Design Fellowship
A program for Stanford faculty who wish to put their social science research to work for society
Accepting Applications Deadline: June 9, 2026
The fellowship helps Stanford faculty clarify the practical potential of their work, engage the people and organizations beyond the university who can use it, and build the relationships necessary to shape research that responds to tangible needs.
Learn More and Apply
The Stanford Impact Labs Design Fellowship (SILDF) is a nine-month program for Stanford faculty from across the university who wish to put their social science research to use to address a social challenge.
Every year, SIL supports a cohort of faculty fellows as they clarify the practical potential of their work, engage the people and organizations who can make use of it, and build the relationships necessary to shape research that responds to tangible needs. The fellowship includes monthly workshops on topics relevant to moving research beyond insight toward action, one-on-one mentoring from SIL’s professional staff, and $50,000 in seed funding.
“This fellowship enabled us to take a step back and critically evaluate what we believe are likely to be actually effective solutions to the social problems we care about.”
The program is designed for any Stanford faculty member who wants to establish or expand an area of impact-focused social science research in partnership with collaborators beyond the university. Through cohort sessions and one-on-one mentoring, SIL provides technical support and guidance on how to:
- Co-create and implement projects
- Think about the pathway from research to impact at scale
- Build a team able to support the practical realities of partnership and impact-focused work
To learn more, please contact Sarah Hopwood at shopwood@stanford.edu.
Professor, Epidemiology and Population Health, Health Policy; 2025-2026 Design Fellow
2025-2026 Design Fellow
2025-2026 Design Fellow
2025-2026 Design Fellow
2025-2026 Design Fellow
2025-2026 Design Fellow
2025-2026 Design Fellow
2025-2026 Design Fellow
2025-2026 Design Fellow
2025-2026 Design Fellow
2025-2026 Design Fellow; Associate Professor, Earth System Science
Professor, Law; 2024-2025 Design Fellow
2024-2025 Design Fellow
2024-2025 Design Fellow; Professor, Global Environmental Policy
2024-2025 Design Fellow
2024-2025 Design Fellow
Assistant Professor, Education; 2024-2025 Design Fellow
2024-2025 Design Fellow
Professor, English; 2024-2025 Design Fellow
2023-2024 Design Fellow
2023-2024 Design Fellow
2023-2024 Design Fellow
2023-2024 Design Fellow
2023-2024 Design Fellow
2023-2024 Design Fellow
2023-2024 Design Fellow
2023-2024 Design Fellow
2023-2024 Design Fellow
2022-2023 Design Fellow
2022-2023 Design Fellow; Professor, Psychiatry
2022-2023 Design Fellow
2022-2023 Design Fellow
2022-2023 Design Fellow
2022-2023 Design Fellow
2022-2023 Design Fellow
2022-2023 Design Fellow
2022-2023 Design Fellow
2021-2022 Design Fellow
Professor, Health Policy; 2021-2022 Design Fellow
2021-2022 Design Fellow
2021-2022 Design Fellow; Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
2021-2022 Design Fellow
2021-2022 Design Fellow; Associate Professor, Economics
2021-2022 Design Fellow
Assistant Professor, Political Science; Faculty Director, Inclusive Democracy and Development Lab; 2021-22 SIL Design Fellow
2021-2022 Design Fellow
2021-2022 Design Fellow
Professor, Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics; 2021-2022 Design Fellow
2020-2021 Design Fellow
2020-2021 Design Fellow; Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Professor, Sociology; 2020-2021 Design Fellow
2020-2021 Design Fellow
2020-2021 Design Fellow
2020-2021 Design Fellow, Assistant Professor, Management Science and Engineering
2020-2021 Design Fellow
2020-2021 Design Fellow
2020-2021 Design Fellow
2019-2020 Design Fellow
2019-2020 Design Fellow
2019-2020 Design Fellow
Associate Professor, Education; 2019-2020 Design Fellow; Principal Investigator , Stanford History Education Group
Professor, Communication; Founding Director, Stanford Social Media Lab; 2019-2020 Design Fellow
2019-2020 Design Fellow
2019-2020 Design Fellow
Faculty Director, Food for Health Equity Lab; 2024-2025 Investment Advisory Council; 2019-2020 Design Fellow
2019-2020 Design Fellow