The American Geographical Society Library Research Fellowship program is intended to help bring to the AGSL scholars who reside beyond commuting distance of UWM, and whose research would benefit from extensive use of the Library. Established by Helen and John S. Best, this fellowship opportunity now continues through the generous donations of members of the AGSL community who wish to continue the vision of the Bests. The Best family members are longtime supporters of UWM and the UWM Libraries and we are happy to continue to provide support for research in the AGSL collections.
Research projects supported by the Fellowship program must fall within the wide range of subject areas that could be supported by the AGSL. Examples include history of cartography (including cartobibliography), history of geographic thought, discovery and exploration, historical geography, and other themes with a significant geographical component.
Fellowships can last up to four weeks and provide a weekly stipend of $650.00 ($2,600 maximum)* to help defray the travel and living expenses relative to the residency.
The grantee is expected to be in residence during the term of the award, which may be taken at any time during the year. On the conclusion of their tenure, fellows will be expected to submit short written reports on their research and to make acknowledgment of the Fellowship program in any publication or dissertation issuing wholly or in part from the Fellowship.
Eligibility
Candidates for Fellowships are either established scholars or doctoral students who have completed their course work and are at the stage of writing their dissertations.
To Apply
Application must be made to the AGSL. The application shall include:
- a two page letter describing the project to be pursued, the proposed end result of the project (publication, dissertation, etc), an explanation of how the AGSL will be utilized in completing the project, and the number of weeks of support requested (up to 4);
- a brief curriculum vitae; and
- a letter of support from a reputable scholar in the field.
Deadline to apply is December 4, 2026. Awards will be announced in early January 2027 for fellowships to be held during 2027.
Applications may be submitted via email to Georgia Brown, Head of the American Geographical Society Library at agsl@uwm.edu.
The awards will be made by the UWM Library Director, after consultation with the Head of the American Geographical Society Library.
For further information on either fellowship program or general inquiries, e-mail agsl@uwm.edu.
* Please note: Stipends are subject to IRS withholdings.
https://uwm.edu/libraries/agsl/agsl-fellowships/how-to-apply/
