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The Institute for Research in the Humanities at the University of Wisconsin–Madison is pleased to offer four Solmsen Fellowships for the academic year 2024-2025, to be awarded to scholars from outside the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Through a generous bequest from Friedrich and Lieselotte Solmsen, the Solmsen Fellowships sponsor scholars working in the humanities on European history, literature, philosophy, politics, religion, art and culture in the classical, medieval, and/or early modern periods before 1700. Projects on the relationship of pre-1700 Europe to other parts of the world are also welcome. The Solmsen Fellowship does not typically support editions or translations.

Solmsen Fellows are expected to be in residence at the IRH throughout the academic year (except for short research trips, lectures, conferences, etc.) and may extend this residency through the following summer on a non-stipendiary basis. However, the fellowship may not be deferred for any reason. The award provides a stipend of $60,000, office space, support services, and access to university facilities.

The deadline for the 2024-2025 Solmsen Fellowship competition is Thursday, October 26, 2023. The final notification of the awards will be sent in Late February or Early March 2024.

Application Materials
  • Project Proposal. Up to 1,500 words (about 5 double-spaced pages of 12-point font). The proposal should address the significance of the project. Clearly state the intended product of your research, whether it is a book or an article (or series of articles). For book projects, an outline of chapters is highly recommended. For revisions of dissertations, substantive change is expected; explain how the book will differ from the dissertation. The proposal should also state how the project will be accomplished, and the specific work plan for the period of the grant.
  • Project Bibliography. Publications (not your own) relevant to the project, up to 2 pages.
  • Curriculum Vitae. Including work forthcoming and in progress.
  • Two letters of recommendation. Each must address the significance and feasibility of the proposed research, quality of the proposal, qualifications for the project, and past work. (Must be submitted online via Interfolio. See https://irh.wisc.edu/irh-fellowships/ for more details.).
  • Completed Solmsen Interfolio Application. Note: required entries in the Interfolio application form will include a reduced 100-word project abstract (separate from your uploaded project proposal); please prepare this shortened abstract before beginning the Interfolio application.

Access application information and link to digital application on the IRH fellowships webpage: https://irh.wisc.edu/irh-fellowships/ (scroll down to “external fellowships”).

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