mellon fellowships in democracy and landscape studies

Interested in pursuing research on landscape histories with a focus on those narratives that are forgotten or neglected?  Researching questions of democracy, the public realm, and place histories? Consider applying for a Mellon Fellowships at Dumbarton Oaks.

Located in Washington DC, Dumbarton Oaks, a humanities research institute of Harvard University, is home for the Mellon Fellowships that offer the gift of time in a beautiful place. By cultivating a community of scholars engaged in landscape histories defined broadly, we are collectively contributing to the development and expansion of critical questions in the histories of place and communities.

Dumbarton Oaks is one of the only institutions in the world with a program devoted to Garden and Landscape Studies . The Mellon Fellowships expand opportunities to study histories of landscapes through the lenses of democracy, race, identity, and difference. We seek candidates for fellowships with a demonstrated capacity for cross-disciplinary scholarship and/or teaching. Preference will be given to candidates with final degrees such as a PhD or MLA. 

Terms

Fellowships will be awarded for the academic year (September 14, 2026, to May 14, 2027) or for one term, either the fall term (September 14, 2026, to January 8, 2027), or spring term (January 25 to May 14, 2027). During this time, recipients are expected to be in residence at Dumbarton Oaks and to devote themselves full-time to their research projects without undertaking other major activities.

Visas

For non-US citizens, Dumbarton Oaks provides J-1 visas for the term of the Fellowship appointment, as part of our US Department of State–designated Exchange Visitor Program. Please be advised that scholars who have been in the United States with J status within the past 12 months may not qualify for a Dumbarton Oaks J-1 visa unless they were in the United States for a total time of less than six months. These individuals and all other non-US citizens are strongly urged to check their prospective visa status for the requested period of the Fellowship prior to submitting an application.