2024 Harvard University Fellowships || Apply Now

The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University invites applicants for research fellowships in plant science. Putnam Fellowships offer excellent opportunities for advanced research and study using the Arboretum’s living collections of woody plants and research facilities. Scientists with a PhD and who have identified an independent research project that would utilize the Arboretum’s living collections are encouraged to apply.

Putnam Fellows conduct basic and applied research in the plant sciences. The goal of the program is to facilitate the research use of the Arboretum’s living collections, thereby stimulating their use within the larger scientific community. The research topics of past Putnam Fellows have included evolutionary biology, taxonomy and systematics, molecular and developmental biology, physiological ecology, propagation, and plant-insect and/or -pathogen interactions. The Putnam Fellowship Program has attracted a diverse array of scholars, and many have gone on to be leaders in academia and public horticulture.

The Arnold Arboretum provides exceptional resources for woody plant research. The living collection, numbering more than 15,000 plants, in over 2,200 species, is distinguished as one of the most thoroughly documented collections of temperate woody plants in the world. Taxonomic diversity and breadth within the collection are noteworthy, and the floras of China, Japan, and Korea are particularly well represented.

Eligibility:

Applications are sought from early-career individuals with a PhD in plant biology, evolution, plant genetics, plant ecology, horticulture, or related discipline. Applicants must have their PhD when they initiate their term at the Arboretum. Applicants should be well positioned to conduct original, independent research and to publish their findings in peer-reviewed publications. We encourage applications from those under-represented in the sciences. Applicants are expected to be fluent in English.

The Putnam Fellowship is an independent post-doctoral position. As an independent scholar, Putnam Fellows have access to shared laboratories, equipment, desk space, resources, and interactions with fellow scientists, students and staff. It is not necessary to have a specific faculty host. Applicants are encouraged to develop collaborations and work closely with any and all other members of the Arboretum and broader Harvard communities to refine and develop their project.

Fellowship Details:

Putnam Fellows are full-time employees of Harvard University with a salary of $83,000 per year, employee health insurance eligibility, and annual support of up to $10,000 for research, travel, initial relocation, and other professional expenses. Putnam Fellows are expected to be in full-time residence at the Arboretum during their 2-year tenure and are provided office and research space.

Putnam Fellows are expected to publish the results of their research in professional or academic journals and present their work at professional meetings and workshops. Putnam Fellows are also expected to engage fully in the Arboretum community. While the primary work of Putnam Fellows is conducting original independent research that utilizes the living collections of the Arboretum, Putnam Fellows are also expected to work collaboratively with the staff of the Arboretum on institutional efforts for education and outreach, for example, participating as an instructor for Arnold Arboretum education programs or writing for Arnoldia, the Arboretum’s quarterly magazine.