Visiting Fellows Program

Program Benefits

• A supplementary stipend of up to $750 per month, as needed, to help defray costs of temporary relocation.
• A desk / work space in the Center for Dewey Studies, located in the Morris Library at SIU.
• Library and computer privileges at SIU.
• Basic office support.
• Access to regular talks, discussions, conferences, workshops, and other activities at the Center.
• Ability (with instructor permission) to sit in on graduate seminars at SIU.
• Participation in the scholarly community of other visiting fellows, affiliated SIU faculty and graduate students, and local associates of the Center, providing a rich environment for discussions of Dewey studies, pragmatism, American philosophy, and related areas of inquiry.

Expectations

Fellows are expected to:

• Pursue their own research project based on their application.
• Give one Lunchtime Talk per academic term.
• Participate in the scholarly community of the Center through talks, workshops, discussions, reading groups, and other activities.
• Reside in Carbondale, IL for the term of their fellowship.
• Make daily use of their assigned work space in the Center.

Fellows will be encouraged to be available for discussions with and advice for graduate students. Typically, fellows should arrive before the start of the semester in which their visit starts (see SIU Calendar) and depart no earlier than the end of the last full month of the term (November and April, respectively). Alternate visit schedules should be discussed in advance.

Application Process

Visiting Fellows should have a doctoral degree or equivalent in a relevant field of study, or should be in the dissertation research and writing phase of their doctoral studies; alternatively, scholar-practitioners should have at least five years of professional experience prior to the start of the fellowship.

Applicants should be prepared to supply the following:

1. A brief description of the research project to be undertaken during residence (500-1000 words)
2. A description of the source and amount of funds available to support your visit (and the status of any funding application), as well as an indication of need for supplementary funds, if needed. (Some preference is given to completely self-funded applicants.)
3. A curriculum vitae
4. Sample of written work or other relevant projects.
5. A letter of reference from a colleague or mentor familiar with your work, emailed directly to DeweyCenter@siu.edu. 

Click here to fill out the application form.

For fullest consideration, applicants for the 2025-26 academic year should apply before April 1, 2025, whether they plan to come for Fall, Spring, or both semesters. From April 1, applications for any remaining spots will be considered on a rolling basis.

Extended Visits

Visits may be extended through the summer through prior arrangement, though stipend and office support will not be available during the summer.

Returning Fellows Policy

A Visiting Fellow can hold a fellowship at the Center for at most two semesters every six years. In other words, after your first semester-long Fellowship, you can spend another semester as a Center Fellow in the six years following. If you have spent an academic year at the Center, you have to wait six years to be eligible for another Visiting Fellowship at the Center for Dewey Studies. After six years, the clock is reset. Those ineligible for the Visiting Fellows Program are still welcome to come to the Center as visiting researchers.

                                                                   Click here to fill out the application form

The Center for Dewey Studies Visiting Fellows program has been inspired by similar programs at the Center for Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh, the Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard, and the Minnesota Center for Philosophy of Science.