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Bass Senior Visiting Fellowships

The Science and Scholarship Funding Committee is pleased to announce the Call 2 for applications for the 2026 Bass Senior Visiting Fellowship. Supported by the Bass Fund, this fellowship sponsors one outstanding U.S. or international scientist to visit the Field Museum and collaborate with Museum faculty on a specific research project. Proposals should be designed for a visit lasting three to six months.

We particularly encourage projects that address one or more research areas in Life Sciences, Social Sciences, or Earth and Planetary Sciences. Projects should rely substantially on the Field Museum’s collections, facilities, and/or expertise. Every application must be endorsed by a Field Museum sponsor.

To assist you in preparing your application, we have provided a proposal template to help structure your submission.

Key Dates & Submission Info

  • Submission deadline: February 27, 2026.
  • Submission platform: Google Form

Funding Details

  • Number of Awards: One fellowship, providing a $15,000 stipend (subject to taxes).
  • Earliest Start Date: July 2026 (Note: research visit must begin within 12 months of the award, although the visit may extend into the following year. All appropriate taxes will be deducted from the award prior to disbursement)

What We’re Looking For

  • An accomplished senior scientist with at least five years of post-PhD research experience and a strong record of peer-reviewed publications.
  • A project designed for a long-term visit, typically lasting three to six months.
  • A project that leads to or contributes to peer-reviewed scientific publications.
  • Candidates whose expertise complements existing strengths at the Field Museum.
  • Research that makes substantial use of the Field Museum’s collections, facilities, and scientific community, with clear scholarly and institutional impact.
  • Projects that foster collaboration among individual research programs and/or include an interdisciplinary component.

Candidate’s Eligibility & Fellowship Terms

  • U.S. and international candidates must be affiliated with a recognized academic or research institution.
  • Candidates must hold a permanent or emeritus research position. Postdoctoral researchers are not eligible.
  • The international scientist will be sponsored for a J-1 visa.
  • Previous Bass recipients are not eligible for a second fellowship.

Field Museum Sponsor’s Eligibility

  • Must hold a current, full-time, regular staff position at the Field Museum within CC&R.
  • Must hold a Ph.D. in a relevant field (preferred), or at minimum an M.Sc.
  • Must have an active and strong record of peer-reviewed publications.
  • Term Research Scientists are eligible to serve as sponsors. 
  • Postdoctoral Scientists are not eligible to serve as sponsors.

Application Documents

Proposals must be submitted by the senior candidate and must include the following materials (items 1–4), submitted as a single PDF file, to be considered for funding:

  1. Proposal (maximum 2 pages): A proposal template is provided to help structure your ideas.
  2. Curriculum Vitae (CV).
  3. CAT Communication: If the proposal requires use of Collections, include a brief letter or email copying all CAT members confirming their awareness and approval of the proposed project. Sponsors are responsible for notifying the relevant CAT of the research plans and sharing this confirmation with the applicant.
  4. Museum Facilities Approval Communication: If your proposal includes use of Field Museum laboratories (e.g., Grainger Bioinformatics Center, Pritzker DNA Lab, Negaunee Integrative Research Center Core Labs, or other specialized resources), include approval from the appropriate facility manager confirming feasibility of the work, budget alignment, and permissions and logistics. Sponsors are responsible for notifying the relevant facility manager and sharing this confirmation with the applicant.

Letters of Endorsement and Recommendation

Candidates are responsible for contacting their letter writers directly. Please share the designated submission link with your Field Museum Sponsor and external referee to ensure timely submission. All letters must be received by February 27, 2026. Applications missing any required letters will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed. Letters must be submitted through the official submission link; emailed or hard copy letters will not be accepted.

  1. Letter of Endorsement from Field Museum Sponsor: The letter must confirm the sponsor’s commitment to support and collaborate on the proposed project. It should briefly explain how the senior scientist and their project align with the mission of the Bass Fellowship. Include any relevant information the evaluation committee should consider, such as additional funding, the research plan, and any curricular or extracurricular activities planned during the fellowship visit.
  2. One External Letter of Recommendation: The applicant must request one letter from an academic referee not affiliated with the Field Museum. The referee should be able to speak to the applicant’s research expertise and the proposed project, providing an independent assessment of the applicant’s suitability for the Bass Fellowship.

 If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to scholarship@fieldmuseum.org. We look forward to seeing your exciting proposals!