The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago is an interdisciplinary research center whose goal is to integrate archaeological, textual, and art historical data to understand the development and functioning of the ancient civilizations of the Near East from the earliest Holocene through the Medieval period. With more than 300,000 registered objects and many more to be catalogued, the Museum collection at the Oriental Institute is one of the most important resources for research in the world. The Oriental Institute wishes to provide researchers with financial support to carry out discrete research projects that incorporate the study of artifacts and related archival documents within our museum collections. 

Through the generosity of Jim Sopranos, one or more Museum Collections Research Grants will be available to researchers for the 2018–2019 academic year. We welcome applications from a wide spectrum of researchers, from those at the graduate student level (i.e. Masters Degree or PhD candidates) to well-established professional researchers in their field of study. Applications are welcome from researchers from all nationalities. Applicants may also include researchers affiliated with the University of Chicago, including the Oriental Institute. Funding is primarily aimed to help support the costs of travel, accommodation, subsistence, and to cover relevant research costs for the researcher during the appointed period.

We allow for the broadest possible selection of potential projects that will heighten the level of intellectual discourse and collaboration within the Oriental Institute. Invitations may be made to share research with faculty, staff, and students through informal presentations during the research visit. We encourage use of our online Collections Search (https://oi.uchicago.edu/idb/) and online publications (https://oi.uchicago.edu/research/pubs/) in the preparation of applications.

For additional details and application requirements, visit https://oi.uchicago.edu/collections-research-grant

Application Deadline: Friday, April 20th, 2018