The Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP) is now accepting applications for the 2027 cycle. The application deadline is Thursday, October 15th, 2026. Postdoctoral, Predoctoral, Graduate Student and Senior Fellowships Available. The Department of Mineral Sciences at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) invites fellowship applications for postdoctoral, predoctoral, graduate student, and senior fellows. Active areas of research include geochemistry, petrology, experimental petrology, volcanology, rock magnetism, mineralogy, biomineralogy, environmental mineralogy, meteorite studies, solar system formation, and planetary formation and evolution. The department houses the National Meteorite Collection, the National Rock and Ore Collection, the National Gem and Mineral Collection, and the Global Volcanism Program. A description of facilities, staff profiles, and collections resources can be found on the Mineral Sciences website. Postdoctoral candidates may propose projects up to 24 months in length. Predoctoral (those who have advanced to PhD candidacy) and senior (held PhD for at least 5 years) candidates may propose projects between 3 and 12 months in length. PhD students not yet advanced to candidacy and MSc students may propose projects 10 weeks in duration. Stipends and research funding are provided through SIFP, the Big 10 Academic Alliance Program (only for predoctoral candidates), the Hevey Graduate Fellowship, and the NMNH Peter Buck Fellowship Program. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Smithsonian research staff to identify potential advisors and discuss project feasibility. Additional information and further instructions for the application process are available at the Office of Fellowships. The application deadline is Thursday, October 15th, 2026. Mineral Sciences Website: https://mineralsciences.si.edu/index.htm Mineral Sciences Facilities: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/research/mineral-sciences/research-support-facilities Mineral Sciences Collections Search: https://collections.nmnh.si.edu/search/ms/ SIFP Website: https://fellowships.si.edu/opportunity/smithsonian-institution-fellowship-program-sifp Peter Buck Fellowship: https://fellowships.si.edu/opportunity/peter-buck-postdoctoral-fellowship-program Hevey Graduate Student Fellowship: https://fellowships.si.edu/opportunity/robert-d-hevey-jr-and-constance-m-filling-fellowship-mineral-sciences Big 10 Alliance Fellowship: https://fellowships.si.edu/opportunity/big-ten-academic-alliance-smithsonian-fellowship -- Ioan Lascu Research Geologist | Curator, Division of Mineralogy | Director of Natural History Research Experiences (NHRE<https://naturalhistory.si.edu/research/natural-history-research-experiences>) DEPARTMENT OF MINERAL SCIENCES NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 1000 Constitution Ave NW Washington, DC 20560 +1-202-633-1815 https://naturalhistory.si.edu/staff/ioan-lascu