The A. Thomas Kirsch Award for Southeast Asia Studies is an annual award established in memory of A. Thomas Kirsch, a pioneer in Thai studies and cherished professor of anthropology at Cornell University, to support graduate student members of the American Anthropological Association (AAA) engaged in the study of Southeast Asia.

Award Details

• Amount: $1,000

• Frequency: One award will be given annually at the AAA annual meeting

• Funding Use: The scholarship funds can be used towards ground and air travel, accommodation, meals and living costs, visa and passport fees, international health insurance, language study/program costs, research/field study expenses, and/or AAA membership dues.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

1. Be enrolled as a student in a full-time academic program anywhere in the world leading to a graduate degree in anthropology.

2. Demonstrate a commitment to the anthropological study of Southeast Asia. Students working in any subfield in anthropology are eligible to apply. For the purposes of this award, the definition of “study of Southeast Asia” includes research carried out within the geographical region of Southeast Asia as well as research conducted outside it, including but not limited to research conducted in libraries, or among Southeast Asian diasporic communities living outside of the region.

3. Be a member of the American Anthropological Association at the time of receiving the award. Students who are not currently members may still apply for the award, but winners will be asked to become a student member of the AAA as a condition of receiving the award. Award funds may be used to pay for the cost of the student membership.

4. Non-US citizens are eligible to apply.

Application Requirements

A complete application packet must include, in the following order, two separate files, saved as pdfs, and submitted through the application portal (linked below).

Application File #1: Application Statement

• Anonymized Personal Statement: In one page or less (single spaced, 12 point font), describe your interest and commitment to the study of Southeast Asia from an anthropological perspective. Describe how the A. Thomas Kirsch Award for Southeast Asia Studies will help advance your educational goals. Be sure to clearly describe the general topic of your research and the methods you plan to use. To ensure fairness, the committee will read this personal statement without referring to your cv or the name of your referee, so please write this statement in a way that does not reveal your identity to readers.

• Anonymized Budget Statement: Provide a one paragraph narrative budget for the intended use of the scholarship funds. You may reference relevant factors (including financial hardship) in this statement, but please avoid revealing personal information or identifying information about your academic institution.

• Combine into a single document and save as a pdf. Name the PDF with the following filename: KirschAward_2024_Statement.pdf

Application File #2: Application Data

• Curriculum Vitae: Please provide a complete academic cv, which includes your name, contact information, and current institutional affiliation.

• Name of Referee: Please provide the name and contact information for at least one referee, preferably from a professor who has taught or supervised your recent work and is well acquainted with your long-term aspirations. The committee will reach out to the referees in the final round of decision making.

• Combine items into a single document and save as a pdf. Name the PDF with the following filename: KirschAward_2024_ApplicantData.pdf

Selection Criteria

Awards will be based on:

• Strength of commitment to the study of Southeast Asia from an anthropological perspective.

• Strength of connection to how the applicant’s professional goals relate to the award.

• Originality of the concepts, methods, or data that the award will enable the student to develop.

• Appropriateness of the budget and demonstrated need of the applicant based on the budget narrative.

Application Deadline

September 15, 2024

How to Apply

Submit your complete application packet via Award Force by September 15, 2024.

For more information, please email Meagan Shirley.

https://americananthro.org/prizes-and-awards/kirsch-award/