American School of Classical Studies at Athens
Deadline: January 31, 2027
Two Summer Seminar Positions (18-day courses, dates variable June through July)
Term: Summer 2028. Two seminars are offered each summer, one in June and one in July. The first seminar cannot begin before June 8 and the second seminar cannot end after August 7. Seminars typically start on a Monday and run 19 days inclusive of arrival day (1st day/the Monday start) and departure day (no activities planned for departure day). Program director(s) must plan to arrive about 3-7 days before the start of the program and plan to leave about a week after the program ends.
Eligibility: Applicants should have experience designing and leading travel study programs, preferably in Greece, and at least two years of teaching in a post-secondary educational institution. Joint applications by two scholars who have worked well together in the past are particularly welcome. Gertrude Smith Professors should have at least some knowledge of modern Greek and the ability to be engaging, organized, flexible and positive under often-demanding conditions. Qualified applicants in all areas of classical studies, including archaeology, art history, epigraphy, history, and languages are encouraged to apply.
Description:The theme of the 18-day field seminars is open. Previous Seminar offerings have included: Warrior Sailors, Traders, and Pirates: Aegean Islands Through the Ages; Alexander to Actium/Hellenistic Greece; Caves in Greece; Ancient Gender and Sexuality; Greek Sculpture, Myth on Site; Greek Warfare and Culture; Greek Religion; Finding the Spartans; Greece from the Sea; The Northern Aegean; and Greek Funerary Customs through the Ages; Chalkidike Peninsula: From Hellenic Colonization to Byzantium. Topics and seminar proposals should appeal not only to specialized graduate students, but also to undergraduate students and secondary school teachers with more general interests.
A maximum of twenty participants will be selected for each seminar. If enrollment does not exceed twelve participants, the ASCSA reserves the right to cancel the seminar.
Loring Hall at the ASCSA serves as the main base for the program, and at least five days of the seminar must be spent outside Athens. Trips outside Athens give participants an introduction to the major archaeological sites and museum collections throughout the country. In general, the schedule of time in Athens and time outside Athens is constructed as: starting in Athens (5 days/5 nights), travel outside Athens (5-7days/4-6 nights), and finishing in Athens (5-7 days/4-6 nights).
The ASCSA staff assists with planning and logistics. If you wish to review the “Summer Program Director Handbook,” a previous report of a past Director, and/or a list of invited
speakers and actual previous trip itinerary, please contact the Programs Administrator (Alicia Dissinger, adissinger@ascsa.org).
Duties: Plan an 18-day seminar, in consultation with the staff in Athens, at least six months prior to the program; collaborate with the Committee on the Summer Sessions in the selection of participants (for all Summer Seminars and the Summer Session); correspond with participants concerning preparation for the program (such as travel, equipment, academic requirements, report topics, etc.); supervise all aspects of the program in Greece, including teaching, coordinating with on-site expert lecturers, keeping a detailed log of the program, managing incidental expenses within a pre-approved budget, and submitting a report to the Director of the School.
Compensation: Stipend of $10,000 ($6,500 per person if joint directorship), plus travel and expenses, housing for the leader(s) for four weeks in total including the dates of the seminar. The School will cover travel expenses for each (co-)director to/from Greece (up to a total of $2000 per director). See more details in the policy online.
Please submit a cover letter which discusses your qualifications; a curriculum vitae; a statement of your approach to mentorship and teaching (1page max); a statement clarifying your administrative and logistical experiences (1 page max); a description of the seminar and a preliminary 18-day itinerary indicating which sites would be visited and how much time would ideally be spent in and out of Athens, and three letters of support. If applying as joint leaders, submit CVs for each leader, other requested documents should reflect both leaders’ insights together. For joint leaders, we will accept only three letters of support, thus it will be helpful if one or more recommenders can support both leaders in their written document.
More information can be found at: https://www.ascsa.edu.gr/about/staff/positions-available
The selection committee may conduct a short interview as part of the application process, if so, applicants will be notified in advance.
