Expression of Interest: Fulbright U.S. Student Program

Expression of Interest: Fulbright U.S. Student Program at Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, project on the History of Atomism

Start date: flexible, starting October 2025

Duration: 4 months.

Kind of employment: Full-time scholarship for one semester.

Deadline for the expression of interest: July 24.

Deadline for the Fulbright Program: 8 October.

Eligibility criteria:
• U.S. citizenship (permanent residence is not sufficient);
• Must not have resided in Israel for more than 12 months prior to the start of the application process;
• Dual citizens (U.S. and Israel) are eligible.

Applications are invited for the expressions of interest for one (1) Ph.D student visiting fellowship at the Humanities & Arts department at Technion, Israel Institute of Technology (Haifa, Israel), under the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. The successful candidate will join the research laboratory directed by Dr. Enrico Piergiacomi and conduct independent and collaborative research under the project Digital Atomism: Democritus and the Democritean Tradition.

The goal of the project is to conduct cutting-edge research on the earliest phase of atomism, namely Leucippus, Democritus, and the Democriteans (including but not limited to key figures like Anaxarchus, Metrodorus of Chios, and Nausiphanes), as well as in its subsequent reception. These thinkers not only laid the groundwork for the atomistic theories of Epicurus and Lucretius, but also served as a source of inspiration for corpuscular theories espoused by influential figures such as Francis Bacon, Galileo Galilei, and Pierre Gassendi. Their ideas also exerted a pervasive influence on various seemingly disparate intellectual strands, including scepticism (exemplified by Pyrrho and Sextus Empiricus), alchemy, libertinism, and even Marxism.

Additionally, the project seeks to create a digital platform that will host a new collection of evidence on the ancient atomists and edit/translate texts of the Renaissance/early modern period that were directly influenced by these thinkers. An example is Giovanni Magneno’s Democritus reviviscens sive de atomis (Paris 1646). A list of desirable texts to be studied can be provided in advance.

The research focus is open, insofar as it is established a clear connection between ancient atomism and the candidate’s area of interest. Broadly conceived, the successful candidates will foster interdisciplinary collaborations that link the humanities to science and technology. Preferences will be given to students/scholars who have a good command of Greek and Latin, as well as who can work on both the ancient period and the Renaissance/early modern period.

The ability and desire to conduct independent research are essential. A publication record in a pertinent field is highly desirable.

Stipend: $11,800 living stipend (around $2,950 monthly), plus up to $1,200 reimbursement of airfare expenses.
Please send by July 24 to Enrico Piergiacomi (enrico.p@technion.ac.il) with CC to Anat Glass (anatg@technion.ac) the following material:
• CV, including a list of publications (if any);
• Sample of written work;
• A research proposal (2-3 pages, bibliography excluded);
• 2 letters of recommendation.

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The winner of the selection process will then have to submit through the Fulbright site the application material described in this page.

For more information about the department: https://humanities.technion.ac.il/en/

For more information about this Fulbright :visiting program in Israel

Informal inquiries can be sent directly to enrico.p@technion.ac.il.