The H. Allen Brooks Travelling Fellowship was created by a 2010 bequest from noted scholar and architectural historian, H. Allen Brooks. As a person who benefited greatly by taking a grand tour of Europe after he was awarded his PhD in 1957, Brooks decided to create fellowships at several institutions to afford others the same opportunity to learn through travel. In addition to the H. Allen Brooks Travelling Fellowship offered by SAH, there are now fellowships named in his honor at two of his alma maters—Yale and Dartmouth Universities—and at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Purpose
The Society of Architectural Historians’ prestigious H. Allen Brooks Travelling Fellowship will be offered for 2015 and will allow a recent graduate or emerging scholar to study by travel for one year. The fellowship is not for the purpose of doing research for an advanced academic degree. Instead, Professor Brooks intended the recipient to study by travel and contemplation while observing, reading, writing, or sketching.
The goals are to provide an opportunity for a recent graduate with an advanced degree or an emerging scholar to:
- see and experience architecture and landscapes firsthand
- think about their profession deeply
- acquire knowledge useful for the recipient’s future work, contribution to their profession, and contribution to society
The fellowship recipient may travel to any country or countries during the one-year period. This fellowship is funded completely by the Society of Architectural Historians’ H. Allen Brooks Travelling Fellowship Fund.
The Award
In 2015 the Brooks Fellowship will be $50,000 and will cover expenses incurred by the Brooks Fellow for one year of travel. The award is non-renewable and award amounts may vary in future years. SAH suggests that if additional financial support is needed to cover other related expenses, that the applicants contact their respective university/college, academic advisor, department head, employer or outside foundations to investigate the financial opportunities afforded them. The Award will be paid in quarterly installments.
Criteria for Application
The H. Allen Brooks Travelling Fellowship is open to a scholar who will earn a PhD or advanced terminal degree in the first half of 2015 (by June 30, 2015) or an emerging scholar who was awarded a PhD or advanced terminal degree in 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 or 2010 in a field related to the built environment.
Such degrees include PhDs in the history, theory or criticism of architecture, landscape architecture, or urbanism; historic preservation; the practice of architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning; or other fields of advanced study related to the built environment including an MArch, MUP, MLA or a master's in a historic preservation program.
Priority will be given to those whose chosen profession is relevant to the interests and objectives of the Society of Architectural Historians, i.e., the history of the built environment, historic preservation, conservation, and social implications of architecture, landscape architecture, and urbanism. The fellowship is intended to be a special honor for the recipient and is to be awarded to a truly outstanding candidate, based on distinguished academic achievement, leadership potential, personal motivation, and promise. This is an international fellowship so candidates from any country may apply. All applicants must be current members of the Society of Architectural Historians.