The Beckman Center for the History of Chemistry at CHF offers grants to assist with travel and accommodation expenses for researchers who wish to use its primary research collections for short-term research (periods of either one or two weeks). CHF houses a wealth of resources in the history of chemistry and related sciences, technologies, and industries.
Travel grant recipients have access to the collections of the Othmer Library (including its art and artifacts) during normal operating hours and are encouraged to use CHF’s oral history materials. They will be assigned a workspace in the Jacobs Reading Room with Wi-Fi access.
Travel grants are $750 per week and are intended to help defray the costs of travel and accommodation. Scholars who do not stay for the full period for which they were awarded funds will receive prorated grants reflecting the amount of time they spent in residence.
Eligibility
Travel grant applicants must reside more than 75 miles from Philadelphia to be eligible. No more than one travel grant per person per fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) can be awarded. Grants must be taken within one year of the award or the grantee must request an extension or reapply.
Applicants must demonstrate that their research requires the use of CHF’s primary research collections. Applications to use secondary sources or materials easily available from other libraries or through interlibrary loans will not receive a travel grant. We strongly encourage potential applicants to examine the Othmer Library’s online catalog and consult with Othmer Library staff in advance to gain a better understanding of the variety of materials at CHF that would be useful for their research and strengthen their applications.
How to apply for a travel grant
There is no deadline for travel grant applications. Travel grant applications can be submitted at any time and are assessed by an internal CHF review committee. Please allow for two weeks after submission for notification of the committee’s decision.
A travel grant application must contain:
- A research proposal that also details how the applicant will make use of CHF’s collections (one page);
- A curriculum vitae (up to three pages); and
- One reference letter (applicants are responsible for references submitting letters directly to CHF via the e-mail address below).
Travel grant applications must be submitted electronically, as Word or PDF files, to travelgrants@chemheritage.org.