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Eligibility

We invite applications from Ph.D. students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty within 7 years of their Ph.D., who are able to attend the program in-person at Stanford University. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and fields of study, including data journalists and other non-academic researchers, especially those interested in studying online information systems and emerging technologies, which will be a focal point of SICSS-Stanford. About 25-30 participants will be invited and there are no restrictions based on citizenship, country of study, or country of employment.

The Summer Institute aims to bring together computational social scientists across all levels of technical experience. Participants with less experience in social science research will be expected to complete additional readings in advance of the Institute, and participants with less experience coding will be expected to complete the pre-arrival tasks. Organizers will be available via Slack to support participants as they complete these tasks.

How To Apply

All application materials must be submitted through this Google Form Application by May 2, 2025.

Applications must include two additional documents in PDF format:

• a curriculum vitae (max five pages)
• a statement of interest (max two pages, double-spaced)

The statement of interest should mention:

• Your current research and how it relates to computational social science
• Why you want to participate in SICSS-Stanford
• How participation will aid your future research
• Your experience and/or interest in collaborative research (carrying out a collaborative research project is a core component of SICSS-Stanford)
• A possible topic, method, or question you might like to focus on for a collaborative project

We will evaluate applicants along a number of dimensions, including (1) research, teaching, and other activities in the area of computational social science, (2) contributions to public goods, such as creating open source software, curating public datasets, and creating educational opportunities for others, (3) likelihood to benefit from participation, (4) likelihood to contribute to the educational experience of other participants, and (5) potential to spread computational social science to new intellectual communities and areas of research. When making our evaluations, we attempt to account for an applicant’s career stage and previous educational opportunities.

Decisions will be sent via e-mail on May 23, 2025, and accepted participants will be asked to confirm their participation soon thereafter.

Inquiries can be sent to sicss.stanford@gmail.com

Application Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply to more than one Summer Institute location?

Yes, but not at the same time. For example, you can apply to SICSS-Stanford, and then if you are not accepted you can apply to one of the other locations if it has a later deadline. However, you cannot have an applications under review at two locations simultaneously.

Can I participate in SICSS-Stanford if I have already participated in SICSS at another location?

Unfortunately, no. Every year we have more applicants than we can accept, and we would like everyone to have a chance to participate in SICSS once before we allow folks to participate twice.