Call for Applications: Doctoral Student Member of the Wenner-Gren Advisory Council

The Wenner-Gren Foundation is seeking a doctoral student to join the Advisory Council, a group of six anthropologists who offer feedback and advice to the Foundation on our programs, initiatives, and future directions. In early November and early May, the Advisory Council gathers in person for a day of discussion and deliberation, then joins the Foundation’s Board of Trustees for a special session the following day. In recent years, the Advisory Council has played an instrumental role in everything from the crafting of the Foundation’s new mission statement to the development of strategies for combatting racial injustice in anthropology and promoting the ethical treatment of human remains. The doctoral student member will serve a term from September 15, 2024 to May 15, 2025 and bring a critical perspective to the Advisory Council’s deliberations at a moment of transformation in the Foundation and the discipline at large.

Eligibility: Ideally, the successful candidate will have completed the requirements for their degree except the dissertation at the time they apply for this position. Individuals of all nationalities, subfields, and traditions of scholarship are welcome to apply. We are particularly welcome to applicants who will bring diverse viewpoints to our conversations. The doctoral student member will not be eligible to apply for a Wenner-Gren award for programs with deadlines falling between November 1 and May 1 during their term of service.

Role: The doctoral student member will fully share in the work of the Advisory Council, (1) participating in an annual review of the Foundation’s activities, including those of SAPIENS and Current Anthropology, (2) guiding the selection of topics for Wenner-Gren Seminars and Symposia; (3) providing guidance on specific Wenner-Gren programs; (4) participating in a roundtable discussion on current issues and topics in anthropology in a joint session with the Board of Trustees; (5) advising the President when pressing issues arise.

Support: The Foundation will cover travel expenses, lodging, and meals for the November and May Advisory Council meetings, which will be held either at the Foundation’s offices in New York or at an off-site location.  For our doctoral student member, we will also provide a $500 stipend to offset any lost income, as long as they are not prevented by U.S. immigration law from working in the U.S.

Application Process: Please provide the following:

• A CV
• A cover letter providing details concerning your status in your degree program (e.g., years in program and requirements completed such as ABD)
• A short essay (of 500 words or fewer) describing why you’re interested in the position.  Wenner-Gren’s mission is to advance anthropological knowledge, amplify its impact, foster inclusivity, and address the precarity of anthropology as a career and field of study. How do you see yourself contributing to this work?

Applications must be received no later than August 1, 2024. Email your cover letter, CV, and essay in a single PDF to Kathryn Derfler at kderfler@wennergren.org.