New Historical Research Fellowship Honors Local Legend

New studies of the American West will be undertaken in honor of a modern Western hero.

The University of Wyoming’s American Heritage Center is working with the Buffalo Bill Center of the West to establish the Peter K. Simpson Fellowship on the American West, a new collaboration to fund original research advancing knowledge, understanding and passion about the history and myths of the American West. The fellowship is named in honor of Wyoming native and local legend Pete Simpson, a UW professor emeritus and active supporter of the arts and other intellectual pursuits.

An $8,000 stipend will be awarded each year to one fellow of any scholarly level for a one-month — 20 business days — residence at the Buffalo Bill Center and the American Heritage Center. During that time, they must spend a least a week at each institution. The goal is to increase the scholarly use of both institutions for the continued historical research of the past. The fact that this will simultaneously honor of today’s leading Western historians is an added and very welcome bonus.

All application materials for the Peter K. Simpson Fellowship on the American West should be submitted electronically by Tuesday, March 31, to BBCW Human Resources Director Terry Harley at terryh@centerofthewest.org. Candidates will be selected in April and notified by email.

For more information about the fellowship, visit the fellowship webpage at www.uwyo.edu/ahc/grants/index.html.