The call for proposals for the 2026–2027 Polar Archives Research Award is now open! The $6,000 award supports graduate students, faculty and independent scholars from around the world whose research requires onsite use of The Ohio State University’s Polar Archives.

The award provides researchers the opportunity to travel to Ohio State and work directly with the Polar Archives’ collections to support projects such as books and articles, conference presentations, theses and dissertations, and other scholarly research. The collections document the history of polar exploration and scientific research and include materials from prominent explorers and researchers who have helped shape our understanding of the Arctic and Antarctic.

Applicants should propose a project that demonstrates a need to use the Polar Archives collections onsite. The selected recipient will arrange a research visit to Ohio State between July 1, 2027 and June 30, 2028 and will later have the opportunity to share their work with the university community.

Applications are due October 30, 2026.

Learn more about the award, explore past recipients and research projects, and review the full application requirements on the Ohio State University Libraries Polar Archives Research Award website.