Just Tech Fellowship is sponsored by Social Science Research Council (SSRC) / Ford Foundation / MacArthur Foundation. The Just Tech Fellowship supports rigorous, original, and community-grounded work that addresses pressing questions about how technology shapes society and public life.

Just Tech Fellowship – Social Science Research Council (SSRC) The Social Science Research Council invites proposals from researchers working at the intersection of technology and society for the Just Tech Fellowship. The Just Tech Fellowship supports rigorous, original, and community-grounded work that addresses pressing questions about how technology shapes society and public life.

The program is designed for researchers, artists, and practitioners whose work advances thoughtful, practical, and imaginative approaches to how technology is designed, governed, and experienced in public life. The fellowship welcomes applicants from a wide range of fields, methods, and career paths.

Just Tech Fellows include artists, journalists, community-based researchers, social scientists, humanists, technologists, and others whose work expands public understanding of technology and contributes to more informed and accountable technological futures. What the Fellowship Provides The Just Tech Fellowship provides a one-year unrestricted award of up to $60,000 to support research, creative practice, or community-engaged work.

The fellowship period runs from January 2027 through December 2027 and is designed to provide fellows with the resources and flexibility to advance ambitious projects at the intersection of technology and society. The program includes monthly virtual gatherings, individualized mentoring, and one in-person workshop that brings fellows together for focused exchange and collaboration.

Fellows engage with peers, external partners, and members of the broader Just Tech network, fostering sustained intellectual and professional connections. In addition to the primary award, fellows may apply for seed funding to support collaborative projects within or across Just Tech cohorts. Participation in the fellowship also provides ongoing access to the Just Tech network beyond the award year.

Dedicate sustained time over the fellowship year to advancing a proposed project. Fellows are expected to make substantive progress and to share the development of their research with the cohort. Participate in monthly virtual gatherings and attend one in-person research workshop during the fellowship year.

Engagement in these shared spaces is central to the program’s collaborative model. Engage in individualized mentoring over the course of the fellowship year to support the development of the proposed project. Share work in progress, offer thoughtful feedback to peers, and contribute to a rigorous, interdisciplinary exchange across fields and practices.

Participate in program evaluation activities and submit one midterm report and one final report reflecting on project progress, outcomes, and future directions. To complete the online application, applicants must submit the following: Résumé/CV : Up to two pages. Personal Statement : A written statement of up to 1,000 words or a recorded video statement of up to five (5) minutes.

The statement should describe your research or creative practice, your primary areas of focus, and the questions that guide your work. You may reference prior projects that illustrate your approach and development. Work Proposal : The work proposal may be submitted as either a written document (maximum 3,000 words) or a project deck (up to 10 slides).

The proposal should address: Concept Description: Clearly describe your central idea. What question, problem, or area of inquiry is your research intended to address? Engagement with Technology: Explain how the project engages digital or emerging technologies in substantive ways.

This may include the design, use, analysis, critique, or governance of technological systems. Approach and Contribution: Describe the perspective, method, or approach your project advances. What distinguishes your approach, and how does it contribute to broader conversations at the intersection of technology and society?

Feasibility: What practical, conceptual, or logistical challenges do you anticipate? How do you plan to address them during the fellowship year? Field Context: Are you aware of other individuals, initiatives, or organizations working on related questions?

If so, explain how your work relates to this broader landscape. Public Contribution: How does this research project contribute to broader conversations about technology and society? What forms of engagement, dissemination, or evaluation do you anticipate during or beyond the fellowship year?

Work Samples : Two work samples that reflect your research, creative practice, or public-facing work. Please include brief descriptions explaining your role in each work. AI Use in Applications: Applicants may use digital tools to assist with brainstorming, editing, or translation.

However, all submitted materials must reflect the applicant’s own original ideas and voice. Citizens of any country may apply. Fellows must reside in the United States for the duration of the fellowship year.

The Social Science Research Council does not sponsor visas and may not be listed as an immigration sponsor. There are no formal degree requirements. Applicants may hold academic credentials or demonstrate a sustained record of research, creative practice, or public-facing work in their field.

The fellowship runs from January 2027 through December 2027. Fellows are expected to participate in monthly virtual gatherings, mentoring sessions, and one in-person workshop, while making sustained progress on their proposed project. Applicants should demonstrate engagement with substantive questions related to technology and society.

Individuals currently enrolled as full-time students are not eligible to apply. Fellows are selected through a rigorous review process. Applications are evaluated according to the following criteria: A clearly defined research or creative practice and a coherent body of work.

A compelling project that addresses significant questions at the intersection of technology and society. Applicants should clearly describe the scope of work and what can be meaningfully advanced during the fellowship year. A demonstrated ability to carry projects forward and bring work to completion.

Evidence of sharing work publicly or maintaining meaningful engagement with relevant fields, audiences, or areas of practice. A thoughtful understanding of how participation in the Just Tech Fellowship would strengthen the proposed project and contribute to the cohort experience. A serious and constructive approach to collaboration, including a willingness to share work in progress and participate in sustained exchange with peers.

Application And Selection Timeline Application Portal Opens – April 27, 2026 Application Portal Closes – June 28, 2026 Selected Fellows Notified – November, 2026 Fellowship Period – January 2027 through December 2027 The last day to submit full application materials is June 28, 2026, at 11:59 p. m. EST.

This is the only application window for the 2027 cohort. For additional information, please review the FAQ page . For further questions, contact just-tech@ssrc.

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