SERC Scholars Program

Engage with the pressing challenges shaping our digital landscape, from combating deepfakes and misinformation to exploring ethical surveillance and privacy protection. Investigate the societal impact of gamification, address bias in large language models, and grapple with data ownership in the age of artificial intelligence.

As a SERC Scholar, you’ll have the opportunity to be at the forefront of technology’s evolution. Join our community to explore the frameworks of our connected world and advance the social and ethical considerations of computing.

If these topics intrigue you, apply to be part of the 2024-2025 cohort of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing’s cross-cutting initiative on Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing (SERC).

Applications are now open. The submission deadline is September 15, 2024.

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What do SERC Scholars do?

  • Collaborate in multidisciplinary teams with members from across computing, data sciences, humanities, arts, and social sciences, led by a SERC Group Leader.
  • Develop and pilot new SERC course materials in collaboration with postdocs and faculty.
  • Engage with external partners to advance AI in the public interest.
  • Conduct research in a new, exciting cross-disciplinary area.

Who is eligible to apply?

This opportunity is open to students across the MIT community who are excited to advance our broad mission to incorporate humanities, social science, social responsibility, and policy/civic perspectives into MIT’s teaching, research, and implementation of computing. SERC Scholars are hourly paid positions with selective and limited yearly enrollment.

International students

Student visa regulations limit international students pursuing on-campus employment to a maximum of 20 hours per week during the Fall and Spring terms (as well as during IAP and Summer if your academic program has required coursework during those traditional vacation periods). It will be important to determine before applying if you will be eligible to pursue the additional on-campus employment hours based on your current on-campus employment commitments so that you are within the maximum hour limits allowed by regulation.

NOTE: International students that are receiving a Full (100%) Research Assistantship, Teaching Assistantship, or Fellowship with a service requirement are considered with those awards to be working on-campus at the maximum 20 hours per week as outlined above, and therefore are not eligible to accept any additional on-campus employment.

If you have any questions, please contact the International Student’s Office.

What additional activities will SERC Scholars participate in?

  • Regular lunches and talks with the SERC Scholars community.
  • Meet-and-greets with pioneering leaders from academia, industry, and the public sectors.
  • SERC seminars that occur twice a semester.

Projects

SERC Scholars will have the opportunity to work on 1 of 7 projects led by SERC Group Leaders, which include:

  • Deepfakes: Epistemology, Ethics, and Politics
  • Data Ownership & AI
  • Generative AI & Democracy
  • Gamification
  • Surveillance
  • Big Data
  • How Fair Are Generative Models?

Each project will meet weekly in person (unless otherwise stated) for approximately one hour. SERC Scholars are required to attend these meetings.

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS AND MEETING TIMES

Apply to be a SERC Scholar

This is a full year commitment.

Undergraduates

  • This is an hourly paid position for 3–5 hours per week for the full 2024–2025 academic year.
  • Compensation is $15.75 per hour.

Graduate Students and PhD Candidates

  • This an hourly paid position for 8–10 hours per week for the full 2024–2025 academic year.
  • Compensation is $25 per hour.

How to Apply

  • Fill out the application form.
  • Provide a resume that includes relevant coursework and experience.
  • Provide a cover letter that includes:
    • Why you’re interested in this experience.
    • What you hope you can gain.
    • What you hope to contribute.
    • Which activities and opportunities you’re most interested in engaging with.
  • Rank project participation preference and explain in 100 words or less, why you want to work in your preferred project(s). Please note that you are not guaranteed to work with your first choice.

The application period will close at 11:59 pm on September 15, 2024.

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We are grateful to the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation for providing funding to launch this program.