Bliss Symposium Awards - Dumbarton Oaks

Available to currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students to attend Dumbarton Oaks symposia in Byzantine, Pre-Columbian, and Garden and Landscape Studies.   Dumbarton Oaks is delighted to announce the Bliss Symposium Awards, designed to engage graduate and advanced undergraduate students in our three areas of specialization through supported participation in the annual Byzantine, Pre-Columbian, and Garden and Landscape Studies symposia. Up to six awards will be offered for each Dumbarton Oaks symposium. Up to three awards will be available to students at Harvard University, with which Dumbarton Oaks is affiliated, and up to three will be offered to students from other US and international institutions. Awardees will be expected to assist with light conference logistics, such as the facilitation of discussion, and will be asked immediately following the symposia to write and submit a short feature on a defined topic related to the scholarship presented.

Award

Successful applicants will receive reimbursement up to $600 (up to $1,200 for students traveling from abroad) for the cost of air or train travel to Washington D.C., local accommodation, and other approved expenses related to symposium attendance. Dumbarton Oaks waives the symposium registration fee for Bliss Award recipients.

Eligibility

Currently enrolled graduate students in good standing are eligible to apply. Preference will be given to students in fields related to the Dumbarton Oaks areas of study. Advanced undergraduates with demonstrated interest in the three fields (e.g., through significant relevant coursework) will also be considered. Students from both US and international institutions are encouraged to apply. 

To Apply

Applications, completed online, should include (a) a statement that provides a brief summary of your research interests, plans for future research, and an explanation of why the upcoming virtual conference is important to the candidate’s intellectual and professional development; (b) a résumé; and (c) a letter of support from the applicant’s thesis advisor or department chair. For questions, please contact: Byzantine@doaks.org, Landscape@doaks.org, or Pre-Columbian@doaks.org.

Deadlines

Further information on these symposia, including their topics, is available under Upcoming Events.

• February 24 for Byzantine Studies (to be held in May 2023)
• March 15 for Garden and Landscape Studies (to be held in mid-May 2023)
• August 25 for Pre-Columbian Studies (to be held in mid-October 2023)