The Postdoctoral Fellowship program invests in future leaders in academia—political scientists, anthropologists, historians, and humanists, among others—who generate big ideas that spark new conversations and deep insights about the region.
Postdoctoral fellows are selected on a highly competitive basis and serve a full-time, nine-month term in residence. During that period, we aim to give fellows an intellectual home where they have the time, space, and resources to pursue their research; a community where they can learn from one another; opportunities to engage with others at Harvard; and chances to contribute to the longer-term programmatic interests of the Davis Center.
During the fellowship, many postdoctoral fellows turn their manuscript into a book, present their research to the Davis Center community, and interact with colleagues at the Davis Center and academic departments at Harvard. As a fellow, you will encounter rich experiences and meaningful connections that will endure well beyond the fellowship year. Past postdoctoral fellows report that full access to Harvard Library and the Davis Center Collection at Fung Library is invaluable to their research.
Eligibility
- Research proposals must focus on the above disciplines as they relate to Russia and/or Eurasia;
- The Davis Center defines "Eurasia" as consisting of the following regions: the Baltics, Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia
- Eligible applicants will have completed their Ph.D. (or international equivalent) between September 2021 and September 2026;
- Citizens of all countries are eligible to apply;
- Non-US applicants must be eligible to receive and maintain a J-1 visa to carry out research in residence at Harvard supported by a fellowship from the Davis Center. More information can be found here. Please note the two-year national residency requirements, which may apply if you recently held a long-term J-1 visa (more than 6 months).
Benefits
- 9-month, full time, in-residence fellowship (September 1, 2026 - May 31, 2027);
- Stipend of at least $50,700 for 9 months (based on an annual stipend of at least $67,600), with an additional $2,500 in research funding;
- Eligible for employee benefits (including subsidized health insurance);
- Shared office space at the Davis Center;
- Full access and borrowing privileges to Harvard's library facilities, including electronic resources;
- The opportunity to sign up for Harvard courses
- The opportunity to present research in the New Research Workshop and receive feedback from colleagues and faculty on works-in-progress
- The opportunity to participate in Davis Center programming, including seminars, conferences, and other academic activities.
- International scholars are provided visa support from the Harvard International Office..
The Davis Center and Harvard University does not sponsor, provide, nor procure housing for fellows during their residency. Fellows are expected to have at least temporary housing by the start date of their fellowship and arrival in Cambridge. More information and resources on housing in the Cambridge area can be found on the FAS Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.
Expectations
Davis Center Postdoctoral Fellows are expected to:
- Actively engage in Davis Center academic activities, lectures, seminars, and workshops;
- Participate in the New Research Seminar. Attendance and active participation each week is mandatory;
- Prioritize their Davis Center research and be free of other academic commitments;
- Be on campus for the entire duration of the dates of their Harvard appointments, as well as their Harvard-sponsorship J-1 scholar visa for foreign nationals.
Postdoctoral fellows may be asked to:
- Provide input on Harvard graduate and undergraduate student thesis work;
- Deliver a working paper and write a report at the end of their fellowship summarizing their activities.
Application Process and Requirements
Applications for AY 2026-2027 will open in mid-to-late November 2025. Please check back later for the application link.
The Postdoctoral Fellowship Application requires the following documentation:
- Research plan: a short summary of your research plan at Harvard, no longer than 200 words.
- CV: an updated CV, no longer than 3 pages.
- Cover letter: an explanation of your academic work and interest in the program, no longer than 2 pages. Please clearly indicate your intended fellowship dates.
- Statement of research: a description of the project you propose to conduct while at Harvard, no longer than 5 pages. Your proposal must be clearly defined and should address how the proposed project connects to and benefits from Harvard's unique resources (including libraries, departments, faculty, ongoing projects, special initiatives, etc.).
- Letters of recommendation: 1-3 letters of recommendation in English. Your recommenders should be able to speak to your educational and career trajectory, your proposed project, and the benefits you would derive from this opportunity.
Current Postdoctoral Fellows
Learn more about the current academic year's postdoctoral fellows and their research.
Testimonials
The Davis Center community was fantastic. I am especially grateful to the graduate students and junior researchers who were there at the same time as me. It felt like a real community where we supported each other and helped each other with research questions, professional tips, etc. The Center's fellows gave incredibly helpful feedback when I gave my first mock job talks in the seminar. I co-organized a conference during my postdoc and the Davis Center staff went above and beyond in advising and offering administrative support. Also the Davis Center offices are beautiful and very conducive to working!
Ania Aizman
Postdoctoral Fellow in Literature and Culture, 2017–2018
