The Robert Silman Fellow will spend the first 6 months in private practice at Robert Silman Associates prior to starting a position for the next 6 months as the Robert Silman Fellow for Preservation Engineering at the National Trust for Historic Preservations Washington, DC headquarters. In this timeframe, the fellow will be expected to develop preliminary research for a particular area of study to be pursued while at The National Trust for Historic Preservation. This 6-month term as an employee of the National Trust will be under the supervision of the Graham Gund Architect of the National Trust, and will be an intensive period of work that will include master planning, condition assessments, consultant team selection, technical research, materials conservation methods, preventive and corrective maintenance, contract documents, bidding and negotiation practices, contractor selection, job site administration, and distribution of grant funds for various restoration, rehabilitation, and preservation projects at the 29 National Trust Historic Sites nationwide. By the end of the 12-month fellowship, the Fellow is required to complete an article of benefit to the field of historic preservation that is suitable for publication in a professional journal and presentation at a suitable conference. Upon successful completion of the fellowship, the Fellow will be hired as a full-time employee of Robert Silman Associates.