The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University invites applicants for research fellowships in plant science. Putnam Fellowships offer excellent opportunities for advanced research and study using the Arboretum’s living collections of woody plants. Scientists with a PhD and who have identified an independent research project that would utilize the Arboretum’s living collections are encouraged to submit a proposal.

Putnam Fellows conduct basic and applied research in the plant sciences utilizing the Arboretum’s living collections. The Putnam Fellowship Program has attracted a diverse array of scholars, and many have gone on to be leaders in academia and public horticulture. Research topics of past Putnam Fellows have included taxonomy and systematics, molecular and developmental biology, physiological ecology, propagation, plant-insect and/or -pathogen interactions, and collections management. 

The Arnold Arboretum provides exceptional resources for woody plant research. The living collection, numbering some 15,000 plants, in over 2,200 species, is distinguished as one of the most thoroughly documented collections of temperate woody plants in the world. Taxonomic diversity and breadth within the collection are noteworthy, and the floras of China, Japan, and Korea are particularly well represented.

The Putnam Fellowship award provides stipends of up to $48,000 per year, depending on the duration of the fellowship. The fellowship is typically awarded for 2 years, pending a satisfactory progress report at the end of the first year. In addition, modest support is available for research and travel costs. Putnam Fellows are full-time employees of Harvard University during their tenure and are eligible for health insurance benefits. Putnam Fellows are expected to be in full-time residence at the Arboretum during their tenure and are provided office and research space.

For more information and additional research funding opportunities please visit: http://www.arboretum.harvard.edu/research/fellowships/