The Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies is pleased to announce that Feliks Gornischeff has been awarded the 2025-2026 Research Grant for Emerging Scholars.
The research grants of up to $6,000 support early-career scholars in any field of the Baltic studies. Proposals are evaluated according to the scholarly potential of the applicant and the quality and scholarly importance of the proposed work, especially to the development of Baltic Studies. Funds may be used for travel, duplication, materials, equipment, or other needs as specified.
The 2025 applications were evaluated by the AABS 2025-2026 Grants and Awards Committee consisting of AABS VP for Professional Development Dr. Kaarel Piirimäe, AABS President Dr. Jörg Hackmann, and AABS Director-at-Large Dr. Dovilė Budrytė. Learn about the other 2025-2026 recipients here.
Feliks Gornischeff is a researcher at the Estonian Maritime Museum, where he is conducting research on Baltic German explorers in the first half of the 19th century. In 2020, he defended his PhD (University of Tartu) on Baltic German diplomats during the Napoleonic Wars. Gornischeff’s research interests include the service of Baltic Germans in the Russian Empire, the international networks of Baltic Germans, and maritime and diplomatic history of the early 19th century.
Project Overview
Gornischeff’s research project aims to revisit the legacy of Baltic German diplomats in the Russian service in the early 19th century. It will be a continuation of his doctoral dissertation with the aim to publish a monograph based on this thesis. The AABS Emerging Scholars Grant will facilitate Gornischeff’s ability to work on new angles and methodologies and complement my source material for research in Washington D.C.