Data & Society Research Institute Call for Fellows

The Data & Society Research Institute is a new think/do tank in New York City dedicated to addressing social, technical, ethical, legal, and policy issues that are emerging because of data-centric technological development.

Data & Society is currently looking to assemble its inaugural class of fellows. The fellowship program is intended to bring together an eclectic network of researchers, entrepreneurs, activists, policy creators, journalists, geeks, and public intellectuals who are interested in engaging one another on the key issues introduced by the increasing availability of data in society. We are looking for a diverse group of people who can see both the opportunities and challenges presented by access to data and who have a vision for a project that can inform the public or shape the future of society.

Fellows will be the heart and soul of this new Institute and will be expected to develop innovative initiatives, interact with people who hold diverse perspectives, and participate in the creation of a new community. Data & Society is brand new and while many aspects of this program have not been hammered out, the first class of fellows will play a significant role in shaping the Institute’s formation.

Potential fellows are invited to imagine a specific project that they would execute to help society’s understanding of and ability to adapt to a data-soaked world. A successful fellowship project will be a high-impact initiative that engages a broad audience to inform, convene, intervene, or provoke. We are open to a wide range of potential outputs, from white papers to op-eds, multi-stakeholder events to technological artifacts. We are especially interested in interdisciplinary, cross-sector ideas oriented towards challenges facing society that don’t easily fit into a box.

To offer a sense of the kinds of projects that may be appropriate, consider what would be needed to help address the following questions:

• How can we increase public access to data while minimizing potential abuses?
• What kinds of policy advice would help designers, entrepreneurs, and startups navigate the social, legal, and ethical dynamics of working with data? How can we build a structure to support these constituents?
• How would we architect a “data philanthropy” mechanism to enable individuals to contribute their data to research? What would be involved in building a data-as-public-good ecosystem?
• What are the challenges, opportunities, and complications presented by regulating algorithms and data usage? What kinds of oversight would help? How should existing regulations be reconsidered in light of new models?
• How are the fields of law, health, education, journalism, human rights, etc. changed by data? What frameworks would help ground those fields?
• What kinds of technical/social/legal/economic interventions can help address new inequalities that emerge because of predictive analytics?
• How do we measure the chilling effects of data collection and use?

We are seeking approximately 8-12 fellows with different types of expertise and knowledge. Some might be academics doing postdoctoral research or on leave from their home institutions. Others might be practitioners interested in exploring a new path. Journalists, scholars, public intellectuals, entrepreneurs, advocates, and makers are all encouraged to apply.

Fellows will be expected to be in residence at the Institute’s home in Manhattan and participate in weekly activities. Fellows will be encouraged to work on their own projects, host events, and collaborate with others. One goal of Data & Society is to support the development of a vibrant interdisciplinary mix so we are especially interested in fellows who are excited by community building.

Fellowships will be individually crafted to suit the needs of the fellow and the project. The typical fellowship will be full time for one year (with the possibility of renewal), but we are open to other proposals. We would like this inaugural round of fellows to be in place and active at the Institute by July 2014, but we are open to fellows starting sooner. Office space will be provided to fellows by June.

Stipends, benefits, and project funding will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will depend on our ability to raise money to support a specific project or fellow. Our goal is to provide fellows with the resources and structure needed to support their proposed projects. For this reason, we encourage applicants to be upfront about what they’ll need to be successful. Fellows are also encouraged to bring their own funding to the Institute. We will also work with fellows to support their fundraising efforts.

Application

If you are interested in applying to be a Data & Society fellow, please send the following to fellowsapp@datasociety.net by January 24, 2014:

• Cover letter, including background on you, the names/emails of three references, and a description of what you want to get out of a fellowship.
• CV/resume and a sample output (e.g., paper, website, video) that showcases your work.
• Two-to-four page project overview. Include a description of the project itself as well as a discussion of the potential impact and target audience. Explain why you think it’d be valuable to do the project at Data & Society.
• One page resource discussion. Include a description of the resources you have available to you as well as those that you need to succeed. This includes financial considerations (e.g., stipend, benefits, project funding, travel support, etc.) as well as other types of support (e.g., project space, access to specific people, research help, library access, skills training, technical resources, etc.).

Questions?

Inquiries about the fellowship should be directed to info@datasociety.net. Questions about the opportunity or process will not reflect negatively on an application.