"McNeil Center Barra Sabbatical Fellowship"

The McNeil Center for Early American Studies will appoint a Barra Sabbatical Fellow for a nine-month term, beginning 1 September 2026. This fellowship is designed for a scholar on leave from a faculty position for the 2026-2027 academic year and at work on a book-length research project. Applications are welcome from scholars whose project focuses on any aspect of the histories and cultures of North America in the Atlantic before 1850. Candidates who have received McNeil Center funding for a closely related project are not eligible. Proposals reliant on research in Philadelphia-area archives, libraries, and museums are especially welcome.

This award takes the form of a cash grant of $60,000, paid directly to the fellow's home institution.

The fellow will enjoy private office space in the Center's facility at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as full library privileges at the university. The fellow will have no teaching responsibilities. They will be expected to provide mentoring to junior scholars in the Center's community and to participate fully in the Center's academic programming.

The following items must be prepared for uploading as PDFs: a curriculum vitae; a proposal not to exceed 1,500 words, describing the general scope of the project and the specific work proposed during the fellowship term; and an unpublished writing sample related to the project, limited to 7,500 words exclusive of notes.

Two confidential letters of support should be uploaded separately by the applicant's letter writers. Please ask recommenders to address the specifics of this application.

Applications must be submitted by 9 December 2025.

Questions may be directed to the McNeil Center for Early American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, 3355 Woodland Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4531, or via email at mceas@sas.upenn.edu.