and Technology
• The Politics of Quantification and Modelling
• Senses and Surveillance
• Science, Technology, and National and/or International Security
• Knowledge, Ignorance, and Governance

The Postdoctoral Fellowship is for two years. The Mellon Fellowship is conceived as 65% independent study and research and 35% teaching. Mellon Fellows will teach one course per semester. These courses will be small innovative seminars of their design or a section of Science, Technology, and Governance in the geographical region of their specialty.

We imagine that the successful candidate’s research would be of considerable interest to colleagues in Anthropology, History, or Sociology (depending on their methods) as well as Government, the Policy School, and/or the relevant sciences.

As is our custom in STS, a postdoctoral fellow would be assigned a faculty mentor upon their arrival. This mentor, together with the chair and other faculty, would offer detailed feedback on scholarship as well as provide professional guidance. Fellows would have a shared office within Morrill Hall and would be expected to attend our weekly brown bag gatherings as well as colloquia and other talks. We are proud, in STS, of thoroughly enmeshing Postdocs and visiting scholars in the daily life of the department: isolation—particularly for post-docs—is a real issue in academia and we in STS have long been committed to making sure that every member of our department finds our work environment to be supportive, welcoming, and nourishing.

Applications for the Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in Science & Technology are due January 15, 2026. Applications must be submitted through Academic Jobs Online Job #30301.

Eligibility Requirements: Applicants eligible for the Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in Science & Technology Studies for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 academic years include those who have received the Ph.D. degree after September 1, 2020 and no later than June 30, 2026. Applicants who do not have the Ph.D. in hand at the time of application must include a letter from the committee chair or department stating that the Ph.D. degree will be conferred before the term of the fellowship begins. International applicants are welcome to apply, contingent upon visa eligibility.

Application Procedures: The following application materials must be submitted via Academic Jobs Online position #30301 by January 15, 2026.

1. Information Cover Sheet (will be generated via your AJO account): (a) Full name and home institution (b) Date (or expected date) of Ph.D. (c) Research interest(s) (d) Referees’ names and emails
2. Cover Letter
3. Curriculum vitae
4. Detailed statement of research interests (1,000 – 2,000 words)
5. Course proposal with sample syllabus for introductory, 2000-level course
6. Course proposal with sample syllabus for upper, 4000-level course
7. One writing sample [30-page limit]
8. Diversity statement [optional – submit a separate statement or embed the information into other parts of your application materials]
9. Letter of degree conferral (only for applicants who do not have the Ph.D. in hand by January 4, 2026)
10. Three letters of recommendation. Please ask referees to upload their letters directly through the link provided by Academic Jobs Online. Letters must be received on or before January 15, 2026.

For further information please email, humctr@cornell.edu.

Society for the Humanities: The Society for the Humanities was established at Cornell University in 1966 to support research and teaching in the humanities. It is intended to be at once a research institute, a stimulus to educational innovation, and a continuing society of scholars. The Society and its Fellows have fostered path-breaking interdisciplinary dialogue and theoretical reflection on the humanities at large. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellows are invited to attend all of the Society’s events, and are expected to participate in the Society’s weekly Wednesday Fellows Seminar and luncheon.