September 14, 2026
New fellowships will provide extended research travel support for graduate students and emerging scholars.
AUBURNDALE, MA — The Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) is pleased to announce a $500,000 gift from Dr. Thomas H. Carpenter and Dr. Lynne C. Lancaster to establish the Thomas H. Carpenter and Lynne C. Lancaster Fellowships. This generous gift will provide critical support for graduate students and recent PhDs whose research advances the study of archaeology within the Mediterranean world.
The fellowships respond to an important need in the field of archaeology. As external sources of research support have become more limited, opportunities for graduate students and early-career scholars to conduct research abroad have become increasingly difficult to secure. The Thomas H. Carpenter and Lynne C. Lancaster Fellowships will help address this challenge by supporting travel to archaeological sites, monuments, and museums that are essential to the development and completion of scholarly research.
“Tom and Lynne’s extraordinary generosity comes at a moment when funding for young scholars is scarcer than ever,” said AIA President Brian I. Daniels. “Their gift reflects a deep understanding of what it actually takes to produce rigorous archaeological scholarship. Because of their vision and generosity, dozens of graduate students and recent PhDs will have opportunities that might otherwise have been out of reach.”
The Thomas H. Carpenter and Lynne C. Lancaster Fellowships will fund extended research abroad for scholars pursuing dissertation studies or preparing work for publication. Eligible projects must fall within the greatest geographic extent of the Roman Empire and address the period from approximately 1000 BCE to 1000 CE. Grants may be used to cover transportation, lodging, visas, entrance fees, and travel-related insurance, with preference given to projects requiring extended stays abroad of at least six weeks. Awards, expected to range up to a maximum of $25,000 each, will be distributed to multiple recipients annually.
Dr. Thomas H. Carpenter, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Classics, Charles J. Ping Professor Emeritus of the Humanities at Ohio University, and Dr. Lynne C. Lancaster, Rawson Visiting Scholar, Classics Department, at the University of Cincinnati, have spent their careers advancing the study of ancient art, architecture, and material culture. Their decision to direct their philanthropy toward travel support reflects a shared conviction, built over decades of teaching and research, that sustained engagement with primary sites and materials is indispensable to serious scholarship.
“Given the diminishing resources available to young scholars in America, we wanted to do something to help provide the opportunities for travel abroad that were so critical to our own scholarly development,” said Dr. Carpenter and Dr. Lancaster.
“Tom and Lynne understand the importance of giving scholars the opportunity to experience archaeological places firsthand,” said Kevin Quinlan, AIA Executive Director. “Their remarkable generosity will have an enduring impact, opening doors for researchers whose work will deepen our understanding of the ancient world and contribute to the broader field of archaeology.”
The AIA extends its deepest gratitude to Dr. Carpenter and Dr. Lancaster for this transformative investment in the future of the field. Their gift will have a lasting impact on the careers of emerging archaeologists and the scholarship they produce for years to come.
Graduate students enrolled at American or Canadian universities, and scholars based in North America who have received their PhD within the past five years, are encouraged to learn more about eligibility and application procedures for the Thomas H. Carpenter and Lynne C. Lancaster Fellowships at archaeological.org/grant/thomas-h-carpenter-and-lynne-c-lancaster-traveling-fellowship/.
About the Archaeological Institute of America
Founded in 1879 and chartered by the United States Congress in 1906, the Archaeological Institute of America is North America’s oldest and largest organization devoted to the world of archaeology. With members in more than 100 local societies across the United States, Canada, and overseas, the AIA promotes archaeological inquiry and public understanding of the material record of the human past, supports archaeologists and the ethical practice of archaeology, and advocates for the preservation of the world’s archaeological heritage. For more information, visit www.archaeological.org.
