The Centre offers visiting fellows shared office space, library borrowing privileges, as well as full access to research libraries, university facilities and Centre events.

The Centre welcomes research proposals falling within the sub-fields of US foreign policy, US domestic politics, US history, American visual and literary culture, US and Australian elections, public opinion, election campaigns and political participation. Visiting fellows must have contacted one of the USSC’s resident experts to discuss potential collaboration prior to applying for a visiting fellowship.

Below is a list of faculty and their areas of research.

  • Aaron Nyerges
    American literature and film, global modernism and modernity, popular culture and celebrity, critical theory, regionalism
  • Brendon O'Connor
    US presidential and congressional elections, US domestic politics and foreign policy, US political history, American-Australian relations, cultural politics in the US
  • Kathryn Robison
    Space policy, science and tech policy, women in STEM, public opinion, political communication and behaviour, US elections, domestic, and foreign policy
  • Kathryn Schumaker
    Legal history, social movements, women and gender, race in the United States, the history of childhood and youth, the US Constitution
  • David Smith
    Religion in the United States, US elections and presidential politics, US domestic politics and foreign policy, US political history
  • Rodney Taveira
    Post-45 American literature and the novel, American cinema (silent to contemporary), television studies, visual culture, comedy and humour in the US, US popular culture

Eligibility

Academics and practitioners are most welcome to apply. Fellows are admitted on a competitive basis for a period of at least three months and up to one year. Most will have their own source of funding, such as sabbatical salary or grants, since the Centre does not provide funding for Visiting Scholars.

Applicants for Visiting Fellows Program must generally already have a doctoral degree or equivalent professional experience, and a record of research and publications. International applicants are strongly encouraged. Proficiency in both written and spoken English is expected of all Fellows.

Visa documents, if required, are the responsibility of the applicant. The Centre will offer support where it is available, though it is recommended that the applicant explore visa options before submitting their application.

Visiting Fellows are asked to participate in the programs of the Centre and the university, to meet regularly with other colleagues, to interact with students, and to make public presentations of their research as part of Centre activities.

It should be noted postdoctoral visitors are welcome to apply but scholars who have not yet been awarded their PhD are ineligible to visit under this fellowship scheme.

The Centre can help provide general housing advice although visiting fellows will need to arrange their own accommodation in Sydney.

Application

Prospective Visiting Fellows can apply at any time and at least three months prior to the start date for their proposed visit.

A completed application must be submitted with the following supporting documents:

  • Research Proposal (no more than four pages)
  • Curriculum Vite, with email address and full contact information
  • The names and contact details of two references
  • Fellows should clearly indicate when they wish to visit. During the first or second semester would be ideal. Specific dates in the university calendar are available here.

All questions concerning the fellowship scheme, and the completed application, should be addressed to ussc.students@sydney.edu.au.