Scholars in Service

The Scholars in Service program supports Stanford faculty to take a period of leave from the university and embed themselves within a government or nonprofit organization. The program, run jointly by Stanford Impact Labs (SIL) and the Haas Center for Public Service, provides financial and professional support so faculty can exchange ideas and learn with practitioners so as to generate new research insights and explore practical applications.

"In academia, we talk about policy as a few concrete choices to choose from ... what a policy really means is hundreds of thousands of decisions and actions, from formulation to implementation, each of which involves communicating with tons of people."

Scholars in Service is an opportunity for faculty to develop partnerships and gain an in-depth understanding of the policy and programmatic context related to their area of scholarship, thus informing their future research and teaching.

“From a learning standpoint, this time has been invaluable. I know much more about the working and operationalizing of federal policy development."

The program provides salary support for up to two quarters of leave, as well as support for direct travel and housing costs. We also support faculty in identifying a relevant host organization, creating a program of focus for their leave, and offering one-on-one guidance throughout their period of service.

“It’s a fantastic idea and program – I hope the idea diffuses to other colleges and universities as well.”

Curious about participating in Scholars in Service? Please complete our Expression of Interest form and a member of our team will reach out for a one-on-one conversation exploring your interest. We welcome Expressions of Interest in the program from Stanford scholars at any point in the planning process, including those who have yet to determine a specific quarter of leave, partner organization, or topic of interest.