Program Overview
Fulbright Israel is looking for the brightest and most innovative U.S. scholars who seek to pursue research at the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History.
We seek post-doctoral fellows who conduct multidisciplinary biodiversity research in the broad sense, including systematics, ecology, paleoecology, biogeography, conservation sciences, and citizen science.
Candidates are responsible for the arrangement of his/her institutional affiliations in Israel independently, including development of the research program for the proposed visit through contacts with possible host and contacts. According to Fulbright Israel policy, Fulbright postdoctoral fellows must hold official postdoctoral fellow status at their host institutions in Israel, including access to campus resources. Proof of such a letter is not required at the time of application.
Please contact the Fulbright Israel office at [email protected] with any questions and/or assistance with identifying suitable host or contacts.
AWARD LENGTH
Up to two academic years, minimum of one academic year.
AWARD DATES
Grants may begin any time during the period of July 2025 to May 2026, as agreed upon with host institution.
LOCATIONS
Research will take place at the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History in Tel Aviv, Israel.
The museum presents Israel’s national treasures of nature, selected from a scientific collection of five and a half million items. The mission of the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History at Tel Aviv University is to inspire acquisition of knowledge, to promote understanding, and to reinforce our bonds with nature and our place within it – for the benefit of future generations. The museum reveals scientific knowledge from research taking place within the museum itself and unique perspectives in an experiential, multi-sensory and enjoyable way, creating a special closeness and interaction with nature that cannot be experienced anywhere else.
DISCIPLINE TYPE
The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History is Israel’s National Center for Biodiversity Studies https://smnh.tau.ac.il/en/research-at-smnh-2/. The Steinhardt Museum seek post-doctoral fellows who conduct multidisciplinary biodiversity research in the broad sense, including systematics, ecology, paleoecology, biogeography, conservation sciences, and citizen science
SPECIAL FEATURES
During their grant period, Fulbright U.S. Scholars in Israel may apply for a short-term regional travel grant (five to 14 days) for participation in a variety of activities including faculty and student lectures, graduate or faculty seminars, curriculum development, public lectures, panel presentations, needs assessment, conferences or some combination thereof.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Monday, September 16, 2024
ACTIVITY
Research
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Ph.D. (or other terminal degree) required
Grant Benefits
STIPEND
$95,000 ($47,500 per academic year for two years).
ESTIMATED TRAVEL AND RELOCATION ALLOWANCE
- Reimbursement of airfare expenses (U.S. – Israel, under the Fly America act) for Fulbright fellows (and spouses)
- Partial reimbursement of children’s education expenses and fees
SPECIAL AWARD BENEFITS
- Limited accident and medical coverage for the grantee only.
- Mandatory attendance at Fulbright Israel-sponsored arrival orientation.
- Opportunities to participate in multiple cultural and academic events organized by Fulbright Israel.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility requirements apply at the time of application. For full details on all Fulbright U.S. Scholar program eligibility requirements, visit CIES. In addition:
- To be eligible for a Fulbright fellowship, candidates must have received their Ph.D. degrees no earlier than July 2020. Additionally, applicants must receive their Ph.D. before they leave to Israel to begin their postdoctoral work.
- The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History must provide grantees with Postdoctoral status, including access to campus resources (such a letter is not required at the time of application).
- Each candidate is responsible for arranging their institutional affiliations at The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History independently, including development of the program of work for the proposed visit through contacts at the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History .
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The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History is Israel’s National Center for Biodiversity Studies https://smnh.tau.ac.il/en/research-at-smnh-2/. We seek post-doctoral fellows who conduct multidisciplinary biodiversity research in the broad sense, including systematics, ecology, paleoecology, biogeography, conservation sciences, and citizen science.
Additional Information
In addition to being a prestigious academic exchange program, the Fulbright Program is designed to expand and strengthen relationships between the people of the United States and citizens of other nations and to promote international understanding and cooperation. To support this mission, Fulbright Scholars will be asked to give public talks, mentor students, and otherwise engage with the host community, in addition to their primary activities.
HELPFUL LINKS
Applicants and their grants must meet all of the following requirements at the time of application, unless specific exemptions apply:
- U.S. citizenship (permanent residence is not sufficient).
- Sound physical and mental health: selected candidates are required to submit a Medical History and Examination Report before their grants can be finalized.
- Grants shall not authorize engagement in pastoral, missionary, or other professional religious activities.
- Grants shall not authorize engagement in activities for which a license to practice medicine or nursing is required.
- Applicants are required to disclose any prior convictions of a felony or a misdemeanor, including Driving Under the Influence (DUI) or Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), but excluding minor traffic violations. FFSB regulations can be found here (Chapter 600/Section 626 Ineligibility Factors).
The following individuals are ineligible:
- Recent college graduates with limited professional experience are ineligible for consideration under the Fulbright Scholar Program. Instead, such applicants can visit the Fulbright Student Program.
- Graduate or doctoral students seeking funding to complete their degrees are ineligible for consideration under the Fulbright Scholar Program. Instead, such applicants can visit the Fulbright Student Program.
- Candidates who have resided abroad for five or more consecutive years in the six-year period preceding the date of application are ineligible. In this case, a period of nine months or more during a calendar year is considered to constitute a full year abroad.
- Employees and their immediate families (i.e. spouses and dependent children) of the U.S. Department of State and of public or private organizations under contract to the U.S. Department of State are ineligible to apply for a Fulbright grant until one year after termination of such employment.
Note: Recipients of a Fulbright Scholar grant are eligible to apply for another Fulbright Scholar grant two years after the date of completion of the previous grant. (For serial or Flex grants, the two-year period begins at the end of the final grant in the series.)
Evaluation Criteria
For full details on the Fulbright Post-Doctoral Scholar Program review process, visit CIES. During its review of the recommended pool of applications, Fulbright Israel applies the following criteria:
- Academic excellence is the primary criterion for the evaluation of candidates.
- In addition to describing the research planned, a post-doctoral project proposal should also provide a concise description of the broader cultural goals of a post-doctoral experience in Israel: what the candidate would like to learn about Israel, what activities, in addition to research, do they expect to become involved in, and how the candidate expects to share their Israeli experiences upon return to the US.
- Leadership qualities are an important evaluation criterion.
- Preference will be given to candidates who have not had substantial, recent professional experience in Israel.
Applicants might be invited for a Zoom interview with a Fulbright commission.
The Foundation reserves the exclusive right to determine, within the framework of applicable law and regulations, the qualitative standards for the evaluation of applications forwarded to it by the responsible agency in the United States. The Foundation and he Steinhardt Museum of Natural History are not under any obligation to provide the reasons for its decisions regarding the allocation of Fellowships.
Please note: Candidates who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States will be given preference, provided their qualifications are approximately equivalent to those of other candidates.
Application Procedures
INVITATION REQUIREMENT
A letter of invitation is required.
INVITATION REQUIREMENT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A letter of invitation from a host the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History is required. For assistance with contacting possible hosts at the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, please contact the Fulbright program in Israel at USPrograms@fulbright.org.il.
LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS
None, English is sufficient.