To encourage and support scholarship, The Strong invites researchers to use its wealth of resources on the history of play and playthings. The Strong awards research fellowships three times each year. Eligible research projects must benefit from access to collections held by The Strong, including:
- Publications and other materials in the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play®
- Artifacts from the collections of the National Museum of Play
- Artifacts and related resources from the collections of the International Center for the History of Electronic Games (ICHEG)
Amenities available to recipients of research fellowships include:
- Library access 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday
- Supervised access to National Museum of Play and ICHEG collections
- Dedicated library carrel
- Wireless Internet access and phone
- Free digital images with a personal camera (for individual reference use only)
- Access to a community of scholars and curators with a shared interest
Fellowships are granted for periods from one week to three months with stipends in the following amounts:
- $400 per week for a maximum of 3 weeks
- $1,500 per month for a maximum of 3 months
Who should apply?
The Strong encourages applications for research fellowships from academic professionals, independent scholars, museum scholars, and advanced graduate students at the Masters or PhD level. All applicants must reside outside a 50-mile radius of The Strong.
Fellowship award requirements
- Full-time research at The Strong throughout the period of the fellowship
- Copy of publications in any medium aided by the fellowship
- Research report of at least 500 words on the usefulness of the fellowship due one month after the conclusion of the fellowship
Application process
The Strong awards fellowships three times each year:
- For grants covering January–June: applications must be received by November 15; awards announced mid-December.
- For grants covering July–September: applications must be received by May 30; awards announced late June.
- For grants covering October–December: applications must be received by August 15; awards announced mid-September
Applications must be submitted electronically to researchfellowships@thestrong.org and must include the following:
- Cover letter with
- Full contact information—address, email, and phone numbers
- Current academic affiliation if applicable
- The number of weeks or months requested
- The estimated dates in residence (for planning purposes only)
- Abstract limited to 150 words
- Description of the project and its significance, not to exceed 1,200 words
- Summary of The Strong research materials expected for consult during fellowship and their pertinence to the project, not to exceed 500 words
- Bibliography or list of specific resources of the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play, National Museum of Play, or International Center for the History of Electronic Games required. Base bibliography or list on searches of the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play Online Catalog, National Museum of Play Online Collections, and ICHEG Online Collections.
- Current curriculum vitae
- Two letters of reference specific to the project and submitted electronically directly from the referring source
Review process
Applications will be reviewed by The Strong Selection Team, an internal group of scholars and curators. Special consideration will be given to projects that offer fresh approaches for utilizing resources and that supplement, expand, or challenge prior play studies.
