Humanities & Soc Sci Postdocs 2008-2009

There has been some disputing here over deleting of posts. I don't know who did what, I restored a couple of jobs, and just wanted to remind users that if someone deletes an entry, it can be easily restored by clicking 'undo edit' in the history page. Deliberately deleting jobs from the list is uncollegial, but unfortunately the issue strikes most of the job wikis from time to time. We're all in this together, folks. And I'd like to add a quick thanks to all of you too: I'm the person who started this page back in the Summer, so I'm glad to have contributed something useful. - K


 * Thanks, K. I agree. I'm the person who has been posting to complain about the recent deleting of entire postdoc listings, which is obviously uncollegial and unethical (the whole point of this wiki is full disclosure in a market where a lack of transparency has reigned for far too long, no?).  That discussion was also removed by the deleter, and I finally removed the most recent exchange about the issue because the person who had been outed for deleting the postings for two postdocs with pending due dates declared that he/she had done so in error, and I didn't want the discussion to devolve into accusations and defenses.  So, benefit of the doubt, I removed it.  I think the point's been taken, and I'm glad that K has reminded us once again how useful this wiki is if it's used openly.


 * Something else to add (K again here). A user posted on one of these jobs "I don't appreciate people posting positions before the deadline has passed. This only adds to the number of people who are going to apply, and who may not have known about it otherwise." Previous deletions have also been of jobs with forthcoming deadlines. Dude, sharing information is what it's about! Yes, people find out about jobs from the wiki. I've posted things here before they were due, as have others. This tightfisted attitude, of only putting something on the wiki 15 seconds after the postmark deadline for applications, is seriously not friendly. Everything on here has been advertised elsewhere.
 * Hi K, I'm the "seriously not friendly" poster--but wanted to say that I didn't, and wouldn't, delete existing entries, even if I didn't like seeing them here. So I'm not the person who deleted jobs with upcoming deadlines. (There's a difference, I think, between expressing my unpopular opinion, and secretly acting on it.) And please feel free to delete this post when it's old news.
 * You don't see some disconnect here between the fact that you like having information available that is of use to you, but would prefer that others not have info that is useful for them? I'm guessing that the person who earlier deleted last year's wiki was of that opinion, too, since last year's wiki provided listings for many postdocs that were again offered this year. Geesh.
 * Okay, well, enough chastising of the unsharer. It's a site for sharing info. And now, proceed apace.

Note: These postdocs begin in 2009

Last year's wiki page

Back to Academic Job Search

Suggestions for Syntax, etc.:
 * 1) Please place new fellowship entries in alphabetical order.  Note that "University of X" should be alphabetized by U as first sort, and X as second sort within the U listings.
 * 2) Please use 3 equal signs both before AND after the title of the fellowship.
 * 3) Please include the deadline and a web link to the ad/website; PLEASE follow the format of other entries.
 * 4) For logging comments or updates, please begin your entry with an asterisk (*) to create a bullet point.  Each entry should have a separate line.
 * 5) For substantive comments or updates about status, interaction, etc., please include the date at the beginning of your entry so that users can scan the info quickly for new entries.
 * 6) If you wish to ask a question about a dated log entry, or otherwise indent an entry, use the colon  plus the asterisk to indent and bullet your (Question) entry underneath the relevant log entry.
 * 7) Note that pressing return on your keyboard is not sufficient to create a line break.  You can use list formatting symbols, such as the asterisk or colon listed above, or the number sign (#) to create a numbered list, depending on what formatting you want to use.  You can also manually create a simple hard line break by using   .  Otherwise, you can simply press return twice to create a line break with double spacing.<br

Canceled Postdocs
Postdoc searches suspended or cancelled after being advertised
 * Villanova U (Lawrence C Gallen Teaching Fellowships) due 1/10 (search cancelled per Villanova's website)
 * Brandeis University Kay Postdoctoral Fellowship in Latin American History
 * 12/23 - notified via email: "precipitous decline in endowment investments"


 * University of Virginia, Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture Postdoctoral Fellowship (per website, no new fellowships due to "increasing financial uncertainty")
 * Washington University in St Louis, Mellon Postdoc in Modeling Interdisciplinary Inquiry (notified via email)


 * Is this it? Surely there are more.
 * Time will tell.

All Souls College, Oxford University
( Deadline September 19, 2008)
 * Long "short list" to be drawn up on or by November 1, 2008
 * Short list completed and sent by email (11/3)

American Academy of Arts and Sciences
(info Deadline 17 October 2008)

1/2 Any info?

1/5 I had this fellowship in the past and did not hear anything until later in the spring.

2/12 - Anyone know when this is decided?

British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships
(info Deadline 15 October 2008)
 * Anyone heard anything? I believe successful (ie through to next round applicants) hear first, by email, and the unsuccessful just get letters in the post. (13 Jan)
 * How many people here applied for this? (just want to know if I'm talking to myself posting here...) (1/16)
 * I applied too- you're not talking to yourself.
 * Just called them. Announcements will be made early next week. (1/16)
 * If you (or someone you know) gets an email, please post here to put the rest of us out of our misery!
 * Any news? (10.30 AM, Monday 1/19). Nothing here.
 * Telephoned the Britac, and they are still waiting for some assessors to get back to them today (I don't know which subject). They will start sending emails tomorrow (not sure if this will be pushed back if last assessments haven't arrived). (1/19)
 * Nothing here (TENTERHOOKS!!!) (1/20, noon GMT)
 * Same here (Sigh) (1/20)
 * Going insane (16.45 GMT) (1/20)
 * I'm thinking no news by now is bad news. Awaiting rejection letter!
 * Zippo. Oh well.. on with life (1/20)
 * And... still nothing (noon GMT, 1/21)
 * Cracked and rang them. They told me over the phone. I'm out. (1/21)
 * Cheer up, all. 1) The judging panel is probably made up of fossilized academics. 2) If you're really passionate about your work, nothing can stop you from working on your project anyway. (1/21)
 * Notification by mail that I was out of the running (1/23). They politely added that I had an "A" grade application...but you needed an "A+."  The flattery is nice at least.  (But it appears they plan to give about 45 awards and have invited "less than 20%" of the original field of 707 to submit second round applications...i.e., there were a lot of A+s....)
 * I've still heard nothing, by mail or email (1/26)
 * Pick up the phone and ask them.
 * Just called- they told me that they've only just got some of the assessors reports back today, and also that I too am out (with an "A" grade application too).

Brown University, Postdoctoral Fellowship in the International Humanities (Anthropology, Population Studies, and Cogut Center for the Humanities

 * Deadline: Feb 06.


 * (02/10) Received request for letters, supplemental materials (x2)

Brown University, Political Theory Project Postdoctoral Research Associate Fellowship
( Deadline November 10, 2008)
 * Received an email (12/2), it states that there were 165 applicants for 6-7 postdoctoral fellowships and applications will be processed rapidly.


 * Anyone know about their expected timeline or hear anything?! (1/21)


 * near final word: 170 applicants for 5 positions. Dept. admin says offers have been made (as of 1/22) and search will be closed shortly.

Brown University Pembroke Center Postdoc, Markets and Bodies

 * Deadline: December 10

Has anyone heard back from them?

request for further materials via email(1/5) me too! (1/5) does anyone know how many people they tend to narrow it down to at this stage?

I believe so.
 * if I haven't been asked for further materials, does this mean that I am out of the running?

Nothing here as well (2/5)
 * I suppose still no final word to anyone either way?
 * Still anxiously waiting (2/4)
 * I hear it's still another week away or so.
 * I've just been told it will be another 10-14 days (2/13)
 * would you mind sharing how you found this out? any more details? (thanks in advance...)

Brown University, Watson Institute, Post-doc/ Project Director, Eisenhower Research Project
( Deadline December 15, 2008) (2/4) another email rejection of shortlisted candidate... (x2-and congrats to the postdoc. This will be an important project.)
 * (12/28) email notification that I'm on shortlist, scheduling phone interviews.
 * (2/4) email rejection of shortlisted candidate--award made and accepted, apparently (very big sigh...).

Brown University, Mellon Postdoc
( Deadline January 23, 2009)
 * There are two fellowships administered by department. This year it's Modern Culture and Media and a collaboration between Africana Studies and the Committee on Science and Technology Studies.
 * Only deadline listed is for the Modern Culture and Media fellowship, not sure what's up with the other one.
 * "Africana Studies and the Committee on Science and Technology Studies will be seeking candidates with a background in the relationship between the construction and naturalization of racial and/or ethnic categories and modern scientific knowledge production with a focus on the fields of biology and medicine."
 * Email ack of application says process will be completed in April (MCM).

Cambridge University Library, Munby Fellowship
(info Deadline September 5, 2008)
 * No interviews
 * THE LINK IS BROKEN
 * Link was taken down when the deadline passed.

Carnegie Mellon University, Junior and Senior Fellowships in "Global Connections, Global Responsibilities"
( Deadline: December 1, 2008)
 * ack. via email (mid-November)
 * Email to schedule phone interview (12/15)

Christ Church, Merton and St. John's Junior Research Fellowships, Oxford.
(info Deadline: 12 noon, 8th December 2008) Q1: Were you contacted by a specific College? I've not received an acknowledgement. Any news? Last year they started sending out emails around 1/11. (1/14) Anyone heard anything yet? (1/20) I haven't had an acknowledgement even from Merton -I am in the bury head in sand school of thought.
 * acknowledged by e-mail (12/11)
 * acknowledged by e-mail (12/11) (it came from Christ Church)
 * thanks. I figured it was a college thing: my application was to St. John's. In the meanwhile, I contacted them and they confirmed receipt. Very polite!
 * Nothing here. (1/14) x3
 * Nothing here (1/20)
 * Nothing here either - waiting for St Johns; (1/22) x2
 * Nothing from Christ Church either (1/22)
 * Request for written work from Christ Church (1/27)
 * Was the request made by email? Anybody heard from St Johns? (1/27)
 * Yes, the request from Christ Church was made by email.

According to the letter, they have now shortlisted for interview.
 * Nothing from St. John's here. (1/27)
 * Anyone know how long the shortlist for written work is at ChCh, St Johns, or Merton?
 * Still nothing from St Johns? Nothing here (1/29, 12:15 UK) x2 (1/29, 9:30 EST US)
 * Rejection letter from St. Johns received via snail mail(31 Jan 10:30am UK)
 * Same here. (31 Jan/ 1pm)
 * Do you think that applies to Merton too? Does anyone know how this system works -are we in a pool for all 3 colleges or is only the college allocated for our subject considering us?
 * In the 'further particulars', it says: "Shortlisting, interviewing and appointing procedures will be conducted separately by each
 * College after the allocation of applications has been agreed".


 * Were short-listed candidates (at St. John's) also sent snail-mail letters, or contacted by other means?

Churchill, Trinity Hall, Murray Edwards (ex-New Hall) and Fitzwilliam Colleges JRFs, Cambridge.
Deadline: 23 November 2008 Nothing here either.
 * Shortlist should be asked for more material in mid-January.
 * According to website, shortlisted candidates will be informed 'by 13th January'.
 * Any news? (1/12)
 * Nothing here. (1/12) Maybe tomorrow?
 * Arg. The application website says we will hear by the 13th, but the ack. email said 'after the 14th'. (1/13)
 * E-mail request for written work(1/13)
 * Anyone had a rejection? (they sent rejections last year). (1/13, 15.47 GMT)
 * No contact whatsoever here: don't rejections usually follow the requests for materials from short-listed candidates? (1/13)
 * Well, yes, and being an online system I expected an automated 'not you' email this afternoon. The rejections last year were email.
 * Did you all receive ack emails after submitting?
 * I did not.
 * To the candidate who had a request for written work: Did you receive the request from a particular college? Are you in the humanities, social sciences, sciences, etc?
 * No, not by a particular college. I'm in the humanities (Asian and Oriental Studies category)
 * Still nothing here, (1/14, noon GMT) (x2)
 * To the candidate who received an ack. email stating short-listed candidates will be contacted 'after the 14th': was this from a particular college? (1/14)
 * Sorry, the ack. email I got was actually the one we all should have received, when first registering with the system. It said 'Thank you for registering with the Joint Application Scheme for Junior Research Fellowships application system. Your Login details are (etc.)....If you are selected to submit written work, we will contact you after 14 January 2009.' Having seen the system work before, I believe applicants are not contacted by different colleges for written work, as it is all assessed centrally. Only if you get to the top of the list (on the basis of the written work) and are considered for an interview by Trinity Hall (the others don't interview), you'd be contacted by them. Otherwise you (if you are very lucky!) will just get offered a Fellowship in writing. It might not be from the college you put as your first choice.
 * Rejection email (1/14 humanities)x3
 * Anyone else not heard a word?
 * Try checking your spam filter. The reject email came from jrf@chu.cam.ac.uk. If you still don't have anything, you could write to that address and ask.

Clare College, University of Cambridge.
(Deadline: 15 December 2008) Anyone heard? (Jan 27th)
 * Shortlist to be drawn up by January 27th.
 * Nothing yet. I'll be sure to post if I do. x4
 * Email that I wasn't shortlisted 1/29 x7

Colgate University, Mellon Post-Doc in Rhetoric and Public Speaking
(Deadline February 2)
 * Letter ack. receipt of materials...also said the process of coming up with a short list will take several weeks. Anyone else applying for this one?

Colgate University, Peace and Conflict Studies
(Deadline, February 6) Letter acknowledging receipt of application (2/9)
 * Anyone applying for this?

Columbia University Society of Fellows in the Humanities
(info Deadline October 6, 2008)


 * 10/16 received self-stamped postcard acknowledging the application is complete.


 * 11/03 $30 charge on my credit card bill. it's that martini time of year in morningside heights.

No news. Which may not mean good news. waiting for the 20th
 * 11/06 I didn't get a postcard - didn't include one - but they charged me so I know they got it! :) Did the ack. postcard give any details on timeline?
 * Interviews will be scheduled in December for January, with final decisions announced before March 1, 2009
 * Last year interviewees were contacted from Dec. 14 to Dec. 20 or so, for interviews scheduled in mid-to-late-January.
 * If we don't hear anything by the 20th should we assume our candidacy is no longer valid?
 * They say on the website that if you have not been contacted by Jan. 1 then you can assume candidacy is no longer valid, Dec. 20th or so might be just as realistic though . ..
 * call for interview (12/12)x2
 * Does anybody know if this means that all those to be interviewed have already been called? Or is there a possibility that the scheduling of interviews takes place over the course of several days?
 * I heard from a former fellow that it was done over several days, by field, and that the fellows do the first sort, pre-short listing and before the interview calls are made; at least that is how it was done in the past. So it could be that more calls will go out next week? Anyone know how they are doing it this year?
 * Would those who were called mind saying what field they're in so that I can know whether I still have a chance? Thanks!
 * Any more news? (12/16)
 * Does anyone know how many people they typically interview?
 * I asked, but they didn't say. (12/17)
 * They say they have the most democratic process imaginable for this fellowship -- So I guess if we do not make it, we can assume that we were genuinely considered. Three more days and then it is time sigh (wistfully) Also, congrats to the interviewee. Good going. I hope you make the cut and thanks for keeping us informed.
 * Time to sigh, I guess. Congrats to interviewees! x2
 * Doesn't $30 at least cover postage for a rejection letter?
 * I never received a rejection letter last year, nor was the stamped postcard I included ever returned. C'est la vie.
 * Did anyone who interviewed ask when we woudl hear? (1/26) A: They did not mention anything about a date to me and I did not get any response so far (1/26)
 * Any news anybody? (1/29)
 * I still haven't heard anything (1/29)
 * They said they will be able to make offers during the first week of February.
 * Thanks for this update. Very much appreciated.
 * offer made by phone (1/30) (x2)
 * Round of applause for the winner!! Congratulations.

Columbia University, Committee for Global Thought Postdoctoral Fellowship

 * 1/7, notification advanced to next round. Those advanced to third round will be notified at the end of Jan.
 * anyone hear about interviews yet? 1/28
 * Yes - email offering interviews received 27/1
 * Have there been additional interview invitations? I was told that not all subcommittees had finished the review process.

Connecticut College, CISLA, Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship, Study of Islam
( Deadline: November 1, 2008)


 * 12/16 - rejection e-mail received
 * 1/6 - rejection e-mail received
 * 1/20- interviews scheduled for Feb

Connecticut College, Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in Race and Ethnicity
http://www.conncoll.edu/ (Deadline: 15 November 2008)
 * Any News?
 * Will interview in February
 * Any other news? When will they contact people?
 * Emailed them. They say more apps than expected.  They'll have a short list in two weeks (1/28)

Consortium for Faculty Diversity in Liberal Arts Colleges

 * Did anyone out there apply for this one? I'm curious if anyone heard from any colleges. (12/17)


 * I applied, but I haven't heard anything. (12/17)


 * There is not one moment when you hear about these. Could happen between now and March/April. Depends on the individual school.


 * Thanks for clarifying this... Would schools contact us for existing job postings? I'm just unclear on how it works.


 * The school (dean) will contact you independently, typically after a department has expressed interest in having you as a fellow. You deal directly with the school.
 * I was contacted for a phone interview by one of the schools last week. So they're starting to call people out but I don't know about the end date for preliminary interviews.
 * Has any one else been contacted? (1/15) Just curious as I haven't heard anything
 * I was contacted for a phone interview by one of the schools this weekend (1/17).
 * Are these usually phone interviews or fly-outs? If they do fly-outs do they bring out 3 people like a tenure-track job? And is it a 1 or 2 yr appointment generally?
 * Fly-outs. You can check on the website for the consortium- seems some fellows spend 1 yr at the school, and some spend two. (1/28)

Cornell Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowships
(info Deadline: November 1, 2008)
 * Three Fellowships: History, German, and Near Eastern Studies
 * Also one in French (deadline Jan 30)

Cornell Mellon Foundation "History Across the Disciplines" Anthropology Postdoc
(info Deadline: February 1, 2009) There may be others hosted in other departments. Any information on this program?

Cornell Society for the Humanities Fellowship
(info Deadline: October 1, 2008)
 * Rejection letter, 12/12
 * "Networks" "Connections", anybody notice every postdoc topic this year sounds like a dating service?
 * One can only hope.
 * Yeah, like "Pressures on the Human"!
 * LMAO, that's what happens after the "dating service" postdoc.

Corpus Christi College, University of Cambridge
(Deadline September 24, 2008)
 * Has anyone heard from them?

Dartmouth College, Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship, Leslie Center
( Deadline: October 15, 2008)

(http://scratchpad.wikia.com/wiki/Humanities_postdocs_2007-2008#Dartmouth_Mellon_Postdoctoral_Fellowship_in_the_Humanities_and_Social_Sciences) deadline was much earlier than last year's so... candidates they'll bring to campus, I made it to their final selection round and so they will keep my dossier "active". Then mid-March I asked again and they said the offers were made and accepted. In short, yes there was an interview stage but probably for a small number of interviewees.
 * 11/13 Has anyone heard anything?
 * 11/14 Nope
 * 11/20 Rejection via mail (2)
 * Q: Any word on # of applicants or timeline?
 * A: Rejection Letter dated 11/4, postmarked 11/18. No timeline or # of applicants listed. Congratulations to those still under consideration and/or receiving fellowships.
 * 11/26 Anyone received any positive news?
 * Looking at the Wiki for last year's search, and it seems to run into February. So I guess it might still be quite a while before we know anything definitive?
 * I was a finalist last year and I had to wait till mid March to get a rejection email. But this year's application
 * Interesting. So was there an interview stage then last year, or did they just let you know somehow that you were a finalist?
 * By mid february I sent an email to them asking how things stand and I received a reply saying while I am not one of the
 * Rejection snail mail letter received on 12/1, dated 11/19
 * Any news?
 * Have yet to receive rejection or good news of any kind as of 12/4. I assume others are in the same boat? yes, same boat (×5) (12/4)


 * I heard that semi-finalists have already been notified. Can anyone confirm?
 * Still no contact, either positive or negative, as of 12/9 (x9).


 * How annoying. I'm beginning to think my application materials were used as kindling for ye olde Christmas bonfire.
 * You're not alone. I've had that same feeling for awhile now.
 * Actually, I'd assume it's a good thing if you haven't heard anything, because this probably means you haven't been rejected and are still in contention.


 * Does anyone know how many fellowships are offered? the website says one, no?
 * 12/10 Rejection letter received, dated 12/3. I was beginning to worry there for a minute! (x2)
 * A thought just occurred to me: do you think Dartmouth could have prevented all this agonizing/ notoriety with a simple postcard or confirmation email? Or does all of our postings give the postdoc free advertising? ;)  [BTW, I still haven't heard a damn thing.]


 * 12/12 still not a word good or bad from Dartmouth. Others?
 * Nope. But hope springs eternal...


 * Contacted the administrator who said the finalists have been chosen and will be reached this week. Others will receive rejection letters in the mail.
 * Did they say how many finalists? I wonder if this week means Monday. -Three finalists.
 * rejection letter (12/15) (x2-and they even spelled my name wrong in the letter.Nice added touch.)
 * re: three finalists. do you know if they have all been notified? the wording was exactly "the finalists will be reached this week"
 * no letter, no call (12/16) (x10)


 * Anyone received the email yet?
 * no letter, no call, no email (12/17) (x6)


 * "reached this week" apparently means saturday at the 11th hour.
 * You gotta admit, all this waiting with little information might be part of some bizarre psychological experiment....


 * This is the person who contacted the administrator: I suggest that someone else among the "no letter no call" group emails her to ask if the finalists have been contacted yet... She gets back pretty quickly.
 * Rejection letter. Dated 12/15, received 12/18 (East Coast). Best of luck to the finalists. x3


 * I want my rejection letter! Why not send them all at once? I agree with the psychological experiment theory, bet they follow the Wiki!
 * * Do you think it might have something to do with when the applications were received? I haven't heard a thing as of yet (though my mail hasn't come today), but according to my spreadsheet that tracks such things, I sent my application in very close to the deadline.  Is this the case for others who haven't heard yet?
 * Rejection Letter, dated 12/15, received 12/19 (Midwest). Alas, I am now let out of the spaceship.  For what it's worth, my application was submitted close to the deadline as well. (x4)
 * I still haven't heard any news one way or the other (East Coast). Has anyone actually been told yet that they *are* a finalist?


 * All quiet on the West Coast.
 * Whoever the three finalists turn out to be, I hope at least one uses this wiki! Otherwise it could be a while before everybody's tension is relieved...


 * MAN DOWN! 12/20 rejection ltr received on west coast.  Good luck to you all.
 * Well, the suspense is over for me at least -- rejection on 12/22! Plus they misspelled my name in the letter, just to add that extra personal touch... oh well, good luck to everyone who's still in contention, and happy holidays!
 * With the insane staggered notification of unsuccessful candidates, the misspelled names, and the random gaffes reported on other wikis about Dartmouth searches, this place is beginning to seem pretty bootleg...

Davidson College, Mellon Postdoc
Just added this and my computer skills aren't up to the task of adding a link (deadline was Jan. 15). Any info?
 * nothing here (2/13)

Duke University, Franklin Humanities Institute
Deadline, 1/12
 * Anything new?
 * Well, no, considering that the deadline just passed 2 days ago...
 * Email confirmation of receipt of application received 1/22. Decisions announced by March 1.
 * x3, March 1st is a quick turnaround. So no interviews I guess for this one?
 * My guess would be no (as to interviews). Anyone know anything solid (how many might be awarded, fields, number apps rec'd, any of that sort of thing)? A: the website says up to 3 fellows, but I don't have any inside info on # of apps.

Duke University, Samuel DuBois Cook Postdoctoral Fellowship
(Deadline: 1/7)
 * confirmation email (1/15)--(committee meets in early Feb; finalist notified 2nd week in March)

Duke University, Thompson Writing Program
(info Deadline: October 31, 2008)
 * 11/14 - received confirmation with race/gender monitoring form. Timeline is notification of search status by mid-December (x3)
 * any news so far? (12/8)
 * Nothing, but it isn't mid-Dec. yet . . . (12/9)
 * Anybody was contacted for further supporting materials (12/12)? Since I haven't been contacted for further materials, I assume that I didn't make the initial screening :(
 * And the axe falls via snail mail today. (12/12)
 * Has anyone else not received the axe but not been contacted either? (12/13) (5)
 * Yes, but I've yet to get my West Coast snail mail back
 * That makes two (12/13) (3); I'm in the mid-west, and I haven't heard anything one way or the other. (4) - and I'm in NC; on East Coast (5).
 * Got my rejection today (12/13) in a letter dated 12/8. (I'm representing the Mid-west).


 * Same letter received in Midwest (12/15).
 * Has anyone heard anything other than rejection or silence?
 * silence (x6)
 * End of Silence -- got the rejection today via snail mail (12/15): "We were delighted to receive over 360 applications for our positions this year..."

Rejection on West Coast 12/15, Rejection East Coast 12/15
 * Has anyone received any positive news???
 * Yes - phone invitation for campus visit in January. 12/15. (3)

Where did they advertise this? I didn't see it in the MLA list.
 * Anyone have any idea of how many positions are open? 12/15
 * Not as such, but I was told there were 6 days available, one candidate per day... so, six of us? Does anyone know how many jobs they offer per year? 12/15 (On the job ads in 2008-2009, it said "5 openings".  Did you get contacted by them for more materials before scheduling campus visit today (12/15)?)
 * Nope, they offered on what I sent them. They're asking for a lot of new stuff for the interview, tho'.
 * Their website says, "We expect to offer about six new TWP Fellowships in 2007-08." But that was for last year...
 * No rejection, no call, got ack letter soon after applying so I know they have my app. (12/15) (me too, I guess my rejection letter is on its way-receive rejection letter 12/16)
 * ^^^^or they might still be making calls and/or deciding on a final list. Last year's entry says something about a waitlist?
 * Likely a wait list. Nothing here either as of 12/15.
 * 12/15 East Coast rejection letter snail mail
 * 12/17 No letter, no phone call. West coast. [Update--got the rejection letter today, 12-22]
 * 12/17 Same. No letter, no requests for more materials, no interviews (West Coast) (3) international (2) East coast (3)
 * 12/19 F-ck off letter received (West Coast)
 * Any news?


 * Have offers been made? Any news from those candidates who were scheduled to interview in January?
 * 2/10 Offers have been made

Emmanuel College, Cambridge University, JRF
(info Deadline: October 9, 2008) Haven't heard anything either. That probably means we weren't short-listed...
 * original info said shortlist would be contacted 18th November, anyone heard anything?
 * yes, shortlist of 39 candidates was contacted by email on 18th November
 * Any offers made yet? (1/15)

Emory University, Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry

 * Deadline: Feb 23
 * Note: No interview process.
 * Note: Must have Ph.D in hand by Feb 23 to apply.
 * Received ack. email 2/5

Emory University, Transforming Community Project, Atlanta, GA, USA
Info ( Application Review Begins: December 15, 2008)]

The Transforming Community Project (TCP) at Emory University invites applications for its Community Research Post-Graduate Fellowship. The fellowship is a 1-year appointment beginning February 2009, with a possibility of renewal. Eligible candidates will have completed a terminal degree (PhD, MD, JD, MFA, MBA, etc.) by December 31, 2008. The field of academic specialization is open; applicants from all disciplines are welcome and encouraged to apply.

Freiburg Institute of Advanced Study
(info Deadline August 1, 2008)

Georgia Tech, Brittain Fellowship Program
(Deadline January 15, 2009)

Any information about a timeline?
 * Info about deadline...Jan 15 wasn't a deadline. It was a "start looking at apps date."


 * Receipt of application notification Feb. 6

Girton College, University of Cambridge, JRF in Arts and Humanities
(Deadline January 12, 2009)
 * Longlist will be contacted 'last week of January'.
 * Meeting to draw up longlist takes place 1/27. Anyone else applied for this?
 * I did!


 * so did anybody hear from them? (1/27)
 * nothing here, but their meeting was at 4pm. Emails might be going out tomorrow. Also the app said they don't send acknowledgments, might be they don't contact the unsuccessful either. (6.30pm UK, 1/27)
 * Nothing here either (1/27) x2
 * No word here, 1/28, 9.40AM UK
 * Still nothing?
 * Nothing here, 1/28, 9:49AM EST (US)
 * That ends the waiting for today .. (1/28, 6pm UK)
 * Morning, folks! It's 9.30AM in England and I have....nothing. (1/29)(x2)
 * Good morning from the other side of the pond! Nothing here either (9:30 EST).
 * Wrapping up today's vigil in the UK, hope you are all well! We should get together for coffee sometime. And Girton? Just reject me already! (1/29)
 * My turn to say... good morning, and still nothing (1/30, 9.30am UK).
 * Called them. Shortlist have been contacted. So I guess that's not us. Oh well. Rejection letters will be sent (1/30)
 * Received rejection letter yesterday (2/5)

Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge
(info Deadline October 10, 2008)
 * 12/5: Has anyone heard from them?
 * 12/16: Ack. email says that interviews will be held on the 19th of Jan. But no word on when finalists will be notified(?)
 * 12/16: Has everyone received this email?
 * 12/17: That was unclear to me. I know that they have had 2 meetings and since they have all the writing samples, it is possible that they are notifying people whose work they're sending to the external assessors. Did anyone not receive any information?
 * 12/17: Good question. I received it.
 * 01/5: Has anyone had any news? (x2)
 * 01/15: I guess the shortlist must have been contacted by now. Does anyone know how many have been shortlisted?
 * 01/15: Nope. I've heard nothing.

Hamilton College, Mellon Postdoc
(ad Deadline February 16, 2009)
 * For specific humanities subjects, check ad for details
 * Email acknowledgment (2/6)(+1)

Harvard History and Literature Fellows
Yes, it's running. Application at http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~histlit/forms/TFApp-09.pdf Deadline February 6, 2009. Thanks for the information. It's very helpful. I can't help being astounded, though, that they can't work out full-time positions with the other depts that H&L lecturers need to teach in to supplement their meager salaries in order to put together a respectable offer to H&L lecturers. 30k a year is not attractive, and the suggestion that one might be compensated by the lovely Harvard libraries is almost insulting. How desperate is a Ph.D. in the humanities really supposed to be? A: Very, very desperate.
 * This teaching postdoc was offered last year, but I haven't seen anything about it so far this year. Anyone know if the program is running this year?
 * Thanks for posting. I don't see anything on their website about the terms of the postdoc?  Anyone know the specifics?
 * check last year's postdoc page for a similar discussion. They don't give much info. (no idea whether this is really just aimed at Harvard grad students).
 * that wouldn't surprise me.
 * it's a part-time position, which is probably why it's great for a lot of current Harvard grad students and other grad students in the area.
 * well, wait, while teaching positions in Hist & Lit do go to Harvard grad students (this makes sense), more than half of the lecturers in the Hist&Lit program are neither current Harvard grad students (who would be instructors when teaching in the H&L concentration and part-time employees) nor from the area. Rather, they are lecturers who earned their Ph.D.s from a variety of institutions all around the country. Surely they are not part-time employees (?!) but are full-time lecturers with benefits, etc. Otherwise, it's very hard to imagine that people would uproot themselves to take up the gig. I mean of course we're all desperate, especially in this year's market, but jeez, we're gonna go to Harvard to teach one course and get our healthcare at the ER? I'm sure this is not the case, because if it is I just give up.
 * They do get benefits (health insurance, etc.), I'm pretty sure. But it's not a full-time job, which is why many of the lecturers try to find additional teaching/other jobs., etc. to supplement the income.
 * What a disaster. I guess I do give up, then.  Not that running around looking for teaching jobs to supplement my income doesn't sound like a thrilling adventure... It's just that I'm having so much fun doing it already...
 * Hear hear. Could someone in the know give some info about the way this fellowship/lecturership works? Is what they offer less than a 2-2 load? In which case I agree, it's certainly more suitable for people already in the area. But as someone points out above, quite a few of the lecturers are Ph.D.'s from all over. Can it be true that these people relocated to teach one course in History and Literature and scramble around for supplementary jobs?
 * Someone in the know here: this is indeed a half-time position. The base salary is just under $30K (half of a c. $60K full time equivalent salary), and you receive full faculty benefits (health, dental, retirement, various perks etc.) and a professional development fund. It is very easy to pick up additional teaching both at Harvard and elsewhere. At Harvard, additional teaching is well compensated ($7-$9K per course), and there are plenty of opportunities to design and teach your own courses (in fact nearly all of the additional opportunities at Harvard involve teaching your own seminars). Within the program itself, you are teaching extremely small groups of bright and motivated students, and the administration of the program is excellent. Contracts are renewable for up to 3 years. When you compare this to many other non-tenure-track positions out there you understand why people relocate from all over the country for this gig. I have friends and colleagues adjuncting full time for less than the half-time Harvard salary, teaching massive lecture courses, receiving no benefits, and not knowing if they will be re-hired for next year... And don't forget that if you can live on $30K/year you can spend the rest of your time taking advantage of Harvard's libraries and other resources to get articles and books under way.
 * I was going to come back and add that very line to my earlier edit, but you took the words right out of my mouth.

EEO solicitation via e-mail (1/26)--I'm supposing this counts as an acknowledgment these days...

Acknowledgment postcard 1/28 (x2)

Harvard Society of Fellows
(info Nomination deadline September 5, 2008)

Request for nominee information and samples due in September, decisions for finalist interviews to be made by end of November, final decisions to be made by the middle of December.


 * 10/7 Received post card confirming materials received.


 * 10/24 From last year's wiki, it looks like people were starting to get interviewed around now. Has anyone heard anything beyond an ack. of receipt?


 * 10/25 Nothing yet. Seems like they got started a bit later than last year, so likely people will begin to hear back about interviews next week.


 * 10/25 As far as I know, interviews are actually already underway.


 * 10/26 Oof. How were interviewees contacted?


 * 10/27 The information I have from the SoF says that interviewees will be contacted by phone and that this is an on-going, gradual process through the end of November. Interviews will be scheduled and "conducted from late September through early December" at the SoF's offices in Cambridge.


 * 11/7 Anyone interview yet? They should be about 1/4 to 1/2 done with interviews, right?


 * 11/16 talked to a former Fellow right before turning in the application, who confirmed what is said by 10/27 re: "late September through early December". interviews finish first week of december.  also have a friend/colleague who was called for interview back in late october, and i think it's tomorrow, which means they were scheduling pretty far in advance.  nothing confirmed, but my sense is that those of us who have not yet been called for interview, won't be.


 * 12/5 Has anyone who interviewed head anything yet? I feel like they should be making their decisions soon.


 * 12/8 If the schedule follows last year's then they will have called their first choice last night (Sunday) and the rest of us will receive letters around mid-week.


 * 12/10 Any news? Seems like maybe they're behind last year's schedule.


 * 12/12 I was interviewed in early October; I do not think they are behind. My best guess is that those selected as Junior Fellows have been called by now. Rejections letters are probably on their way –– none of this is confirmed but it seems late by this point for those of us who were finalists. If someone knows for sure, let us know; perhaps I am wrong.


 * 12/15 Offer made.


 * 12/15 Any chance you can tell us when that offer was made? Just wondering if it was today or earlier. Thanks, and congratulations.


 * 12/15 Thanks - today in the afternoon (US time).


 * 12/16 Received rejection (in characteristic tiny envelope) (x3) BTW, where do they get those tiny envelopes?!
 * 12/17 rejection received, "we are sorry to have to tell you again." at least they remembered my interview from last year ;)
 * 12/17 I still haven't received anything. I wonder if they have alternates. Anyone know about that?
 * 12/17 rejection received

Harvard Academy Scholars Postdoc

 * Does anyone know when their interview notifications begin?
 * 11/12 received rejection. email said they received 300+ applications.
 * 11/12 Ditto.
 * 11/14 Ditto
 * 11/18 Received call for campus interview

Harvard Charles Warren Center for Studies in American History 2009-10 Fellowships

 * http://warrencenter.fas.harvard.edu/fsprogramfuture09-10.html
 * Due: February 15
 * Are you sure of this date? The application says January 15.

Harvard Humanities Center Postdoctoral Fellowship

 * $35 application fee. Gotta love that.  I'm debating whether it's worth applying.  Does anybody happen to have any particulars about their search criteria?  I see that both of their current fellows are in the Art History department.
 * Well, $35 is better than the $60 they charged last year!!
 * Credit crunch.
 * Q. Anyone know how many applicants there were last year?
 * don't know. two harvard grads were chosen for the postdoc, though.  both in art history.
 * A: I seem to recall that the two postdocs were both Brown Ph.Ds.  The people they have listed in art history may be graduate student fellows.
 * A: the art history people are grad student fellows, just fyi.
 * According to their press release in 2008, there were 200 applicants for the postdoc programs (both those for U.S. scholars and for German scholars), so you can figure that there were c. 150 for the non-German positions. I'd assume that the numbers this year will be higher...


 * ACK received, snail 11/19
 * Q: Anyone have any ideas on how to pay if I don't live in the States, (and therefore don't have an American bank account)? At least Columbia took credit cards.
 * A: I would email them and ask if they accept international money orders. That usually works.
 * A: In the UK I'll be paying the equivalent of about $20 in FEES to get a $ banker's draft. Money orders only come in sterling, so unless they accept other currencies, I don't think I can do that. I've also already emailed twice to ask, no reply at all.
 * A: I'm applying from Ireland and I got an International Bankers' Draft in US$ made out to Harvard. Only took ten minutes and the fees were reasonable.  Should be no problem doing the same in a UK bank.

Rejection email received (2/12/09)
 * Acknowledgement of application receipt, email, 12/15
 * Any word? Anyone? (01/15)
 * Ack email stated that final decisions will be made in mid-February. It might still be a bit early for successful candidates to have heard anything.
 * I suppose still no word to anyone either way?
 * Has anybody else heard from them with either an offer or a rejection? I have as yet received neither.
 * I haven't heard anything either -- does anyone remember when they said they would be sending notifications? (2/12)
 * They said they'd let us know mid-February. Looks like they've started.  I'm assuming that if they've started with rejections, they've also made offers to fellows.  From last year's wiki, it looks like there were a number of people who had no news at all, even after rejections were sent.  I don't know whether these people were alternates or not. From last year's wiki, it looks like there were some people neither rejected nor accepted that kept posting questions about whether or not anyone had heard at least a month after offers and rejections were made, and a couple of weeks after alternates had been informed of their status.  Although I don't know why they'd leave people hanging who were neither accepted, rejected, or alternates, it seemed to have happened last year.  Not necessarily good news.
 * offer made by email (2/12)--Congratulations! Just briefly, would you mind sharing your area of study?  All Best.
 * Rejection email (2/12)(x3)--almost worth it just to get an email from Homi Bhabha! (2/13) Same email received. Same bittersweet tinge of recognition.  Homi wrote to me!?!?
 * Anyone still not hear? How many fellows do they take? (2/13)
 * I still haven't heard. Last year they took two postdoctoral fellows from Germany (in collaboration between HHC and the Volkswagen Foundation) plus two postdoctoral fellows hired through the general search.  So they've already made both offers, have rejected some candidates and are probably holding on to others they haven't rejected yet as potential alternates.

Harvard-Newcomen Fellowship in Business History
(Deadline: October 1, 2008)

Haverford College Mellon Postdoc in the Humanities
(Deadline: January 30, 2009) Anything here? (2/12) I haven't even gotten a confirmation of materials. Edit: I lied, it came today. 2-13 Neither have I. Edit: Received conf of materials by mail, 2-13

Hertford College, Oxford, Drapers' Company Junior Research Fellowship
(info Deadline: 14 November 2008)
 * Interviewees will be contacted in December, interviews to take place week of January 19, 2009


 * The working-week portion of December is pretty much up by now; anyone heard anything?


 * Never heard a thing from them. No ack. No request for materials. No invitation for an interview. No rejection. (Jan. 14, 2009)


 * Anyone hear anything?? (Jan. 14, 2009)


 * Nothing here (Jan 15, 2009)

I received a writing sample request in December, but was notified by email on 14 Jan that I was not shortlisted for interview. 15 Jan 2009

Historic New Orleans Collection, Dianne Woest Fellowship in the Arts and Humanities
(info Deadline August 1, 2008, fellowship to commence after January 1, 2009)

The Huntington Library Postdoctoral Fellowships, NEH, Mellon, and Barbara Thom
(info Deadline December 15, 2008)


 * 12/5 snailmail postcard acknowledging receipt of app.
 * I would be very grateful for any info about their process, number of pdocs likely to be awarded, fields, anything, really.
 * 2/14 I know that decisions have been made for some of the awards (colleague got a long-term one), but not sure if all have been decided/announced.

Johns Hopkins, Mellon Postdoc: Concepts of Diaspora
(info) any news? nothing yet?
 * not a word yet
 * I still haven't heard anything at all. I wonder if we ought to call them at some point? Or might that be perceived as too pushy?


 * Hopkins Intersession break is until Jan 23, so there is not chance we will hear anything before then


 * If you do any calling to enquire about the general status of such a search, always talk to the office assistant (and there's no need to give your name).


 * 1/16 rejection email: there were ~400 apps, now narrowed to a few dozen; they "hope to announce three winners by March 1." They also said that the same fship will be offered next year.


 * I was informed by the administrator that 'Decisions will be announced by April 1'...


 * I received no rejection email. (X8) Did anyone get something telling them they were a finalist or anything?


 * 1/17 - Sources inform that the process is a bit backed up.

Apparently, they are informing people as they are rejected, so if you haven't heard, you're still in the running. I love the irony of the fact that non-finalists are told more than finalists. Totally reasonable!

1/22 - Just received my email rejection today! 1/23 - Me too! Oh well... 2/5--Rejection today (x2). Best of luck to those still in consideration!


 * I agree, funny that one knows more when one is rejected than when one is still in the running. But hey, that's what the Wiki is for.

King's College, University of Cambridge
Deadline 15 November Interviews to take place on 19 February. Does anyone know anything about their timeline for interview requests? Has anyone heard anything further? (1/23)
 * Notification of (long) shortlist and request for WS, to be sent to external referees 12/5
 * I received materials request, but have had no further news since.

Lilly Teaching Fellowship, Valparaiso University
Deadline 15 December
 * Email notification of status as semi-finalist (1/7). Finalists for campus visits to be notified on or around 1/13.
 * Any news? (1/16)
 * Invited for campus visit by phone 1/13.

The Library Company, Philadelphia, Postdoctoral Fellowships
(info Deadline, November 1, 2008) Still no news?

Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge, ALICE TONG SZE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP
(Deadline: January 16, 2009)
 * Does anybody know when they shortlist?
 * Did anybody else apply?

Magdalen College, Oxford, Fellowship by Examination
 (deadline: October 13, 2008)


 * Writing sample requested via email (10 November). Anyone else heard anything (since)?
 * No, not yet.. did they ever state when they would let us know about interviews, ahem, "examinations"?
 * No date was given to me. I suspect it must be soon though, considering the examination is 7 February!
 * Any news? (1/15)
 * Not I (1/15)
 * Considering the "examinations" are just over two weeks from today, they must have moved on by now, but no rejection notification on my end: aren't official rejections usually sent out concurrently with invites?
 * Half the time when I have not made it from the longlist to the shortlist for a JRF I have received no notification whatsoever, so the silence means nothing. However, it is also true that they sometimes notify all the interviewees just a few days before the interviews. I think they assume that most candidates will be based in the UK!
 * I enquired and they said they have already notified candidates (1/23)

McGill University Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in the Humanities and Related Social Sciences
(deadline: November 30, 2008) -must receive faculty sponsorship and reference letter to apply


 * Does anyone know anything about the decision timeline for this?


 * The aim is for decisions to be announced before the holidays.


 * 3 fellowships awarded and finalist "alternates" informed (12/19)


 * I am a first alternate, received a letter stating that the three fellowships that were offered were all accepted as of the 1/15/09 deadline. (letter dated 1/15)

McGill University - Postdoctoral Fellow, Transmission, Translation and Transformation in Medieval Textual Cultures Research Group
( Deadline 12 Dec 2008)

phone interviews scheduled for 2/18

Mellon/ACLS Recent Doctoral Recipients Fellowships
( Deadline 10 December 2008)

Michigan Society of Fellows Post-Doctoral Fellowship
(info Deadline September 30, 2008)

It charges every applicant 30 bucks. (Did it do this last year?) It asks our very busy mentors to upload letters directly up to its website. I am not sure if it accepts a dossier.

Yes, the 30 bucks was charged last year, and the year before that, and the year before that. . . Such is the record of my optimism. No dossiers accepted, to my knowledge.

Does anyone know if we are required to submit 3 separate writing samples for a grand total of 20 pages? Or 1-3 samples that are each under 20 pages? I can't seem to figure out the language online. Thanks!


 * A: I'm assuming 1-3, each under 20. The other option is too unreasonable.


 * Q: I just "submitted" under the assumption that I should pull my material together, and not wait around for my lovely, overworked referees. But it told me I submitted an "incomplete" application. Will my referees now not be allowed to submit references?


 * A: Yes they will.  Although you won't be able to look at the references, they are registered as part of your application.  Thus, you haven't submitted anything yet, and won't be allowed to until the references are submitted by your referees.


 * A: You can't submit until the letters are already in. I got an email saying my app was incomplete right after I submitted, wrote them and asked and they said it was just a technical glitch and I was good to go.  So you can assume the same I think.


 * Thanks!


 * Q: Does anyone know what the decision timeline is on this?  I know the deadline has only recently passed, but I guess  the whole point of the Wiki is to fill the information vacuum.

A: Last year's wiki has people finding out at the end of January. But you'll have to dig through the archived history to see whether interviews occurred before then.


 * A: There are no interviews. Winners are notified at the end of January, with no intermediate steps.


 * Rejection letter, dated 11/20 (postmarked 12/1). 498 applications received, 100 semi-finalists identified.  Good luck if you're one of the 100. (x3)


 * has anyone received a letter identifying them as one of the 100 semi-finalists?


 * no news from them yet as of today (12/4)


 * for those who received the rejection letters - were they sent to your home or office?


 * I got a rejection letter today (12/4) at my home (x5)


 * No rejection yet as of 12/4 at either office or home, no word of semi-finalist status either. (x7)


 * No rejection yet as of 12/8 at either office or home, no word of semi-finalist status either. (x5)


 * I just added to the above number, but it's pretty clear that the rest of us will probably not hear anything till they make their final decision in January.


 * So does that mean that if we haven't gotten rejection letters yet, we should consider ourselves still in the running?


 * I think that is right. In the past they have notified the top-30 or so "finalists" before the final decisions in late January.


 * No word. Just silence. (12/16)


 * Anyone know when we may hear decisions re: finalists or the SoF postdoc itself (Jan. 20-ish like last year?)


 * Senior fellows will hold the final meeting at 2pm, Jan 22 to decide the winners. Calls will go out over the weekend.


 * That is *very* helpful. Thank you for the information!


 * So, the senior fellows will meet on Thursday the 22nd to make final decisions, and calls to fellowship recipients will go out over the weekend (24-25?) . . . waiting, waiting . ..

Does anyone know if they called both Humanities and Social Sciences today, or was the process separated?
 * 1/21 - offer made via phone (x2)
 * A I'm the x2 person, and I'm humanities. I didn't ask about the social sciences -- sorry.


 * Assuming the senior fellows meet tomorrow (on 1/22) then there must be some fellowships left to decide, looks like we need to wait appx. one more day. Anyone know for sure when the rest of the calls will go out? (1/21-7:45pm EST)


 * Seems likely (based on their current numbers of fellows and the trend in recent years) that they have selected between 4 and 8 fellowship recipients, probably all on the same day without a break between humanities and social sciences. Congratulations to the fellows! Anyone else heard anything?


 * 1/23 - Still haven't heard anything since acknowledgement of application (x6)


 * 1/23 - offer made via phone (Social Sciences)


 * 1/29 - rejection letter


 * 1/30 - rejection letter (x2) (1/31-were these notifications by mail or email?)


 * Mine came via mail (X2).

I too have received no news since acknowledgment of application 2/2
 * 2/2 - Anyone else still waiting for rejection letters? On a related note, were finalists notified before the decision was made?  I'd like to put this one to bed and haven't heard anything since the acknowledgment of application.


 * 2/2 - I emailed and they said the last rejections would be out and that finalists had already been notified. I suggest that you email the SoF if you want closure. They did not mention an alternate pool, so perhaps there remains that hope??


 * 2/5 - I'm the bed person above -- finally got a rejection the other day. Thanks for emailing on our behalf.

National Humanities Center Fellowship
(info Deadline 15 October, 2008)
 * Anyone know when the decisions on the NHC usually come?
 * Got rejection e-mail. Congrats to the lucky recipients.
 * 12/23 - When did you get a rejection email? (No news here yet.)
 * 12/26 - no news either, saw on their website notification in mid-february
 * 1/19 - No news here. Has anyone received any more rejection emails or emails confirming them as finalists?
 * 2/12 - No news of rejection or confirmation yet. Anyone else? Hopefully news will come soon since its mid-February.

National University of Singapore Postdoctoral Fellowships

 * Got rejection e-mail.


 * I was contacted by the head of the selection committee and told that the fellowship programme this year has been frozen due to lack of funding. As far as I could tell from our communication, nobody was selected this year.

Newberry Library
(Deadline 1/12)

Newnham College, Cambridge University Research Fellowship Competition
(Deadline November 7, 2008)
 * long shortlist notified 11 december via email
 * may i ask your field?
 * classics

Newhouse Center for the Humanities

 * any one else apply? (12/17)
 * yes, still haven't heard (12/19)

Newton International Fellowships
( Deadline: 12 January 2009)


 * Did anyone else get all the letters and apply to this?
 * Yes, I did.
 * Great. I really wonder how long it will take them to review and approve the applications, and how many people applied in the first year.
 * There's conflicting information in their documentation about this online. The actual website (FAQs) indicates that a decision will be made "within 3 months of th[e] closing date," whereas the "Scheme notes" (pdf) writes "no sooner than 4 months after the closing date." Seems like a really long time either way, considering the decision is made on the basis of the research proposal and references alone: I don't believe writing samples and interviews are involved at all. In any case, I wish you the best of luck! It's a fantastic fellowship!
 * I agree -- it is a terribly long time. I suppose it runs on a British schedule, but for those of us in N. America, it means the news, any news, might come considerably after we had made plans for the following year. I mean, the fellowship has to start sometime in August 2009, no? What if you hear in May? Yikes! Still, good luck to you too. Despite the weird schedule, it's a fabulous opportunity, and hopefully someone can get something out of it.
 * That's precisely my fear. I really prefer the Newton Fellowship to anything else on the table at the moment, but the late decision may cause problems, considering other institutions may make an offer at least two months prior. Besides that, considering it's an international fellowship that must begin before September 1st, it leaves little time to make such a big move for those potentially coming from the Americas, etc. It is a new scheme, however, and I suppose they will iron out these wrinkles in future incarnations.
 * I wonder if they'll be flexible when dealing with their awardees, seeing as people will be coming from all over the world, and there are presumably different calendars in different places. I mean, isn't it a possibility that the people they would find worthy enough to award a fellowship to might also have had other offers already? And seeing as they're committing to a decade of "networking" funds afterwards, wouldn't they want to be able to keep their top picks in some way? We're talking twelve years of potential funding here.
 * Anybody see that ridiculous diagram they provide showing all the ways one can get rejected? World class.
 * The ridiculous diagram, and my U.S. based referees had a hell of a time logging in and finding/completing the reference form.

Northwestern University--Postdoctoral Fellowship in Science in Human Culture Program
(Deadline January 15, 2009)


 * email confirmation of materials received (2/3) x2

Notre Dame - Kellogg Institute Visiting Fellowships
( Deadline November 3, 2008)


 * anyone else apply? (1/15)


 * yes, still waiting to hear (1/18)


 * got notification (e-mail) of award (1/29) (x2)

NYU Liberal Studies Program
Deadline 11/15

Anyone have news of this search?


 * As one who made it on campus w.them in a previous year - you're in for a long wait. (Which reminds me... I'm still waiting for my rejection letter.)  The faculty are very nice, but the administration is a hot mess.  (My on campus was in April, really late.)


 * I've been wondering too whether they'll take as long as in the past. The due date for applications was a few months earlier this year than last (I have a friend who applied sometime in Jan or Feb and who ended up with a job there, but not until, like, JUNE.  I am hoping that this year they will get through the process more quickly).  Here's hoping.


 * I had a request for (5 different) additional materials early January. For those who had oncampus interviews last year, may I ask what it's like? I'm assuming I won't need to do a job talk.


 * I think you have to do some sample teaching. Also, I've just heard from someone in the know that they met on Friday (1/23) about current candidates.  Perhaps they came up with a shortlist, or will come up with one soon?


 * I had a phone interview within the past few days, but no request for additional materials. I'm not sure what that means. They told me they would contact people about campus visits in late February. Are you applying for Social Foundations, Cultural Foundations or Writing? It's for Social Foundations.


 * I had a request for additional materials and am having a phone interview soon. I'm assuming different positions (Writing, Science, Cultural Foundations) are proceeding on different schedules/requirements. (I'm also for Cultural Foundations)


 * I had a request for a number of materials and a phone interview. Candidates will be contacted for campus visits in the next week or two. (Cultural Foundations)


 * So one week or so has passed. Anyone have any news? (2/4)


 * has anyone heard back from them yet?
 * nothing here. Anyone else heard from CF or SF or Writing?

NYU Postdoctoral and Transition Program for Academic Diversity
Deadline 1/15

NYU Draper Program, Gender Politics Position
Deadline 1/30
 * Did anyone find any info online about the timeline for this position? Thanks.
 * I understand that this page is for mutual support, but I don't appreciate people posting positions before the deadline has passed. This only adds to the number of people who are going to apply, and who may not have known about it otherwise.
 * Oh for Christ's sake.
 * That's just what I meant. And this isn't a postdoc, so it shouldn't be on this page.
 * The second post above has to be one of the most ridiculous comments I've seen in my two years of job wiki-ing. Congratulations. To the most recent poster (same person?), the position is for an Assistant Professor/Faculty Fellow 1-year position. Isn't that more or less a postdoc?
 * 1) This is definitely a postdoc. It's a one year "faculty fellow" position. 2) All of these positions have been widely advertised. This position was in the Chronicle, among other places. It's not like the Draper Program Gender Politics position is some big secret.
 * The kind of stingy attitude of the second poster truly astounds and depresses me. Shame on you. This postdoc (with teaching responsibilities), and its companion in literary studies, was posted on the MLA job list, H-Net, the Chronicle, and heaven knows where else.  And who is to say which postdoctoral, non-ladder positions can and cannot be posted here?  Where would you have it posted?  You want to guard the secret of a position the announcement for which has been posted all over creation???  You want to make use of a wiki in order to get information not otherwise available to you by relying on your colleagues generosity with news that clarifies things for you, and yet you suggest that we WITHHOLD information that might give others a break?  Your display of a despicable lack of collegiality, unfortunately, only makes you look like a person I would never want to hire.
 * I may have been uncollegial, but your responses are simply vicious. So I apologize if, by giving in to my own pang of competitiveness, I brought out the worst in otherwise, I'm sure, perfectly sweet people. I agree with you all that none of this belongs here.
 * Motion to delete the argument from this section: Delete it x1 Keep it Why not keep it for a week or so, then delete it.
 * Motion to preserve it. That said, anyone can delete THEIR OWN posting. Deleting things others have posted is not only uncollegial (in any instance), it's unethical. Motion to plead others to quit griping about the democratic dissemination of information. If you don't like the wiki, stop using the wiki! p.s. I am not the original person who took you to task for being exclusionary. p.p.s. I find it ironic that you're an applicant for a Gender Politics postdoc--really makes me wonder what sort of advocacy and social change you're in favor of. Survival of the of the privileged few? Gee, how radical. Let's try to keep the sense of entitlement and our exclusionary impulses in check, shall we?
 * Okay, folks, onward. And may we all prevail.

NYU Draper Program, Literary Cultures Position
Deadline 1/30

Ohio State University, Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity
Deadline 2/1

The Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture, NEH Two-year Post-Doctoral Fellowship
(info Deadline November 1, 2008)


 * AHA interview scheduled, 12/10

Penn Humanities Forum, Mellon Postdoc
(info Deadline October 15, 2008. Topic: "Connections")

Anything yet? Anyone know what the timeline is for this? I second those questions!

A: Yep, the timeline is printed at the top of their info page: "Awards will be announced by the end of December 2008." !!

A: Since they only choose five fellows, we may not find out right away when calls are made. I'm just hoping that at least one uses the wiki. Calls should be coming soon, if the website and last year's wiki are to be believed.

A: Offer extended (phone call, 12/19) Q: So no interview stage for this postdoc? Congrats, btw!
 * Email rejection (12/22) x7
 * email said 300 applications were received. Considering that fact, I appreciated that my rejection email began by invoking my name instead of just "Dear Failed Applicant."
 * Congrats to the person who got the offer!

Hm. Almost 5pm EST and no rejection yet. Wonder if this means that they haven't gotten around to it yet or if I am perhaps an alternate. Anyone else in no-rejection no-offer liminality?

(from same poster as above) Well, since it's less than 2 hours until Christmas eve in Philadelphia, I don't imagine we'll hear anything else until 2009. I suppose this means they've either 1) lost my file, 2) accidentally left my award message on somebody else's voicemail, or 3) made me an alternate--here's hoping for one of the latter possibilities. (2x)

(from same poster again) Still without word, I finally called Penn today (1/6). Unfortunately, it wasn't any of the above possibilities. My rejection email just didn't get through to me for whatever reason. Sigh... Congratulations to the awardees.

Penn Mellon Postdoctoral Teaching Fellowship
( Deadline: December 15, 2008)

Anyone know the plan for this? Will there be interviews? When will they let us know?


 * Last year, the committee met in mid-January and recipients were selected by February. Of course, the deadline this year is six weeks later, so the timtable might be shifted later as well...

Were there interviews?

1/8- Any word?

1/13- No word at all

1/15-I haven't even gotten any acknowledgment of my application. Did anyone else receive an ack?

1/15-Nothing, no ack or anything else.


 * Should one of us call or email to get the timeline?

1/21-Just sent off an email to ask whether they've received mine and if there was a timetable yet. I'll let you all know when I hear back! :) 1/21 (again) - I just heard back from Ann Matter: they are just now beginning the vetting process, and hope to know something by the middle of February. She didn't mention if this would be a final decision, or contact finalists, and I didn't want to pester her. Hopefully this helps?
 * Yes, one of us should.
 * Did anyone of us called?
 * Don't know. Did you?
 * Thanks (x2!)
 * Thanks for this information! It does help!
 * Yes, this helps. Thank you. So now we wait until mid-Feb.
 * Decisions to to made in early February, I heard.


 * Yes, thanks for calling and for sharing the info. I do wishes places would send acknowledgements, just so we'd know things arrived safe and sound.
 * Does anyone know what they do with the "who would you want to work with" information? Do they contact those people with your application and ask them if they're interested? How crucial is it? I'd love to know.

2/4- Any news?

2/5- Nothing yet.

-Perhaps end of this week (2/6-ish) or next? (Best guess: some word by Friday Feb. 13th)

Anyone hear anything regarding timing and decisions?

2/12 - No news yet.
 * Wrote Ann Matter on 2/5 about my application. She says it is no longer under consideration.  So, the selection process is clearly under way.

2/14 - I heard that offers were made this week.

2/14 - Is that heresay or do you know someone who was offered? (x2) Seems unlikely its hearsay; maybe it went out via snail mail and we all still have hope....... :(

2/14 - when do offers go out via snail mail? A: last time was penn scrooge pdoc in phrenology

Princeton Center for African American Studies Postdoctoral Fellowships
(http://www.princeton.edu/africanamericanstudies/news/opportunities/)
 * Closing date: November 7, 2008


 * Has anyone heard any news on this fellowship?
 * No! I got an email acknowledgement from them in late November, and no mention of when decisions would be made... I can't even find anything on their website that mentions a timeline for decisions...
 * I just emailed them to find out what the timeline is. I'll let you know what I hear (1/12)
 * The committee will meet this week to begin the process, with a decision expected no later than the first week of February. (1/12)
 * Thanks for posting that information. Did they indicate that they are making a final decision, or creating a shortlist and will interview? (1/12)
 * They didn't say - I was under the impression that they are making a final decision, but I can't say for sure. (1/13)
 * Thanks!
 * As the first week of February inches toward Friday... has anyone heard anything?!
 * rejection letter 2/4
 * has anyone else heard anything?
 * sorry to hear it -- was that a letter letter or an email? thanks.
 * still haven't heard anything (2/6) X2
 * Received the letter via postal mail. It was dated Feb 2. (2/8)
 * I still haven't heard anything (2/12)... Anyone else out there still waiting for news?
 * Yes, still waiting... (2/12)

Princeton Davis Center for Historical Studies, Fellowships
(info Deadline December 1, 2008)
 * For "senior scholars with established reputations" as well as "early career scholars"
 * 2008-2010 Theme: Cultures and Institutions in Motion

Princeton University Niehaus Center Postdocs (Globalization and Governance and Regional Political Economy)
Deadlines December 15 and January 15.
 * Any news anyone?
 * Feb 9--I just spoke with the assistant director. She said the committee for the Globalization and Governance fellowship is meeting to make their decisions. She said that results would be announced around Feb. 27. My sense was that successful candidates may hear before that, but I'm not sure.

Princeton Society of Fellows
(info Deadline October 1, 2008)

(I am in the second list. I am in East Asian humanities) (Do you know how many interviewees in the 1st list? And how many in the second list? Today it is Jan 19 2009) A: I got an email that I am on the second list - they did not mention any numbers.
 * 10/27 Received ack. of complete dossier via mail, decisions and interview invitations will be made by the end of January/
 * 12/7 Received request for missing letter of recommendation to be sent ASAP -- perhaps this means that they're now sitting down to decide?
 * 12/17 Any news?? A: I was interviewed for this one last year.  They didn't contact me until after the New Year, so too early to worry.
 * 12/30 Q: Anybody know roughly when we will hear about interviews? Or about the timeline? Thanks.
 * 01/01 A: They will contact us sometime in January... just gotta wait and see. They get a LOT of applications for this one, so we just have to be patient!
 * 01/06 A: For what it's worth, they seem to have invited people for interviews on the first Wednesday of the first full week in January in both 2008 and 2007. So maybe people will hear things tomorrow?
 * 01/07 Q: Anyone heard yet?
 * 01/08 Q: Anyone heard yet?
 * 1/8 A: I haven't (x10) -the comforts of partners in paranoia...
 * Maybe tomorrow?
 * The website says that applicants won't be contacted until the end of January and all interviews will happen in early February, which is slightly later than last year's schedule.
 * The website actually says that applicants will be contacted by the end of January. If interviews are in early February, it's hard to believe that the interviewees won't find out soon.
 * Still no rejections (I'm being realistic about my chances)...does anyone know if they do email or snail mail rejections/interview invitations?
 * I'm pretty sure that last year they emailed interview requests, and mailed out rejection letters a few days later.
 * I was called to set up an interview last year.
 * Any news anyone? (1/13)
 * Nothing Yet! (1/13) (x13)
 * Ah, no rejections today. Hope springs eternal!
 * Invite for interview by email (1/13) x 4
 * Does anyone know how many people they are interviewing?
 * Congrats to the three interviewees. May I ask what field you are in?
 * Early modern European history
 * I'll echo the congratulations! Did they mention how many applications they received...?
 * No, no mention of anything really!
 * Heard from a colleague there that they had 800 or so applications. Not sure how reliable or exact that number is. (1/14/09)
 * Yes, congrats. Anyone in East Asian? A: here is one, doing C/history. heard nothing.
 * Their official rejection letter states that they had more than 920 applications.
 * Did you receive their official rejection letter for this year's competition?
 * Anyone knows how many people they will bring to campus interview?
 * Received interview invite by email (morning of 1/15). Also curious how many get invited for interview.
 * Any interviewees from the social sciences?
 * Let's start a count for interviewees: 3
 * How many interviewees in literature?
 * Two years ago, they invited 24 people for 4 positions. 6 people for each. heard from a friend who was there.
 * email received: "placed on a second list for possible interview" They have scheduled a first list of interviews. x5
 * Rejection letter received via regular mail (1/20) 920 applicants for four spots x4
 * This year they are inviting 25 people for the 4 spots.
 * Anybody else who's on the second list for possible interview hear anything back yet? Chances of getting called in seem slim...
 * Word is that they are conducting the last interviews today (1/12) and tomorrow (1/13) and then deciding immediately.

Princeton University, Stewart Fellows in Religion
( Application Review Begins: November 15, 2008)]


 * On campus scheduled for early February
 * By email or phone?
 * on campus interviews scheduled and presently underway, through first week in Feb

Princeton Writing Program
(Deadline February 1, 2009)
 * Teaching postdoc was offered last year, is it on again this year?
 * Yes, it's on.
 * Does anyone know whether they interview for these jobs, in person or by phone? thanks.
 * Yes, there is an interview. If you're not that close, perhaps they would do a phone interview instead of a campus interview, but I'm not sure about that.  They ask you to prepare materials for them (i.e. ideas for a writing course; mark up a student paper) if you make it to that stage.
 * Anyone know how long it will take them to contact for interviews?
 * A: check last year's wiki. I was rejected in early March, but the process continued til April. Their confirmation email says decisions will be made by 4/10 I think.
 * ack letter, dated 1/19 -- will begin reviewing apps mid-Feb and decisions will be made no later than April 15 (1/29)
 * 2/9 email to set up phone interview
 * Congratulations! Does anyone know if they do this on a rolling basis?
 * 2/10 email to set up phone interview (x4)
 * I applied right at the deadline. Does anyone know how long they continue the interview process, whether it's rolling or whether they make decisions about who they'll be interviewing all at once (i.e. are they done with requests?)
 * I applied near the deadline too. They said they'd begin reviewing apps mid-Feb, but they've already scheduled interviews well before mid-Feb.  Does this mean they won't be reviewing apps that came in closer to the deadline? For those of you who were contacted, could you say whether you applied on the earlier side? Does anyone know how long their interview request process lasts?
 * I applied pretty early. I like to get the apps out of the way.  I don't have any inside info but I think the process would have to be on a rolling basis b/c it's hard to know in advance how many lecturers are moving on to other positions every year.
 * I applied fairly early too. The email stated that they were doing initial interviews with a number of candidates as part of the hiring process.
 * Applied literally at the deadline and contacted for interview.(3)
 * Had my phone interview today. Sounds like there are a lot of candidates still alive.  The big cut will be for the campus interview.  Good luck to everyone.
 * Did you have to interview with multiple people over the phone or was it a one on one interview? A: One on One.
 * 500+ applicants for this position
 * Out of curiosity, any of those who have been contacted for interviews ABD (scheduled to defend this academic year) or all minted PhDs? Thanks!
 * A: I was interviewed and I'm ABD, filing this semester.
 * A2: I was contacted for interview, and am a minty-fresh Ph.D.
 * 2/12 email to set up phone interview. (1)
 * I was interviewed via phone and told that notifications for campus interviews would go out in two weeks. (2/13)
 * I was also interview 2/13 and was told that the phone interviews will likely be done by Sundayish, and the offers of campus interviews likely to go out soon after. The interviewer said within two weeks, but I got the impression that the meeting to decide on campus visits would be early next week, and that offers may be going out late next week.  Interviewer also said that there is a possibility that there could be more than 5 positions available if people move on from the Writing Center.
 * Aww, I guess they don't like me. I applied Jan 26th and haven't heard a thing (it's Friday today.)

Rutgers CCA Fellowship
(Deadline January 9, 2009)
 * Application acknowledgment received (1/16/09)x3
 * any news? last year's wiki indicates that they made offers about a month after the deadline (2/11)
 * also waiting... impatiently
 * My guess is that offers will go out in the next week or so by e-mail. But I would be patient on this one- don't rule it out until you hear from them.

Rutgers Center for Historical Analysis
(Deadline: 15 December 2008)

Rutgers Center for Race and Ethnicity and Institute for Research on Women
(deadline Jan 30)
 * No confirmation yet
 * anyone else apply?

St John's College, Cambridge University, JRF
(Deadline 1 October 2008)
 * 11/13 - shortlist contacted
 * by email or phone?
 * 11/18 - email rejection

Selwyn College, Cambridge University, Centenary Fellowship
(info Deadline September 5, 2008)


 * 10/16 - short list of semi-finalists have been notified

Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge University, JRF
(Deadline 15 October 2008)
 * Anyone heard anything? (11/18)
 * not I
 * Rejection email, bizarrely sent to uni email address which I did NOT put on the application... (11/19)
 * No rejection, no invitation for an interview either (11/20)
 * Redaction and apology for sending duplicate rejections from last year, plus a rejection for THIS year (11/24)
 * Rejection email (11/24)

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Postdoctoral Fellowships
( Deadline: 24 October 2008)

of February".
 * Any other Canadians on this board? Yep!
 * I e-mailed SSHRC today and they said that "results for the Postdoctoral Competition should be mailed out at the end
 * Oh, that's brilliant of you. Thanks. Why did I not think to do that? Oh, I know, because their email communications were atrocious.
 * Yes, thanks for the up-date! Their statement that we'd be notified "in February" is way to vague. Good luck, all! (x2, with extra thanks for contacting them!)
 * Another Canadian here (woohoo!). The deadline got moved from the 15th to the 24th, so that's probably why it's now late feb. Hmm...do they mail out offers and rejection letters at the same time? And speaking of atrocious email communications, did any of you have a nightmarish time with their new state-of-the-art application system? wtf (2/11)
 * Absolutely. I couldn't believe the server crashed multiple times the day it was due. It was also frustrating for my reviewers/references that they had to set up accounts just to submit supporting letters for my application (I'm at US school, so my advisors mostly aren't registered with SSHRC)
 * Ditto on the server crash and all-round frustration. Not only did referees have record things like when and where they received their own first degrees in order to create their accounts, but they were then limited to writing 500 characters (bumped up to 1,000 characters, following complaints) about our work. I'm a Canadian at a UK uni, and the "state-of-the-art" business was rather embarrassing. Anyway, fingers crossed for good news in a few weeks!
 * Let me add my voice to the chorus here. Their web program was atrocious -- I am convinced that it was put together by somebody's cousin who got the contract as a patronage deal, since anyone who has had even the slightest brush with academe knows that 500 -- or 1000 characters are nowhere near enough. Not to mention that after my adviser had entered all sorts of personal information (like home phone number!), and carefully composed a 500 character reference letter well before the deadline -- they changed the number of characters. But advisers couldn't just resubmit a letter. Oh nooo. The email said the adviser would have to contact the webmaster to have it reset. I mean, really. As though spending hours trying to figure out their system wasn't enough of a waste of his time. Another referee spent ages composing his letter in Word, because he used the character count function to keep it within limits, and then found the program would not let him paste the letter in. He had to retype the thing. To say nothing of the utterly ridiculous CV website, or of the fact that when I tried to upload my proposal the night before, the darn thing wouldn't upload. It took a combination of Internet Explorer and Mozilla to get it working. (Neither of these programs, on their own, would handle the full job of submitting the application on their website.) I'm sorry. I still have a lot of anger. Maybe you can tell.
 * That's pretty bad. Their joke of a system really ticked off my referees. At one point, they couldn't even log in and each of them had to call technical support to get things sorted out! Let's just hope the committees kept all this in mind during the selection process.

Stanford Humanities Fellows Program
(Deadline 8 Dec 08)
 * Application sez successful candidates will hear by 3 March 09.


 * this is completely different from the Stanford I-Hum fellowship, right? Yes.
 * Anyone else's materials not register on the online application? I submitted mine early last week, but the form still claims to have received no materials. (12/10)


 * Don't worry. It takes them a little while to go through all of the applications. My online application said "no, no, no, no" for about two weeks after I sent my materias.  Then one day it said "yes, yes, yes, yes."


 * And isn't that something we all want to hear....


 * that's what I thought. I repeated it for a minute like an incantation when it finally posted to my app: "yes, yes, yes, yes." Bon courage.


 * 01/07 Q: has anyone heard any word yet? 01/23 A: Nothing.  Is it time to give up hope?


 * according to last year's wiki, 16 or so finalists were notified in early February. Six successful candidates got offers by mid to late February.  Rejection emails went out as promised on around March 1st.  I don't think it's time to give up hope yet at all.  They say on their website that the committee meets in December, January and February.  They're probably getting down to deciding their long shortlist in the next couple of weeks and will then choose postdoc recipients soon after. Good luck, everyone.


 * I suppose still no word to anyone either way?


 * 2/6: Still no word!


 * 2/11: Any news yet? If they're interviewing people--as the website says they might--it's hard to believe they haven't contacted them by now.

Stanford IHUM
(Deadline TBA) Is this the same as the Stanford Humanities Center External Fellowships? Deadline 15 October 2008 No. IHUM stands for Introduction to the Humanities--a year-long program that all first year students enroll in. This postdoc involves teaching 3 sections per quarter for lecture courses designed and taught by teams of Stanford faculty.

3 sections every quarter? Wow. A: each section is small, so the overall number of students is reasonable. Plus, there's only one prep.... and a research leave after the first year. So it's a good job.

Q: Is deadline still TBA? Is this pdoc happening this year? A: February 28.

Q: The application asks us to write how we would teach a text listed for the courses we nominate from the list. Does that mean we write about 1 text, or 1 text PER COURSE (ie 5 texts)? How did you guys interpret it? A: I think it's just one text period. A: It is. I called and asked last year. They seem to not realize that the application instruction is confusing. Q: Is it just me or do a lot of their classes sound kind of the same? Reading the synopses, there seems to be a HEAVY philosophy bent. A: Yes, it does seem to be very philosophy/classics heavy, but then again Stanford is known for sticking with their "great books" curriculum. The winter/spring courses seem especially weighted in that direction. Seems like it would be difficult to find anyone that could teach both fall and winter/spring courses that isn't a philosophy or classical rhetoric scholar. If you think the IHUM is bad, look at the very similar SLE fellowship (link is at the top of the IHUM page)--real classic great books course.


 * A: Ha, they know it's confusing. People call every year. They don't care (just being honest here, as the fact that the instructions remain the same year after year speaks for itself).

Stanford McCoy Center for Ethics in Society and Program on Global Justice Postdoc
The Search Committee expects to make a decision by the end of February and you will be notified of it shortly after that.
 * due Jan 10
 * Jan 14 receipt of application via email
 * Rejection email received (02/03)+ 2

Sweet Briar College, Teaching Postdoc

 * ack email, 12/5
 * ack email, 12/8
 * dossier request sent directly to recommenders (12/11)
 * I'm afraid I don't know what the above comment means. Could you explain?  Why send a dossier request to the letter writers or is there some other 'recommender'?
 * Ditto to above. A dossier is by nature already a collection of letters. I assume they meant that Sweet Briar contacted each of their recommenders individually, although the refusal to accept a dossier from a departmental credentials service seems very odd indeed. And, Q: how did you know that your recommenders were contacted? Did Sweet Briar tell you, or?
 * Clarification: Sweet Briar contacted each of the recommenders individually for their rec letter rather than contacting the applicant. The recommenders passed on this information to the applicant; no contact from Sweet Briar to the applicant.
 * ack email, 12/12 (X2)
 * Thank you for the clarification - this makes sense now. But wow, they are moving fast if they already contacted from letter writers.  Does anyone know anything about Sweet Briar's timetable?


 * I got the distinct impression from brief exchanges that all applications received by 5 Dec would receive full consideration.
 * Received email asking me to contact my references for letters.(1/7)(x2)
 * So some people's recommenders were asked for letters last month, and yesterday they asked some (other?) candidates to contact references themselves? I haven't heard anything since the ack. letter. No idea if they have contacted my recommenders. (1/8)
 * I'm one of the people who posted on 1/7. The email I received was the first time they asked to see my letters of recommendation. (My references weren't contacted individually last month for letters.) I'm not sure why they changed their procedure, but I figure it makes more sense to have candidates responsible for ensuring that letters get sent.
 * I am wondering if the job ad might have caused confusion. I saw the ad in the Chronicle.  It read to send "three references including contact information."  I took that to mean they wanted the letters with the inital application matierals.  But in looking back at it, I can easily see someone reading it to just ask for reference names.  Perhpas realizing this confusion, the school is trying to be fair and request letters from those who did not send them already?  Or perhpas that's wishful thinking?
 * I think they wouldn't have asked for "references including contact information" if they wanted letters with the initial materials, as letters include contact information.
 * References are the people who WRITE letters of recommendation, or letters of reference. If Sweet Briar wanted letters with the initial app, they would have said 'three letters of recommendation'. Has anyone heard anything else? (1/16)
 * Regardless of what the job ad stated and how everyone interpreted it, it seems a good sign for those who didn't include letters to be contacted, and those who submitted letters initially shouldn't worry about not being contacted. There is enough stress in this process without wondering if we interpreted or misinterpreted job ads. Good luck to all.
 * I'm sure they realized they could have been more explicit about what they wanted or didn't want with the initial packet. I can see how others interpreted it differently than I did.
 * I contacted the school before submitting my application materials for clarification of the "references including contact information" request. Their answer was that for the early stage of review they just wanted a list of references and they planned to ask for references to be sent from selected applicants "so as not to overburden the reference writers."
 * Anyone else not heard anything since the ack. email? (1/19)
 * A: I haven't heart anything since the ack email. (x6)
 * Never received an acknowledgment email. (x1)


 * Request for phone interview. (2/4)
 * Congrats! Just curious how you were contacted.  Phone, email, mail?  Thanks.
 * Email first, then a phone call to set up the appointment.


 * Email request for phone interview. (2/5)
 * Same request.(2/6)
 * Committee is meeting Thursday, February 12 to decide on final three for campus interviews.
 * I was told the same. They also said there were 200 applicants for the position, and they implied that narrowing the pool had been a difficult process.
 * Campus visit scheduled. (2/12)(x2)
 * I was interviewed on the 11th, but I did not hear back for campus visit. <30k/per year for this fellowship!!!!!!!! Bullshit.
 * It's true that the stipend for this fellowship is less than $30,000, but to be fair to them they offer free housing (and they will accommodate partners and/or children), including utilities, and a generous travel fund and moving expenses. Given these benefits, the fellowship is pretty much equivalent to other postdocs at liberal arts colleges.

Tulane University, Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Humanities
( Deadline: December 1, 2008)
 * Ack. snail mail, no details (11/08)
 * Any word? Anyone? (01/15)
 * Nope. (1/15)
 * Nope. (1/23)
 * I heard from a very reliable source that they received about 400 applications (1/24)
 * Does anyone know when official notifications are supposed to come out? What is the timeline?
 * Have heard nothing. Also heard they received 400 applications
 * Still no word?
 * Request for writing sample 2/5 + 1
 * +2, I neglected to ask them about timeline/next step, etc.. Did anyone who got asked for more stuff inquire?
 * A question for those who were contacted: were you asked to send writing samples by the Assistant Dean's office where we sent the applications or by the department with which you expect to be affiliated?
 * Neither. Contacted by member of "selection committee".  Didn't ask about timeline.  Anyone else?

University of California Humanities Research Institute (UCHRI) Residential Research Group, "Species Spectacular"

 * Due 12/10/2008
 * offer made (2/3)
 * Congratulations. Did they indicate how many of these they're offering? I thought we were supposed to hear in March?

University of California President's Postdoc
Good question, heres another one. Does anyone know how many applicants they get?
 * Successive acknowledgements re. various materials (11/21)
 * Anyone hear anything yet?
 * How early have they started making offers in the past? Do they really wait until March?
 * According to last year's wiki, people were contacted Feb 8 by phone with a formal letter a week and a half later. The deadline was later last year, though. (2/6)
 * Offer made, via phone! Social science (2/9)
 * Congrats! Anyone in the humanities hear anything???
 * DO THEY DO ALL THE OFFERS IN ONE DAY?
 * Do they announce all fields at the same time?
 * Offer made, via phone, humanities (2/9); WHICH FIELD IN THE HUMANITIES? (2/11)


 * I was told they got about 500 applications.
 * WHY IS THIS PERSON SCREAMING? IS YOUR CAPSLOCK BUTTON BROKEN??!!!???/????

University of California at Berkeley Chancellor's Postdoc

 * Complete application notification (11/18)
 * How early have they started making offers in the past? Do they really wait until March?
 * When do they notify normally? Anyone heard anything?

University of California at Berkeley Ciriacy-Wantrup Postdoctoral Fellowship in Natural Resource Economics and Political Economy
( Deadline: December 8, 2008)

University of California, Berkeley Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Humanities
deadline 1/23
 * don't suppose anyone has heard anything here yet...?
 * it's been 2 weeks.
 * they forward the applications to the relevant humanities departments. The depts then nominate up to two candidates to the College of Letters and Sciences. I wouldn't be surprised if the process took a while.  I'll try to check and see what their time line is, and the nomination deadline for departments.
 * I was just told (because one of my letters is missing) that the review process begins early next week.
 * sweet. thanks for posting.
 * Some more info: they expect to give out 5 this year and will announce decisions in early March. Fingers crossed for all of us!
 * thanks. the original ad was vague about the number of fellows (at least one).  So of course five would be a great improvement if it's true that they're expecting to give that many out.  Do you know whether the applications have been forwarded to humanities departments yet?

UCLA, "Institute of American Cultures"

 * 1 yr postdoc
 * deadline 1/16/09

University of California, Los Angeles "Cultures in Transnational Perspective"
(info Deadline February 2, 2009)
 * Complete application notification (1/9)

University of California, San Deigo, Center for Comparative Immigration Studies
Deadline 1/15

University of Chicago, Harper and Schmidt
(info Deadline: November 3, 2008)

-no definitive answer but take a glance at wikis from previous years and you will see why they have a reputation as notoriously slow. While interviews tend to occur fairly promptly in February, some alternates will likely receive their offers as late as April 2009. ..
 * Q: The deadline is slightly later this year than last. Anyone know if we'll hear anything before the holidays?
 * A: The U of C typically waits to award new postdocs until they know which of their current postdocs are leaving for tenure-track jobs. In other words, their fellowships aren't really decided upon until the tenure-track job market has wrapped up.
 * That's true, but I think the initial poster was probably just asking if U of C would be requesting additional materials before the holidays. If so, answer is: that is the usual run of things.

Note: They received around 1100 applications this year (from a well-informed inside source, but this sounds pretty high--more than double what they received a few years ago).

WOW, yes, that is a HUGE jump from previously. Is it...the economy? Anyway, thanks for posting this info. I don't suppose you know when they'll be asking for additional materials, do you?

That is an enormous applicant pool!?!? I know someone said above that the number of fellowships awarded depends on how many current fellows leave, but does anyone know -roughly- how many they award each year? Thanks.


 * I was just looking at the list of current fellows. Slightly more than a third of them got their Ph.D.'s at Chicago, for whatever that's worth.


 * In terms of how many are awarded each year, if you go on the current fellows page, you can see how many there are, and that will give you a rough idea of how many could conceivably open up. Q: Has anyone been asked for a Writing Sample yet this year??


 * No requests here. After looking at the current fellows page, I calculate (roughly, with a big guess) they'll be looking for three, or a maximum of four, humanities fellows this year. I don't know how this will break down when one takes into account different fields in the humanities.  1100 applicants: yikes.  Given the dire state of the job market this year, I would imagine there won't be much movement among Harper Schmidt fellows who haven't completed their time there.  Good luck to all.

12/11 Writing sample requested via e-mail. (x3) 12//22 Writing sample requested via e-mail (x1) Humanities


 * are you humanities or soc. science?
 * humanities (x3)
 * Q: did any of you who received ws requests apply for both the humanities and the social sciences? just wondering how they coordinate requests since presumably they won't want to ask twice.


 * Q: Does anyone know if they have sent rejection notices (either so far this year, or in past years)? Just wondering if the lack of an e-mail request for a writing sample means I should give up on this one.


 * I'm pretty sure that several years ago they received something like 800 applications.. and the deadline was a bit earlier then. So the jump to 1100 doesn't seem unbelievable/extraordinary this year... [U. of C. almost as popular as Obama administration for job-seekers]


 * A: If memory serves, they never sent rejection letters last year.
 * did the humanities people who've had ws requests receive their requests on the 12/11, or did you receive the request later, when you updated? Just asking, I'm wondering whether they're done requesting.


 * Q: Does anyone know how big the short list is?


 * Q: has anyone in the social sciences heard anything yet? All I've had is silence...
 * Nope. All silent for me too (Social Science and Civ).
 * BTW, last year the Social Science search ran a month behind the Humanities in asking for writing samples & etc, so sit tight. (I know, easier said than done...)
 * Adding to what was said above, when I applied last year, I didn't get asked for a writing sample from Social Sciences until January.

A: If you don't get a rejection letter, don't give up hope. The can call people for interviews (and ask for w.s. at the same time) as late at early March. It depends whether all of the people who get offers accept them. Since some of those people will also get TT job offers and take them, slots continue to open up even into the new year... Good luck!

Q: I interviewed with them 2 years ago, and they definitely asked for a writing sample beforehand (around now). Is that true, that they sometimes ask for a writing sample when they ask for an interview??

12/22 writing sample request (x3)
 * For those who got the writing sample request -- are you in social sciences? A: humanities B: humanities as well. any idea how many are there in this long-short list?

Request for a writing sample (1/15; social sciences [x9])


 * Looks like humanities asked for materials first, in mid-to-late December, and now social sciences is asking in mid-January. Does that sound about right?


 * Does anyone know, or have a sense, of how long it will be until humanities, and social sciences will make decisions and schedule the first rounds of interviews?


 * No word back. No sense of timing (in social sciences). Not even a confirmation of receipt of writing sample materials (1/22).


 * You might resubmit your materials. I received email confirmation of receipt within about 30 minutes of submitting (1/23)


 * Spoke to admin, humanities interviews likely to be in February and March, social sciences will have to wait to hear about interviews at least until March (early, late, unknown?). (1/23)


 * *1/27: received invitation for campus interview via e-mail (Humanities). Interview date between 2/23 and 2/27. E-mail stated that there were over 600 applications for Humanities.
 * * 1/28 invitation for campus interview via e-mail (Humanities). Interview date between 3/2-6.
 * Does anybody know whatever happened to the European history field?
 * A: I assume that the European History field runs on a similar schedule as the Social Sciences--that is, a month or so behind the Humanities. But, to be honest, the number of slots to teach Euro Civ as a Harper/Schmidt at Chicago is rather small (less than three) and some years there aren't any slots available at all.  Sorry to be such a downer.

A: Probably 2 or 3 in Humanities. With such a slow market, there's little turn-over, etc., etc.
 * * Any thoughts as to how many campus interviews they're doing? And/or any new conjectures as to how many fellow they are looking for this year (Humanities)?
 * 2/5 writing sample request (social sciences)

University of Chicago, Provost's Career Enhancement
(Deadline January 23rd, 2009)

University of Minnesota Postdoctoral Fellowship
Any News? None as of 1/15 They've been reviewing apps. 2/9

University of North Carolina, Postdoc Program for Faculty Diversity
(Deadline: 8 January 2009)

University of Pittsburgh, Humanities Center Postdoc
(ad Deadline: 9 February 2009)
 * did they advertise this fellowship anywhere else? this is the first I've heard of it.
 * Sorry, I don't know if it was advertised elsewhere. It came up on H-Net near the end of January (so pretty close to the deadline), I couldn't find any information about the humanities center on the Pitt website, so I've got no idea. Maybe it's a new center? Or it's an inside job, and they just advertised it for the (EEO minimum) 14 days.
 * Yeah, there's something fishy about this one. The fix is in!
 * Actually, I looked on Google and they did advertise at the start of January with the CAA, so possibly elsewhere too. But they ignored my email sent to the 'enquiries are welcome' email address...
 * I saw this advertised in the newsletter of the Medieval Academy. I wrote an inquiry to the administrator about the language "Ph.D. in hand at time of application" but did not get a response. Also wondered why so sparsely advertised.

University of North Carolina, Center for the Study of the American South
Deadline 1/9

University of South Florida

 * Renewable pdoc in English, anthropology, communication, geography, and philosophy
 * email alerting me that one of my letters hasn't arrived. hopefully this means they're getting right down to work (1/7)
 * I was told there are 290 applications. --That's not bad really, compare with U. Chicago.
 * No, it's not bad in comparison with Chicago. But realize that Chicago's apps were several hundred less in previous years; you can gauge the extent to which the number of apps schools are receiving--relative to the amount each one would normally receive, which varies from school to school--indicates that a whole lot of people are worried about not finding a TT, or about getting let go from their VAP, etc.
 * Anybody in anthropology apply? The department position announcement says they plan to do on-campus interview Mid-January. Any information on this?
 * I did, but no news yet (1/15)
 * WHOA, there is NO way they could be asking for campus interviews mid-January when the deadline was 1/5. Is there? Unless this is the world's fastest-moving committee. I'm an applicant in English; was this announcement made by the dep't of anthro, specifically?
 * Yes, it was made by anthropology department which also says the search committee would be available for AAA conference in last Nov...so I thought it might be possible for on-campus interview in mid-Jan. if they start reviewing the applications long before the deadline stated by their graduate school.
 * I applied in Geography and there is no mention of interviews in Jan by that dept. I got an email on the 5th about a missing letter but have had no further contact.
 * I was told by someone in the English department there that the fships "usually go to the sciences." Is that true? I am in English, so I hope not.
 * Applied and still waiting to hear back as of 1/6/09. Hoping for good news soon!!
 * It is February 12th and I have heard NOTHING. Anyone have any news at all?
 * Nothing here either.

University of Sydney, United States Studies Centre
(info Deadline March 16, 2009)

University of Texas at Austin, Institute for Historical Studies
(info Deadline January 15, 2009)
 * Ack email, 1/12. (looks like they've toned down the 'your wonderful proposal'- type language from last year)
 * I didn't receive an ack email. Other ppl?
 * I didn't get one yet. Must be they make sure your letters have arrived first (I just submitted my part by email yesterday; I expect no one has gotten to it yet).
 * I was the 1/12 poster, the message said "Thank you for your interest in and application to the Institute for Historical Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Please accept this note as confirmation that we have received your Proposal, CV, and cover sheet. We look forward to receiving your letters of recommendation."

IHS Admin's Note: UPDATE

(1) We will accept application materials (Cover Sheet, Proposal, CV) through January 16, 2009 midnight. Letters of recommendation will be accepted through early next week.

(2) Due to the high volume of email we've received since January 9, turnaround time on confirmation notifications has slowed. Confirmation acknowledgments for complete applications (Proposal, CV, Cover Sheet, Letters) will be sent as quickly as possible. Thank you for your patience.

Should any other updates occur they will be posted at this link first: http://www.utexas.edu/cola/insts/historicalstudies/fellowships/.

Many thanks.


 * Thanks for that info, IHS admin. Might I also add: thanks for Not having a ridiculously Byzantine application process.
 * Q: I am a Ph.D. in English, but my project (which was once my dissertation) has a gigantic historic component. How often are such projects (interdisc. projects) awawrded an fship?
 * A: I don't know, but this is only the second year the Texas IHS has run these fellowships (so impossible to say 'how often'). You might try contacting them directly.
 * The deadline was a month later last year, and they wrapped it up in 3 weeks (that's efficiency!). Has anyone heard yet about being on a shortlist, or been asked for more material? (1/27)
 * (Response to above) They are still processing the materials, putting together applications with letters. It doesn't seem as if they have been able to go through the applications yet, let alone put together a short list.
 * Looks like they've extended the deadline to January 27. (any guesses why? not enough applications arrived in time? They had 300 or something last year)
 * Does anyone know whether there are interviews or if one might be asked for more materials?
 * A: I can only go by what is on last year's wiki, it doesn't look like they interviewed.
 * Notified of status as one of 35 finalists; asked for further information and materials.
 * Congratulations? May I ask: Notified when (date) and how (phone or email)?
 * Thanks. Notified by email 2/9.

IHS Admin's Note, UPDATE 2/11/09:

Please note that while we are in the process of reviewing the applications, and have moved toward a list of about 35 finalists, we have not contacted all finalists. We have contacted only ABD finalists to determine the current status of their projects. We have not contacted any finalists with degrees in hand. We hope to have final decisions made in about two weeks, and will notify all applicants of their status as soon as possible after that point. Please feel free to contact the IHS with questions any time at historyinstitute@austin.utexas.edu. Thank you.


 * Thank you for the update! Wish all SCs would take this initiative. Much appreciated.
 * Ditto to the above. The efforts at transparency and at communication speak volumes. Thank you.

University of Texas at Austin, Program in Western Civ and American Institutions, Postdoc
(http://fmrsi.wordpress.com/2008/11/25/university-of-texas-at-austin-program-in-western-civilization-and-american-institutions-post-doctoral-faculty-fellowships-academic-year-2009-2010/)


 * Any news? I'm sensing I'm the only person who applied for this?  Woohoo!
 * Ha haaa, no you're not! I did apply, too but I didn't hear anything. (01/24)
 * I applied too, but I haven't heard anything. Good luck to you both! (1/27)
 * Emailed to find out what the story was, and received this in response (2/13): "Unfortunately, because of uncertainties in the financial markets, we have not yet determined how many post-doctoral candidates we can support next year and have had to delay our search process. Therefore, we will most likely not have a list of finalists for quite some time. However, as soon as a decision is made, you will be notified."

University of Texas at Austin, English Department, Postdoc
Request for a writing sample via email (2/11); email said final decisions would be made late February/early March. (x4)
 * Deadline 12/1/2008
 * Anyone heard anything on this one?
 * Not yet (01/30) x2 -- last year, they didn't send out rejections at all (or confirmations, if I remember correctly). Don't expect anything.

University of Toronto, Centre for Jewish Studies
(ad Deadline February 26, 2009)

University of Toronto, Jackman Humanities Institute Mellon Postdocs
(info Deadline December 1, 2008) When did they put this one up? It must have been mere weeks before the deadline - I kept checking through September and October, finally concluding that they must not be offering it this year...


 * Anybody have a sense of whether American applicants are given equal consideration on this fellowship? There's not much information on current fellows on their website.
 * application acknowledged (12/10)
 * A: Canada has a law about privileging a Canadian applicant over other applicants, assuming all else is equal between the candidates.
 * Anyone know whether they'll be contacting or interviewing finalists before awards are announced in March? If so, when do you think this will take place?
 * I'd also like to know if they have a campus interview or not. Anyone know?
 * According to last year's Wiki they did campus interviews. But the deadlines were a bit later.

University of Virginia, Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture Postdoctoral Fellowship



 * The website says the application information will be posted in "the coming weeks"


 * 11/12 Website says: In the face of increasing financial uncertainty, the Institute regrets that it will not be able to offer new graduate-level and postgraduate-level fellowships for the 2009–2010 academic year.

Washington University in St. Louis, American Culture Studies

 * 2 yr postdoc
 * deadline 2/1/09
 * status
 * this is the first I've heard of this one. where did they advertise?
 * American Studies Association website (see link above)

Wash. U. St Louis African and African American Studies

 * deadline 1/15

Washington University in St Louis, Mellon Postdoc in Modeling Interdisciplinary Inquiry
(info Deadline December 1, 2008)


 * The website says "Dec 1 2007" -- is there an updated listing somewhere?


 * Current ad posted last week on H-NET (ad), guess they have forgotten to update their website.(8/17)


 * Receipt acknowledgement by email (11/15)
 * Rec'd email acknowledgment on 12/10; also 12/11 (x2); also 12/12; also 12/16


 * To those who received acknowledgments, did you contact them to confirm your application status? Or did they just write to confirm they had received your application?
 * for me, the email ack was unsolicited. But they seem to be "rolling in," so no need to panic I'd say.


 * Ok thanks, I think I'll panic anyway just for fun.


 * MLA interview requested 12/13
 * You sure you're in the right place? I didn't think Wash U interviewed for this fellowship at MLA.
 * Q: seconding the above question. Are you actually interviewing at MLA for this pdoc?
 * that indeed doesn't make any sense - this postdoc is not specifically for MLA people

I'm also interviewing at MLA for this postdoc. It's definitely for the postdoc. Damn. What about us non-MLAers who applied?
 * While I agree that the timing of the interview reported is weird, I have known other cases where a postdoc committee interviewed at multiple conferences, including MLA & AHA. So the above is odd, but not impossible.
 * I know that Wash U is interviewing at MLA for a Theatre Professorship---is that what you meant?
 * Any news on this one for non-MLA'ers? (1/12/09)
 * No news or anything at all for a non-MLA specialist (1/15/09).
 * I'm an MLA-er who wasn't asked for an interview at MLA and hasn't heard zip.


 * has anyone received either an offer or a rejection from this?
 * (27 Jan) I haven't heard anything (x2)
 * AHA-er here. Haven't heard anything either.


 * Still no word to anyone, either way?
 * Email notification that they're suspending the appointment because the endowment has fallen too low. The economy strikes again! (2/4 )X11 UUUGHHHHHHHHHHH! (Sorry, had to let it out).


 * let me second that UGGGGHHHHHH! That app was an all-nighter plus a £40 courier.
 * Wow. I was beating myself up in Dec. for missing this deadline. My sympathies to those of you spent the considerable time necessary to apply. Ugghh, indeed.
 * I'm wondering why they're offering that all/most of us reapply? Clearly, they had a shortlist of interviewees.
 * A: Obviously, it's a courtesy email sent to all who applied. No one's situation is going to be the same by December of next year, including those they interviewed. One would be an idiot to write to them in Dec '09 and say, "Yeah, I'd like you to reconsider my application from last year, since it's not like I've published anything, taught anything, or gone to any conferences in the space of the past year since I applied."

Wesleyan University Center for the Humanities Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2009-2010 Theme: "War"
( Deadline November 3, 2008)
 * Email sent to a list of fourteen people to notify them that Wesleyan has received and is currently reviewing their application materials. It strikes me as a bit strange that the list isn't BCCed -- the email addresses of the other applicants are all visible in the email. (12/9)
 * Also received email acknowledging application (12/9) (x3)
 * Looks like it could be a bloc of names that are roughly alphabetical (12/9)
 * I agree. The email was sent by the administrative assistant, who could have been trying to send a few hundred notices out, one batch of fifteen or so at a time.  Mistakes happen.


 * Email to schedule phone interview (12/16)
 * Tentative schedule: Finalists notified by end of Dec, campus visits end of Jan, offers mid-Feb

Wheaton College, Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in Islamic and Environmental Studies
(Deadline: 15 January 2009)

Yale Agrarian Studies Postdoc
( Deadline January 5, 2009)
 * Email notification that application was received 1/5/09 (5)
 * Received rejection letter via email 1/22/09 (2)
 * I haven't gotten anything since the 1/5 ack email (1/25). The website says that some candidates will get requests for more materials.  Anyone hear anything?
 * (from same poster as above, now on 1/28). Hm.  Anyone else not heard anything?
 * Received request for writing sample and letters 1/22/09

Discussion and Comments

 * QUESTION - I have no idea how to format this, sorry. I'm wondering if others have any interest in gathering a list of postdocs with no campus interview.  Would it be possible to mention it with each listing?  Maybe it's just me, but the constant travelling gets to be not worth it after a while.
 * I think such a list would be difficult to run (separately to this one), but feel free to note on any postdoc listings 'this one does not do campus interviews' or something similar. I'm not sure that complaining about the hassle of interviews is something that many people would be sympathetic to: plenty of us WOULD love to get an interview!!
 * Fair enough, but the 'close but no cigar' treatment gets old fast too. Just thought people might find it more time-effective, but I definitely hear your point.
 * Can we (meaning someone more technologically inclined than myself) borrow the model from last year, where the History lists the fellowship modified?
 * Happy to, but not sure how! And some jerkoff just DELETED the whole wiki page from last year...


 * QUESTION -- Can anyone tell me where I can find information on how many applicants there are for the various postdocs? (I'm trying to communicate the difficulty of actually getting one to my significant other.)
 * Last year's page has some figures for particular fellowships. Ballpark figures for the prestigious societies of fellows (Harvard, Princeton, Columbia) put it at around 800 apps. I believe. Rejection letters sometimes mention the number of applicants, for fellowships in history last year that I applied to (rather than humanities in general), they had 250-300 applications.
 * The numbers usually mean nothing to your significant other, but good luck anyway.


 * I see that above someone says some jackoff deleted last year's wiki page? Quelle disgustement. If that is true, you can still view the History, which will show you what it looked like. If you do so, please restore the page. Thanks!


 * QUESTION - If, after applying for a postdoc, there is a change to my cv - a new publication - should I send a new cv to the SC? I know this is done for T-T jobs, but I haven't heard of anyone doing it for a postdoc. But given the long timescales of some of these postdoc searches, a lot can change on a cv in that time! Has anyone done this?


 * A: I did it last year between an interview and decision in order to add two publications. It didn't work in my favor. But obviously other factors are always at play.


 * QUESTION - What's the etiquette? Some of these fellowships have late notifications (like Princeton's Society of Fellows), so what if we're offered a T-T--it certainly wouldn't be something I'd want to decline (either way).  Does that make any sense?


 * A: First of all, if you are asking about what happens if you accept and then later reject, that goes way beyond *etiquette.* Do not even think about doing that, not even if your acceptance was "only" verbal. Second, you should have 2 weeks after an offer to draw things out, and negotiate. If you get a TT offer, take that time to negotiate your contract; mention that you're in the running for a big pdoc and ask if they'd consider giving you a year--if you do get the pdoc--to push your project forward before the tenure clock starts. Meanwhile, go over to the chronicle webpage and look under the Careers fora. This question has been covered ad nauseum under the Job Seeking experiences category (as have many others), so should be helpful for you.


 * A?: I am not sure that the professionalism involved dictates an etiquette that is so absolute. Can you provisionally accept a postdoc and then decline if a TT position comes along? Or, if one of these most highly competitive/prestigious postdocs comes calling, I would imagine you could decline or postpone a (provisionally) accepted TT position if you so chose, assuming you hadn't signed a contract. If you are honest when offers come in, why not make the selection best for you. What do you all think?


 * A: There is no such thing as a provisional acceptance, unless you think there is such a thing as a provisional offer. Let's hope that when an offer is made to you, it is not "provisional." Either you say "I accept" or you say "I cannot accept at this time." You will then be told how much time you have to make your decision, and that is how much time you have. At that point, the thing to do is contact places where you are already a semi-finalist and tell them that you remain very interested in their position/pdoc but that you have an offer and time is of the essence. And then you wait and see what happens. But once you have verbally accepted, then you have accepted. Verbal contracts are binding, and violating them is actionable, but more importantly it's considered very bad form. Keep in mind that breaching a verbal contract is not only unethical, you are damaging the chances for other jobseekers to be treated decently and humanely if you act unprofessionally and cavalierly. There are standards in place, and it's *not* a question of etiquette, it's a question of ethics. So, by all means, don't accept right away if it's not your first choice; verbal acceptances are expected to be held to.


 * A: Yes, it's not as if this very circumstance doesn't arise, and often, and one has to make a decision to take something one isn't so sure about or to roll the dice by declining and hoping the desired thing comes through. Precisely because the circumstance does arise so often, there are indeed established ways of doing things. The academic world is smaller than it might seem, and your reputation as an ethical person is important. If a situation arises like this for you, don't accept right away (you'd never want to do that, anyway)...and contact your adviser for, well, advice.


 * A: I have to disagree with some of the advice here. If you've accepted a postdoc and you get a good TT offer that will not let you defer, you should drop the postdoc and take the job. This happens, and people will understand. I have counseled my own students to do this. Be polite, of course, and ask your advisor to help.


 * Q: When you have an offer, what is the best way (what is best to say) to contact other places/positions/fellowships you are a candidate for and might prefer?


 * Q: Could someone add an entry for Rutgers University's CCA external postdoc? Not sure how to do so with current numbering system.
 * A: When you add it in using three equal signs before and after, it will automatically number and put it in the table of contents part.


 * Q: So, is anyone in the same boat as me? I struck out completely on the postdoc front--while getting several conference interviews and on-campus invitations.  Has the world turned upside down or is my bewilderment just due to the fact that I'm new to the job market?  Can it be that it is harder to get a post-doc than a t-t job?


 * A well, some of the general humanities postdocs listed above have as many as 1000 applicants (some more, some fewer). And the search committee isn't necessarily looking for a person in your field or subfield, so yes, in that sense they tend to be much more competitive than a tenure track job which might have 50-400 applicants from a particular field or subfield.


 * A If you've already struck out on the postdoc front, it sounds like you may have only applied to a few, or only the big ones. The vast majority of them, and nearly all of the smaller ones, have not made their decisions yet. So maybe next year apply more broadly?


 * A There are lots of different kinds of postdocs. Humanities-wide Mellon postdocs are often much more competitive than tenure-track jobs. They also look for different things in a candidate, like interdisciplinarity and/or "trendiness" of research rather than an impressive teaching portfolio.


 * A Oh, hey, I'm glad to see I'm not the only one! I was sure that my somewhat trendy topic would make me a strong candidate for postdocs (though admittedly, I only applied to a few top ones), but that I wasn't at all in the running for jobs. I've so far had no success on the postdoc front, but a few campus visits at R1s. (Lest this seem too much like bragging, I'm in a bit of shock -- I hadn't even prepared a job talk until I got the calls!) That said, I have to say that at some of the fancy pants postdocs, the fellows seem to hold two PhDs and have a ridiculous number of articles out, if not a book. My sense is that hiring committees are willing to think about a promising candidate a little more. Though I *never* would have thought this a year ago!


 * Q: Does anyone know about any junior fellowships, other than those at Cambridge or Oxford? I mean jrfs you can apply for / start before obtaining your PhD.
 * A: There are some dissertation or 'predoctoral' fellowships offered at some institutions in the States - try Google. But many of the postdocs listed on this page can be applied for before completing the PhD. It's pretty common for people who will be finishing in the summer to be applying for postdocs with a deadline the October before (if you read the regs. of many of them, it will state you have to have finished by the time you take up the postdoc, or July of that year, but you don't need to have finished at the time you apply).
 * A: gosh, your adviser should really be advising you...if you're wanting ones abroad/worldwide, the site you want is www.jobs.ac.uk
 * A: Thanks for the advice; much appreciated.