Byrd Post Doctoral Fellowship Program

The Byrd Post Doctoral Fellowship Program was established through a major gift from the Byrd Foundation in memory of Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd and Marie Ames Byrd, his wife. The program provides fellowships at The Ohio State University for post-doctoral researchers with superior academic backgrounds who are pursuing advanced research on polar related issues. Post-doctoral fellows must have received their Ph.D. within five years of selection. Except for fieldwork and other research activities that require absence from campus, Byrd Fellows are expected to be in residence at the Byrd Polar Research Center (BPRC) during the tenure of their fellowship.

Applicants should visit the BPRC website and contact specific members of the Byrd Center in advance of submitting their application to discuss possible projects and how their proposed research might complement existing BPRC programs which cover a wide range of disciplines. This fellowship is limited to research of mutual interest to both the fellow and his/her Byrd Center mentor. Post-doctoral awards will be for one and a half years. A stipend of up to $42,000.00 per year, and a research and travel allowance of $5,000 will be provided.

Applications and nominations should be sent to the Byrd Fellowship Committee and need to be received no later than the specified deadline. Each application should include a statement of general research interests, a description of the specific research to be conducted during the term of the fellowship, curriculum vitae, and a letter of support from your designated BPRC mentor. In addition, three letters of reference should be sent directly from your referees to the Fellowship Committee at the address below. Fellowship appointments may start on the first day of any month between August and December.

Correspondence should be addressed to:

Byrd Fellowship Committee
c/o Dr. Ellen Mosley-Thompson
Byrd Polar Research Center
1090 Carmack Rd.
The Ohio State University
Columbus, OH 43210-1002

The Ohio State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Qualified women, minorities, Vietnam-era Veterans, disabled Veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

History of the Program

List of Past Byrd Fellows

In 1985, the Institute of Polar Studies, with the support of The Ohio State University Administration, submitted a proposal to the Estate of Marie Ames Byrd, the widow of Admiral Richard E. Byrd, to obtain the expeditionary records, personal papers and memorabilia of the Admiral. The proposal was successful and The Ohio State University purchased the collection. Several donations and purchases of Byrd material followed, including unbound scrapbooks of newspaper clippings, photo albums and several medals, private letters and motion pictures. In 1990, the last batch of Byrd material was picked up in Boston and delivered to OSU.

Much credit should be given to Peter J. Anderson, then the assistant director of the Institute, for the acquisition of these collections. Mr. Anderson is a Byrd historian and polar history scholar. The executor of the estate initially contacted Mr. Anderson to inquire about the Institute's interest in acquiring the Byrd collection when it became available for purchase. Mr. Anderson and Dr. David H. Elliot, then the director of the Institute, crafted the proposal that was submitted to the estate of Admiral Byrd's widow.

Following the University's purchase of the Byrd collection in 1985, the Byrd Foundation was formally being dissolved. The Byrd family agreed to donate the monetary assets of the Foundation to the Institute for the establishment of an endowment: The Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn and Marie Ames Byrd Fund, known as the Byrd Fellowship Program. This fund was officially approved by the University's Board of Trustees on December 6, 1985. The purpose of the program is to provide fellowships at The Ohio State University to men and women of superior academic backgrounds who are pursuing advanced research on either Arctic or Antarctic problems. Post-doctoral fellows must have received their Ph.D. degree within five years of selection. Except for fieldwork or other research activities requiring absence from campus, Byrd Fellows are expected to be in residence at The Ohio State University during the tenure of their fellowship.

On January 21, 1987, the name of the Institute was officially changed to the Byrd Polar Research Center, as a permanent tribute to the explorer.