Smithsonian-Queensland Fellowship
The Smithsonian-Queensland Fellowship Program
The Smithsonian Fellowships Program supports collaborative projects between the Queensland Government and the Smithsonian Institution, based in the United States. It supports fellows from Queensland’s research, education and cultural sectors to visit a Smithsonian Institution facility in the United States and complete a project.
Fellowships are awarded for a diverse range of projects, including those in the natural sciences, social sciences, the arts, education or museum management.
Fellows will increase their knowledge and skills in areas of mutual interest with the Smithsonian Institution, and apply these to benefit their work and their home organisations in Queensland.
The program includes two types of fellowship: the Smithsonian Fellowship for Queensland researchers and the Cooper Hewitt Fellowship for Queensland teachers to develop a design-led learning project at the famous Smithsonian Cooper Hewitt Design Museum in New York.
Read more about the Smithsonian Fellowships Program on the Queensland Government page here.
Smithsonian-Queensland Partnership Timeline
Smithsonian Deputy Undersecretary for Collections and Interdisciplinary Support, Scott Miller and Australian State of Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, sign MOU Document. Also pictured are three Smithsonian Queensland fellows. From the left Dr. Mark Shutze, Dr. Aaron Davis, and Dr. Kathryn Mackey. (2015)
2000
Secretary Lawrence M. Small and Australian State of Queensland Premier Peter Beattie sign a Memorandum of Understanding, establishing a partnership between the Smithsonian and the Australian State of Queensland. The MOU specified that forms of collaboration might include various joint projects, staff exchanges, joint conferences, the development of materials and exhibitions, and notably, exchange of research fellows.
2011
Secretary G. Wayne Clough and Australian State of Queensland Premier Anna Bligh agree to extend the current MOU another five years to March 31, 2015 with the promise of renewing the document then.
2015
Australian State of Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, and Smithsonian Deputy Undersecretary for Collections and Interdisciplinary Support Scott Miller sign renewed Memorandum of Understanding to establish a three year continued partnership between the Australian State of Queensland and the Smithsonian.
Under the agreement, the Smithsonian agrees to host Queensland researchers and teachers and the Queensland Government agrees to pay for airfares and living expenses for 12-16 weeks for the successful fellows.
Read more about the signing here.
Smithsonian-Queensland Fellows
2004
Jon Day, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
Bill Hauritz, Woodford Folk Festival
Professor Roger Kitching, Griffith University
2005
Geoff Thompson, Queensland Museum
Dr Angelina Russo, Queensland University of Technology
Suhanya Raffel, Queensland Art Gallery
2006
Bernadette McCormack, The Workshops Rail Museum
Associate Professor Richard John, Griffith University
Dr Emma Collier-Baker, The University of Queensland
2007
Ms Olivia Robinson, Senior Research Officer Heritage Collections State Library of Queensland
Dr Peter Pollard, Australian Rivers Institute at Griffith University
Dr Jennifer Beard, Queensland Museum at South Bank
2008
Mr Leslie Hooper, Head of Department of Visual Arts, Kelvin Grove State College
Mr Paul Willett, Director of Corporate Services and Business Development, Queensland Museum
Dr Alison Sammel, Lecturer, School of Education and Professional Studies Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus
Dr Graham Bonnett, Research Program Leader, CSIRO Plant Industry, Queensland Bioscience Precinct, St Lucia
2009
Mr Kevin Collins, Technology Education Teacher, Barcaldine State School
Ms Karen O’Brien, Manager of Indigenous Relations, Queensland Department of Public Works
Ms Melina Mallos, Curriculum and Education Programs Officer, Queensland Art Gallery
Professor David Lambert, Professor of Evolutionary Biology, Griffith University
Miss Elizabeth Burgess, Marine biology PhD candidate, The University of Queensland
2010-2011
Mr Alwyn Powell, Head of Curriculum, Darling Heights State School
Mr Tobias Smith, PhD student from the University of Queensland’s School of Biological Sciences
Associate Professor Helen Klaebe, Head of Postgraduate Coursework Studies, Creative Industries Faculty at the Queensland University of Technology
Dr Damien Burrows, Director of the Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research at James Cook University
2012
Mr Adam Jefford, Visual Art Subject Coordinator, Windaroo Valley State High School
2014
Mr. Terry Deen, Kelvin Grove State College, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum
Read more about Mr. Deen’s fellowship here.
2015
Dr. Aaron Davis, James Cook University, National Museum of Natural History Fellow
Dr. Kathryn Mackey, Queensland Academy, Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital Access Fellow (Read more about Dr. Mackey’s fellowship here.)
Dr. Mark Schutz, Queensland University of Tech, National Museum of Natural History Fellow
2016
Dr. Dan Bendrups, Griffith University, will investigate ways of managing and storing Pacific Islander music recordings and art objects
Mr. Matthew Hayes, the University of Queensland, will learn more about the impact of climate change on mangrove communities
Dr. Lucy Cameron, the Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation, will investigate the role of digital technologies in developing innovative workplaces
Ms. Dawn Boland, Brisbane’s John Paul College, will engage with the Education Department of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York.
Mr. Silas Middleton, Beenleigh State High School, will engage with the Education Department of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York.
You can find more information about some of these fellows and their specific projects with the Smithsonian here.