Job Information
Harvard University Postdoctoral Fellow in Plant Humanities at Dumbarton Oaks in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Details
Title Postdoctoral Fellow in Plant Humanities at Dumbarton Oaks
School Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Department/Area Dumbarton Oaks
Position Description
Dumbarton Oaks invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow in Plant Humanities to further the goals of the Plant Humanities Lab (https://lab.plant-humanities.org/) , an open-access digital site that features peer reviewed cultural histories of plants from the perspectives of race, colonialism, environmental justice, foodways, indigenous knowledge, evolution, and biodiversity loss in the Anthropocene. Dumbarton Oaks is committed to developing and enhancing the site as an Open Education Resource for faculty and students in ‘plants and people’ courses, and for a broad audience.
As part of the Plant Humanities team, the Postdoctoral Fellow will focus on three main areas:
Research, Content Creation, Editing
The Fellow will research and produce new plant narratives for the Plant Humanities Lab (https://lab.plant-humanities.org/) , using the rare book collection at Dumbarton Oaks and other special collections, as well as large digital repositories such as iDigBio and the Biodiversity Heritage Library. It is expected that the research will also generate public-facing articles, (e.g. for JSTOR Daily where we publish a Plant of the Month (https://daily.jstor.org/series/plant-of-the-month/) feature) and peer-reviewed articles. The fellow will also help manage the editorial process for external submissions.
Support and Development of Open Access Digital Resources
The fellow will collaborate with software developers to maintain and enhance the Plant Humanities Lab (https://lab.plant-humanities.org/) , by supporting the development of new resources such as an open access video course and a series of instructional resources for faculty and students. The fellow will also work with faculty at diverse institutions to support the adoption of the Plant Humanities Lab (https://lab.plant-humanities.org/) in the classroom.
Teaching and Public Outreach
The fellow will contribute to research, development, and implementation of education and public outreach projects related to the Plant Humanities Initiative that may include online exhibitions, development of syllabi and lesson plans, a museum and garden tour focused on plants, etc. The Fellow will also teach in the Plant Humanities Summer Program (https://www.doaks.org/research/fellowships-and-awards/plant-humanities-summer-program) .
The Fellow will build skills in digital humanities, special collections, and innovative pedagogy, while participating in a growing interdisciplinary network of researchers at Dumbarton Oaks, nationally, and internationally. The Fellow will participate fully in Dumbarton Oaks’ dynamic community of scholars and will devote 20% of the fellowship time to personal research.
This is a one-year fellowship appointment, with the possibility of renewal for two additional years. Applicants must have fulfilled all the requirements for the PhD by the time of application. The Postdoctoral Fellow would report to the Executive Director.
The Postdoctoral Fellow will have access to the outstanding resources of the institute and become part of the larger research community at Dumbarton Oaks. The Fellowship carries a stipend of $67,600 per year with an additional $1,000 annual, taxable research allowance. The Post-Doctoral Fellow will be eligible for medical insurance through the Dumbarton Oaks Fellows’ plan and will be provided with an office space, access to the library and museum collections, and complimentary weekday lunches, among other privileges of our community of fellows.
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Basic Qualifications
PhD in the humanities and humanistic social sciences with a focus on plants and people. History, Art History, History of Science, Literary Studies, Anthropology, Food Studies, Ethnobotany and the Environmental Humanities are all pertinent areas of inquiry, but we welcome applications from other fields if candidates have a strong commitment to humanistic modes of inquiry and interpretation.
Excellent writing skills.
Excellent research skills.
Experience working with special collections and digital repositories.
Teaching experience, especially at the undergraduate level.
Additional Qualifications
Experience writing for diverse audiences.
Some editorial experience, in print or digital publications.
Digital skills, including mapping and visualization software and Linked Open Data, would be useful but the fellowship with provide training as needed.
Special Instructions
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, CV, a brief research proposal, and two to three references’ names and contact information. Applications must be received by January 15, 2025.
Contact Information
Yota Batsaki
Executive Director and Lead, Plant Humanities Initiative
1703 32nd St NW
Washington DC 20007
Contact Email FellowshipPrograms@doaks.org
Equal Opportunity Employer
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law.
Minimum Number of References Required 2
Maximum Number of References Allowed 3
Keywords
digital humanities, humanities, special collections, public outreach
Supplemental Questions