The S. Thomas Parker Memorial Fund

The S. Thomas Parker Memorial Fund provides one award of $1,750 to an applicant seeking support for a fellowship, field project, or event. The fund has a preference for the support of archaeological fieldwork or publication efforts, but proposals in all areas of academic inquiry are welcome and encouraged. The most compelling proposal will receive the award. Undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers of all nationalities are eligible to apply. The fellowship must be used between May 1 of the award year and April 30 of the following year.

Required application materials include:

  • Completed application form
  • Academic review
  • Project proposal narrative (up to 2,000 words)
  • Transcript(s) if enrolled in a degree program (first-year graduate students should submit both graduate and undergraduate transcripts; postdoctoral applicants are not required to submit transcripts)
  • One recommendation

Deadline for applications is February 15.
Applicants will be notified in April.

Background of the S. Thomas Parker Memorial Fund

Prof. S. Thomas Parker, a giant in the field of classical archaeology and the archaeology of Jordan, passed away 12 September 2021, and the S. Thomas Parker Memorial Fund was created in his memory through donations from his family and friends. A trustee of The American Center of Research since 1987 and officer (second vice president) for twenty years (2001–2021), he had a deep commitment to our community that will be sorely missed. Prof. Parker received his PhD in history in 1979 and the next year joined the faculty of North Carolina State University, where he went on to instruct thousands of students over an incredible 41-year teaching career. As a specialist in the Roman Levant, he directed several major archaeological field projects in Jordan, including excavations at Petra, Aqaba, and the Roman legionary fortress at el-Lejjun, east of the Dead Sea. He brought hundreds of students to Jordan—many for their very first time—for fieldwork experience; since then, many have continued to be involved in heritage work. The author of numerous high-impact and well-cited works, Prof. Parker undertook research that made, and continues to shape, the fields in which he worked. His professional legacy will live on in his works, his students, and the memories of those who remember him so fondly.

To donate to the S. Thomas Parker Memorial Fund, please click here and write “Parker” under the “Additional Details” section of the donation form.

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