Cathleen A. Baker Fellowship in Conservation

Spend time working with paper-based collections in our Conservation Lab in this paid fellowship for conservators at any stage of their career. 

About the fellowship

This fellowship based at the University of Michigan Library’s Ann Arbor campus is intended for professional conservators or conservation students. Fellows engage in a learning or research project focused on the conservation of paper-based collections or of related non-paper materials, such as papyrus or parchment.

This fellowship was established through a gift by Cathleen A. Baker, a conservation librarian emerita at the library and a fellow of the American Institute for Conservation. You may donate to the fellowship to help sustain the program.

What it covers 

  • A stipend for the period of residence 
  • Project work ranging from 6 weeks to 12 months

The stipend does not cover health, dental, and retirement benefits. 

The application form provides details on the amount of funding available for the current year. Awards are based on the proposed project budget. 

Eligibility

You may apply for this fellowship if you are a:

  • Student in good standing who has completed at least one year in a graduate-level conservation program
  • Recent graduate with an advanced degree from a conservation program
  • Mid-career conservator who has at least 5 years experience in conservation or a related field

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or hold a permit to work in the United States. 

The fellowship only supports projects at the U-M Library Conservation Lab. It does not support projects conducted elsewhere.

How to apply

Applications are due at the end of January each year for proposals to take place at some time in the 16-month period from May through the following August.

You will be asked to submit a completed application form that includes details on your proposed project, budget, and professional references, along with your curriculum vitae or résumé. See developing your proposal for more information.

Questions? Get in touch with us at CABfellowship@umich.edu.