CLAS Tinker Visiting Professorship

Under the auspices of a generous endowment from the Edward Larocque Tinker Foundation awarded to Stanford and four other universities in 1978, the Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) has hosted an impressive roster of prominent scholars from Latin America, Iberia, and Canada as Tinker Visiting Professors in Latin American Studies. Each year, these scholars are selected from candidates nominated by faculty in any department or professional school at Stanford. Awardees are selected through a competitive process on the basis of academic qualifications, the quality of teaching and research plans, and the relevance of both to the Center's mission and objectives.

While at CLAS, Tinker Visiting Professors teach classes in their areas of expertise, give lectures to Stanford audiences, and share their knowledge and research on a wide range of topics relevant to Latin America. Tinker Visiting Professors receive a competitive salary, housing allowance, economy-class round-trip airfare, and an assigned course assistant. Additionally, they may request funding to attend a conference in the US and/or to organize a symposium or conference at Stanford.

The nomination cycle for AY 2027-28 opens on September 1, 2026. Nominations are due by December 1, 2026 at 5 p.m. PT.

Duration

Typically, an appointment lasts for one quarter (Autumn, Winter, or Spring) and includes teaching a 4–5 unit course. The selection committee may consider longer appointments with additional responsibilities (e.g., teaching a second course, offering a student-focused workshop, or organizing a conference or symposium). Please consult with our associate director for further information.

Eligibility

Open to leading scholars or experts in any academic field. Nominees must be citizens or permanent residents of a Spanish- or Portuguese-speaking Latin American country and must not be permanent residents of the United States. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, including women scholars and members of traditionally underrepresented groups. Nominations must come from a Stanford faculty member who is a member of the University's Academic Council.

Former Stanford Tinker Visiting Professors are eligible at least ten years after their previous Tinker professorship at Stanford University.

Nomination Process for Academic Year 2027–28

Stanford faculty are invited to nominate their peers from Latin America [or Iberia] to come to Stanford to teach, research, and advise in their areas of expertise.

Complete nominations must be submitted by Stanford faculty. CLAS does not accept documents or nominations directly from nominees. Please note that, if accepted, the nominee must provide CLAS with a letter of leave from their home institution.

Apply Here

Nominations should include the following:

  • Candidate's Curriculum Vitae
    • The CV should include educational degrees, current position title and employer, mailing address, and email address.
  • Proposed Course
    • The proposed title and description of the course the candidate would teach.
  • Evidence of English Proficiency* (certification of one or more of the following):
    • Nominee's primary language is English.
    • Nominee earned a U.S. bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, or international equivalent from a university where all instruction was conducted in English.
    • Nominee has two or more consecutive years of full-time professional or educational experience in English, in the past 10 years.
    • A current TOEFL iBT score of 109 or higher (prior to January 21, 2026) or 5.5 or higher (as of January 21, 2026), or an IELTS score of 8 or higher.
      • Stanford considers English proficiency test scores to be valid for two years. Expired scores will not be accepted.
  • A letter from the Stanford faculty (nominator) sponsoring the candidate.
  • A supporting letter from the chair of the department or center nominating the candidate.

*If the nominee is a finalist for the position, we may require them to submit supporting documentation to confirm English proficiency.

Responsibilities of the Nominating Department or Center

  • Create and schedule TVP course(s), including crosslistings, as applicable
  • Publicize and promote the course(s)
  • Provide assistance in ordering the required course books at the Stanford Bookstore
  • Include and engage the visiting professor in the academic life of the department or center

Responsibilities of CLAS

  • Provide visa, travel, and lodging assistance
  • Appoint and hire the visiting professor
  • Provide office space at Bolívar House
  • Publicize and promote the course(s)
  • Include and engage the visiting professor in the academic life of the center
  • Appoint and hire one of our Latin American Studies Master's students as the Tinker Visiting Professor's course assistant, who can:
    • assist in the preparation of course materials;
    • monitor and maintain course websites;
    • attend the class, unless it conflicts with the course assistant's class schedule;
    • help collect articles, find books and put them on course reserve, photocopy articles, navigate the Stanford electronic databases, and/or utilize Stanford's online resources.
    • In the event that the nominating department provides a teaching assistant for a Tinker Visiting Professor's course(s), the visiting professor may choose to have a research assistant instead of a course assistant.

For Further Information

Feel free to contact CLAS at clas-visitors [at] stanford.edu (clas-visitors[at]stanford[dot]edu).