Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowships

Apply for a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship

History of Art and Visual Studies Science and Technology Studies Literatures in English

Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026-28

The Society for the Humanities will sponsor three postdoctoral teaching-research fellowships in the humanities, each awarded for the two-year period beginning August 2026. Each fellowship offers a stipend of $64,000/year.

While in residence at Cornell, Mellon Postdoctoral Fellows hold department affiliations and joint appointments with the Society for the Humanities, have limited teaching duties, and the opportunity for scholarly work. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellows are invited to attend all of the Society’s events, and are expected to participate in the Society’s weekly Wednesday Fellows Seminar and luncheon.

Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowships are available in two areas of specialization this year, in the departments of History of Art and Visual Studies, Literatures in English and Science & Technology Studies.

Questions can be directed to humctr@cornell.edu.

Cornell is an equal opportunity employer. For more information, visit hr.cornell.edu/eeo.

Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in History of Art and Visual Studies

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

The Department of History of Art and Visual Studies at Cornell University seeks a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in comparative antiquity. The successful candidate will adopt a comparative approach to the study of art history and visual culture pre-1000 AD. Geographic specialization is open, and may include the Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean, and / or Eurasian Steppe / Silk Road. We are especially interested in comparative approaches that address (for example) the intellectual status of the image, the political functions of art, or visual theology across multiple regions.

The Mellon Fellow will teach two courses per year: one introductory lecture, and one advanced seminar. The lecture should be a broad introduction to ancient art; the Fellow will be free to configure this course as they see fit. The seminars may address more specialized topics relating to the Fellow’s research. Seminars in ancient art frequently include a mix of advanced undergraduate and graduate students, including those in Archaeology, Classics, Fiber Science and Apparel Design, Medieval Studies, and Near Eastern Studies.

Applications for the Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in History of Art and Visual Studies are due October 31, 2025.
Applications must be submitted through Academic Jobs Online Job #30300.

Eligibility Requirements

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

Apply through AJO: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/30300

Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in Literatures in English

With the sponsorship of the Society for the Humanities, the Department of Literatures in English invites applications for a two-year Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship position beginning August 1, 2026.

The Cornell Department of Literatures in English and the Society for the Humanities jointly seek a two-year Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow for 2026-27 and 2027-28. We aim to recruit a candidate specializing in African American literature and culture in any historical period. We especially seek applications from candidates with additional expertise in gender and sexuality studies or media studies (print and/or digital culture). In addition to conducting their own research, supported by faculty mentorship, the Fellow will be expected to teach two courses per year: one lower-level course, such as Introduction to African American Literature, and an upper-level course such as Black Aesthetics, Early African American Print Culture, or a course of the fellow’s own design. The Fellow will also participate in events and seminars sponsored by the Society for the Humanities.

The fellowship carries a stipend of $64,000/year.

Applications for the Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in Literatures in English are due November 14, 2025.
Applications must be submitted through Academic Jobs Online Job #30459.

Eligibility Requirements

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

Apply through AJO: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/30459

Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in Science & Technology Studies

With the sponsorship of the Society for the Humanities, the Department of Science & Technology Studies invites applications for a two-year Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship position beginning August 1, 2026.

The fellowship carries a stipend of $64,000/year.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Eligibility Requirements

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

Apply through AJO: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/30301