The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Buddhism Public Scholars Professional Positions at Museums

The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Buddhism Public Scholars Fellowships in Buddhist Studies places recent recipients of the PhD in professional positions at host institutions (museums, libraries, and publications) that present and interpret knowledge of Buddhist traditions. The selected Buddhism Public Scholars will use their academic knowledge and professional expertise to bolster the capacity of host institutions in the area of Buddhist art and thought in any tradition and location where Buddhism is practiced. We expect the Buddhism Public Scholars initiative to nurture mutually beneficial partnerships between scholars and hosts that will help disseminate knowledge of Buddhist traditions to broad publics.

Buddhism Public Scholars will:

• Take on substantive, intellectually meaningful responsibilities at cultural institutions
• ​Receive compensation equivalent to $60,000, health insurance, and an allowance of $10,000 for relocation, site visits, home office expenses, or professional development  
• Begin one-year positions in September 2024, with the option to renew for another 12-months 

Host institutions will:

• Benefit from the scholar’s knowledge and professional capacities, including cultural competencies, and strong skills in writing, project management, and problem-solving
• ​Guide the scholar’s contributions to ongoing projects or to the design of new ones 
• Provide oversight and access to requisite resources 
• Encourage and enable networking and mentorship  

Award Details

• Compensation equivalent to $70,000 plus health insurance. The typical breakdown is:
  • $60,000 paid through institution’s payroll system (subject to payroll taxes and deductions)
  • $10,000 paid allowance for relocation, site visits, home office expenses, or professional development paid by ACLS directly to the scholar
• Tenure: 12 – 24 months beginning in September 2024

Eligibility

• An applicant must hold a PhD in the humanities or interpretive social sciences.
  • An applicant must hold a PhD conferred no earlier than September 1, 2019.
  • If the PhD is not conferred (officially awarded) before a scholar is offered a position with a host institution, the scholar must submit a letter from the scholar’s graduate school confirming that the dissertation has been submitted and approved by the graduate school for conferral according to the university calendar. The scholar is responsible for submitting the dissertation on time in order to meet this requirement.
• An applicant must be authorized to work legally in the United States for the duration of the initial 12-month fellowship term. This includes Indigenous individuals residing in the United States through rights associated with the Jay Treaty of 1794, and those who hold DACA status, Temporary Protected Status, political asylee or refugee status, and other non-permanent status. Neither ACLS nor the host institution will sponsor scholars for visas.

Application Guidelines

• Completed applications must be submitted through the ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration (OFA) System no later than 9:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on January 18, 2024.
• Each applicant may apply for up to two of the available positions, indicating which is the first preference. 

Applications must include:

• A completed application form. 
• A short statement of interest to explain your interest in careers outside the academy, including where you see yourself professionally five years from now (no more than one page in Arial or Helvetica 11-point font).
• ​A cover letter tailored to each selected position and addressed to the host institution (one to two pages in Arial or Helvetica 11-point font). Applicants applying for two positions will submit two distinct cover letters.
• A resume (one to two pages in Arial or Helvetica 11-point font). Applicants applying for two positions will submit two resumes.
• A writing sample (no more than five pages, double-spaced in Arial or Helvetica 11-point font).
• Two letters of recommendation, which should address the applicant’s knowledge of Buddhist traditions, professional competencies, and the fit with the position selected. Applicants applying for two positions will submit two letters of recommendation for each position selected.

Evaluation Criteria

Selection and placement will take place in three stages. The first stage is an initial review of eligibility and other criteria. Finalists emerging from the first stage will be interviewed by the host institution. In the third stage, ACLS will match the preferences of the hosts with the preferences of the applicants and present nominees for positions to the hosts.

The initial review will evaluate applications based on:

• ​Knowledge of Buddhist traditions and disciplinary competence
• Demonstrated ability to connect academic and non-academic skills and capacities to the responsibilities of the applicant’s selected position(s)
• Applicant’s academic and extra-academic accomplishments
• The capacity of an award to advance The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Global’s interest in presenting and interpreting Buddhist knowledge, traditions, and cultures to the broader public

Participating Host Institutions

We are proud to be working with the following organizations to host potential Buddhism Public Scholars. Please click on the links below for job descriptions.

• 84000 (Fremont, CA)
• The Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
• The National Museum of Asian Art at the Smithsonian (Washington, DC)
• The Tricycle Foundation (New York, NY)
• Wisdom Publications (Somerville, MA)

Applications for these positions are accepted solely through the Buddhism Public Scholars program. Only complete applications, submitted through the ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration (OFA) System by 9:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on January 18, 2024, will be considered.

Contact

Please do not contact any of the host organizations with questions. Questions should be directed to BuddhistStudies@acls.org. Please read the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) before making inquiries.

Supporting Documents

2023-24 Sample Application for The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Buddhism Public Scholars