2021 call for SRI faculty and graduate fellowships now open for U of T researchers
Are you a University of Toronto researcher who is passionate about ensuring that new technologies are aligned with human values, and applied in ways that are responsible and fair? Do you believe powerful systems such as artificial intelligence can be used to enable a more equitable and democratic society—one in which issues such as human rights, justice, diversity, and the environment are promoted and respected? Would you like to collaborate with the research community at the Schwartz Reisman Institute, and contribute to our mission to ensure new technologies improve life for everyone?
We are excited to announce our 2021 call for faculty and graduate fellows from within the U of T community, across all three campuses. Graduate fellowship terms are one year, while faculty fellowship terms are two years. Applications are required to be submitted via the online application forms linked below by June 25, 2021 at 11:59 pm EDT.
Schwartz Reisman CALL FOR FACULTY FELLOWS (PDF) and Application Form
Schwartz Reisman CALL FOR GRADUATE FELLOWS (PDF) and Application Form
About Schwartz Reisman Fellowships
"It was a privilege to spend time at SRI,” says David Madras, a current SRI graduate fellow and PhD candidate in computer science at U of T.
“Getting the opportunity to engage with peers across the interdisciplinary spectrum was invaluable to better understand the context surrounding some of my work."
SRI welcomes applicants from all academic disciplines across the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. At SRI, we seek to develop interdisciplinary approaches towards the study of the complex relations between technology and society, building new connections between existing fields of inquiry. We support innovative research and applications that contribute to the areas of ethical AI, data privacy, data governance, epistemology, human rights, and beyond.
"The SRI faculty fellowship has been a great opportunity to establish new collaborations and learn about research both from other SRI members and from the amazing line-up of speakers at the weekly seminar series,” says current SRI Faculty Fellow Karina Vold, assistant professor at U of T’s Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology.
SRI is especially interested in solutions-oriented research that transforms existing questions by identifying innovative approaches through which problems at the intersection of technology and society might be understood and addressed.
“The solution-oriented approach at SRI will certainly guide my future work,” says current SRI graduate fellow Noam Kolt, PhD candidate in law at U of T. “The Institute’s emphasis on harnessing technology to improve society encouraged me to go beyond identifying the challenges posed by AI systems, and to work on developing concrete, real-world solutions,” says Kolt. “Joining SRI gave me the connections and confidence to begin an ambitious project at the intersection AI, law, and ethics.”
SRI fellows will join our diverse community of research leads, faculty affiliates, and postdoctoral fellows to contribute to and lead activities at the Institute, including meetings, workshops, lectures, discussion groups, and other initiatives that foster our commitment to re-conceptualizing notions of the ways technology, systems, and society interact. Fellows will be encouraged to build community and drive collaboration both within and outside the Schwartz Reisman Institute.
“I learned about research fields closely related to my own work through SRI’s reading and discussion groups,” says Evi Micha, a current SRI graduate fellow and PhD candidate in computer science at U of T. “I realized that the exchange of ideas between fields can have a significant impact. I’ve met amazing people and heard so many different perspectives, and this interdisciplinary point of view has really inspired my work.”
SRI fellows are invited to propose research projects that engage with any aspect of the relations between technology and society as broadly conceived by the Institute’s research overview. We encourage applicants to review the four interrelated “conversations” that guide the work of the Institute. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate the relevance of their proposal to at least one of these conversations, however, there are no restrictions to engage only with these specific themes.
Since we are seeking to build a cohesive group that will foster cross-disciplinary work, applicants are encouraged to review the current research projects of Schwartz Reisman’s research leadership team. Topics include but are not limited to: data privacy, computer security, regulation and governance of emerging technologies, technology and human rights, human normative systems, natural and artificial cognition, and issues surrounding AI such as bias, fairness, and value alignment.
We especially wish to hear what other fields of inquiry applicants would be interested in communicating with to achieve their research goals.
Clockwise from left: SRI Faculty Fellow Karina Vold, Graduate Fellow Shabnam Haghzare, Graduate Fellow Jillian Macklin, and Faculty Fellow Kristen Bos.
“As a person from an engineering background, being at Schwartz Reisman this past year gave me the language of, and a ‘rite of passage’ to, the rich literature available in the humanities,” says Shabnam Haghzare, a current SRI graduate fellow and PhD candidate in biomedical engineering at U of T.
“This experience has equipped me to better appreciate the ethical and societal implications of my research and integrate this into my work moving forward. In addition, the spirit of collegiality among the cohort and SRI team has made this experience all the more gratifying.”
Up to 15 graduate fellows and up to four faculty fellows will be appointed. Successful graduate fellows will be primarily enrolled in PhD programs, although exceptional master’s degree candidates are encouraged to apply. Interested faculty fellow applicants may be at any stage of their career.
The Schwartz Reisman Institute is strongly committed to diversity within our community, and we therefore especially welcome applications from racialized persons/persons of colour, women, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas and experiences at the Institute.
Applications are required to be submitted via the online application forms linked below by June 25, 2021 at 11:59 pm EDT. Late applications will not be accepted. Decisions are expected to be made in early August for appointments beginning in September 2021.
Visit the official calls for fellows (program descriptions) for more information about eligibility, compensation, and application instructions:
Schwartz Reisman CALL FOR FACULTY FELLOWS (PDF) and Application Form
Schwartz Reisman CALL FOR GRADUATE FELLOWS (PDF) and Application Form
Questions? Contact us at applications@torontosri.ca.
FAQs (click on each question for answers)
What is the deadline for applications?
11:59 pm EDT on June 25, 2021. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
How do I apply?/I can’t find the application form.
The following PDFS provide details on the program and application instructions. Applications forms are also linked here:
CALL FOR FACULTY FELLOWS (PDF) AND FACULTY FELLOW APPLICATION FORM
CALL FOR GRADUATE FELLOWS (PDF) AND GRADUATE FELLOW APPLICATION FORM
Can current Schwartz Reisman faculty affiliates apply for the fellowships?
Yes, current faculty affiliates can apply.
If a faculty member applies for the faculty fellowship, can their PhD students still independently apply for the graduate fellowship? Would the applications be assessed independently, or would preference be given to Ph.D. students of faculty members who are not already an affiliate or a fellow?
Yes, PhD students of a faculty member who also applies may still independently apply for the program.
There is no formal preference one way or the other. We will be looking to balance cohesiveness and potential for collaboration with diversity across multiple dimensions in the overall composition of our fellows.
Are postdoctoral fellows eligible for this fellowship?
Unfortunately no, as postdoctoral fellows are neither graduate students nor faculty members.
Are there any themes associated with this call for fellows?
We will be selecting fellows based on their alignment with the research priorities of the Institute; please review the blog post above and the calls for faculty and graduate fellows closely for more details and look at the “four conversations” that guide our work, as well as our existing projects. Applicants are not restricted to predefined themes but should explain how their proposal aligns with the Institute’s mission.
Am I eligible if I’m an international student and/or not currently living in Toronto due to COVID-19?
Yes, as long as you are enrolled in a full-time graduate program at the University of Toronto, you are eligible to apply.
Can you tell me more about what you’re looking for?
Details about expectations can be found in our announcement blog post above and in the official call for fellows documents (Call for Faculty Fellows, Call for Graduate Fellows)
I am a graduate student/faculty member at an institution other than the University of Toronto, or I have a status-only faculty appointment at U of T. Am I eligible to apply?
At this time, the call for fellows is only open to regular faculty and graduate students within the University of Toronto community. However, we anticipate that we will be launching an external call for fellows in the future, so we encourage you to stay in touch with SRI. You can find our updates on Twitter, LinkedIn, our website, or in our monthly newsletter.
My project has collaborators within and outside U of T. Does this application require all project members to be within U of T?
No, it doesn’t. You are welcome to apply if your collaborators are outside of the University. However, they would not themselves receive funding or be appointed fellows.
Do you have guidelines for the writing samples? (e.g. Do I have to be first author, can my writing sample be publications currently under revision?)
We don't have specific rules about what kind of writing samples you should send. We recommend that you send the best examples you can to give evidence of your research potential/achievement. If you don't have publications, you can send papers in progress or under review. If you don't have any papers on which you are first author, you can send second/third etc. author papers, etc.
Does the fellowship follow the calendar year or academic year?
The 2021-2022 graduate fellowship period will run from September 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022. The 2021-2023 faculty fellowship period will run from September 1, 2021 to June 30, 2023.
I previously received an SRI Fellowship. Am I eligible to reapply this year?
While previous fellows may apply, we will be prioritizing applications from individuals who have not previously received an SRI fellowship.
