2024-2025 Stanford Impact Labs Design Fellowship

Applications are now open for the 2024-2025 Stanford Impact Labs Design Fellowship. The fellowship supports faculty, with funding and guidance, to conceptualize a new research project that seeks to develop tangible solutions to a social problem, by working in collaboration with an external partner. 

The fellowship (SILDF) is for Stanford faculty who are passionate about a social problem, see research as critical to addressing the problem, are motivated to work with partner(s) outside of the university setting, and are eager to join a cohort of other faculty working in parallel to leverage their research expertise to tackle challenging social problems. 

Fellows participate in a monthly workshop, receive $50,000 in seed funding, and benefit from the specialized attention of Stanford Impact Labs professional staff who provide input on problem definition, partnerships, team design, and communication.

Fellowship Program

Once a month, fellows gather for a three-hour, interactive, activity- and discussion-based workshop. These sessions are designed to engage faculty in identifying and refining their understanding of the problem and how their research contributes towards solutions; mapping and forging external partnerships and building a shared agenda of research; and developing an operational plan for giving life to their vision of impact and partnership. 

Workshops are led by professional staff, with guest faculty and staff already working in this space. We have designed the workshops to be stimulating, engaging, and practically rewarding, so as to guide fellows closer to their vision of impact-focused research.

Applicants

The most important criteria we look for in applicants are (1) a strong motivation to connect research and demonstrated expertise with practical approaches to achieving public impact, and (2) a curiosity for how to best engage with partners to co-create strategies to address the social problem. Ideally, we seek candidates who: 

• Are PI-eligible faculty (required) 
• Will be on campus for AY 24/25 (the fellowship runs from October - June)
• Are available to join monthly in-person workshops and meet one on one with SIL staff
• Have a track record of scholarship relevant to the problem area 
• Hold a deep belief in the role of science as a tool for tackling social problems 
• Are open-minded learners, flexible, and humble 
• Demonstrate a strong sense of curiosity to engage with, and learn from, practitioners
• Exhibit a desire to engage with, and contribute toward, a cohort of faculty committed to achieving outcomes beyond the university 

Application Process

Applications will be evaluated by a panel of Stanford Impact Labs’ staff, Stanford faculty and fellowship alumni. Those advancing will be invited to interview with the panel.

Timeline:

• Monday, May 20, 2024 – Applications due 
• Early June 2024 – Virtual interviews conducted, for those advancing to the interview stage
• Early July 2024 – Fellowship cohort selected
• Fall Quarter 2024 – Fellowship begins 

Application Instructions

Written applications are due Monday, May 20, 2024. For those advancing, interviews will be conducted in early June with final decisions made early July. 

Your proposal should be submitted as a single PDF (downloaded at the link above) with subject line “Last Name_SILDF Application” to sildesignfellowship@stanford.edu by Monday, May 20, 2024. 

More information

Learn more about the fellowship from colleagues who participated in the program in prior years. You can find their names and details on our website. 

Questions? Check out this SILDF FAQ Blog Post and watch the Info Session Recording below.

Still have questions? Contact shopwood@stanford.edu.