IQSS Executive Fellows
IQSS Executive Fellows
Bridging Industry and Academia to Advance Harvard’s Translational Research and Innovation Ecosystem
The IQSS Executive Fellows Program brings accomplished leaders from industry, government, and the nonprofit sector into deep, project-based collaboration with Harvard faculty to advance innovation in the social sciences. Executive Fellows help translate research into practice, while gaining access to Harvard’s academic resources and a cross-school community to produce transformative work with real societal impact.
Criteria for Becoming an Executive Fellow
Ideal candidates for the program are:
- Current or former C-suite executives, senior partners, founders, or policy leaders
- Recognized experts in sectors such as technology, finance, health care, public service, education, or consulting
- Committed to bridging academic research and real-world practice
- Interested in contributing to education, mentorship, research, academic writing, venture development, or other related activities at Harvard
Each Executive Fellow is sponsored by a Harvard faculty member and anchored by a clearly defined academic project or translational initiative led by the faculty member. The Fellow holds a non-residential, unpaid appointment, typically for up to one academic year, with the possibility of renewal.
What Does IQSS Provide?
With IQSS’s university-wide reach, Fellows can collaborate across schools and disciplines, from law and medicine to public health, education, business, design, and engineering. Through firsthand exposure to novel academic methodologies, Fellows gain a deeper understanding of how ideas are developed, tested, and translated into impact.
Fellows receive a formal Harvard affiliation and gain access to Harvard libraries, digital resources, office hoteling space at IQSS, and IQSS events and seminars.
Executive Fellows have the opportunity to extend their impact by co-authoring case studies and publications, and they can participate in forums and networking opportunities that foster long-term relationships.
Executive Fellows join a community of leaders and faculty committed to bridging industry and academia. They may mentor students, advise emerging leaders, and participate in classroom teaching or public events.
The Executive Fellows Program will ensure clear separation between University IP and any external investment or commercialization activity, as well as protection of the Fellow's independent professional methods, frameworks, and playbooks.
How to Become an Executive Fellow
Executives interested in exploring an Executive Fellow appointment at IQSS should contact Elizabeth Jackson, Executive Director of the Institute for Quantitative Social Science.