Opportunities for BU Graduate Students
Are you a graduate student with BU Arts & Sciences studying social science? Take a look at our opportunities to enhance your studies and research as you pursue your postgraduate degree.
Check back here for our full roster of opportunities open to graduate students.
Job Opportunities
Research Science Lead Institute for Research on Innovation & Science (IRIS) The successful candidate will work closely with Professor Jason Owen-Smith and a national group of collaborators to develop and expand the Industries of Ideas (IofI) project. IofI combines new data on research and training investments in AI in universities with data on jobs, earnings, education, and skills. IofI produces timely, local, and actionable information because it partners with local experts to identify pressing local questions and develop indicators that can be used to support proactive decisions. Trust is critical, so the IofI approach is to provide clear, transparent, and open standards produced with partners, and develop clear trust metrics for each product. IofI was recently funded for three years by the National Science Foundation Technology, Innovation & Partnerships (NSF-TIP) directorate. More information on the project is available at: https://industriesofideas.ai/.
Responsibilities*
The Research Team Lead will be primarily responsible for:
Scientific and Team Leadership
Working closely with Professor Jason Owen-Smith:
- Contribute to project scientific leadership and helping to direct project related technical and scientific work at IRIS
- Participate in and contribute to the leadership of a growing scientific research team focused on the use of large-scale data and computational tools to break new ground in the measurement and analysis of research and innovation
- Contribute to or lead aspects of data development, project planning, research analysis, writing, presentation, and publication of findings
- Serve in a leadership role on new funding proposals including a planned renewal to support IofI expansion and ongoing IRIS research activities
Required Qualifications*
- Ph.D. in a social science, information science, science and engineering, or policy field
- 8+ years ofexperience relevant to the IofI project and other IRIS work
- Demonstrated history of research success in the form of scientific publications, awarded and completed grants, or ability to secure resources (e.g. through federal, state, or corporate budgetary processes) to support and develop research programs and teams
- Documented experience in research team leadership including work with professional and technical staff and mentorship of students or trainees
- Excellent writing and presentation skills
- Expertise in data science, network science, and/or advanced statistical methods for constructing and analyzing large scale linked data from multiple restricted sources
- Familiarity with restricted data, privacy confidentiality protections, and negotiation of data use agreements with academic, corporate, federal, and/or state partners
- Demonstrated history of productive, effective collaboration with non-academic partners such as state and federal agencies or corporations
Desired Qualifications*
- Demonstrated experience in producing and disseminating findings that address policy relevant questions about science and technology innovation, higher education, economic and/or workforce development for non-academic audiences
- Familiarity with graph and/or semantic machine learning models and techniques, network and textual vector embedding, natural language processing, and/or advanced statistical methods for Bayesian or causal analysis
- Familiarity with user centered design principles for the collaborative development of information products to serve the needs of non-academic stakeholders
- Familiarity with project management and agile development
- Ability to effectively work in and contribute to leadership of fast paced, collaborative, interdisciplinary, and multi-site teams.
🗓️ Application Deadline: Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is closed or filled.
Posted 1/12/26
Spring 2026 Opportunities
Boren Fellowships (01/28)
Boren Awards are scholarships and fellowships for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students committed to long-term overseas study and to public service. Boren awardees receive funding to study the languages most critical to our nation’s security.
💰Funding information: Maximum awards are determined by duration abroad:
$25,000 for 25-52 weeks (preferred)
$12,500 for 12-24 weeks
+ $5,000 for summer domestic language study (optional).
Visit the Apply Now page to get started by selecting the overseas location and language you want to study. You may change your selections at any time.
🗓️ Application Deadline: January 28, 2026
Posted 12/09/25
The New England Regional Fellowship Consortium Awards (02/01)
THE NEW ENGLAND REGIONAL FELLOWSHIP CONSORTIUM, a collaboration of 30 major research institutions, will offer at least two dozen awards in the June 1, 2026 – May 31, 2027 application cycle. Each grant will provide a stipend of $5,000 for a minimum of six weeks of research at participating institutions. Awards are open to U.S. citizens and foreign nationals who hold the necessary U.S. government documents. Grants are designed to encourage projects that draw on the resources of several institutions.
NERFC grants support work in a broad array of fields, including but not limited to: history, literature, art history, African American studies, American studies, women’s and gender studies, anthropology, sociology, philosophy, religious studies, environmental studies, oceanography, and the histories of law, medicine, and technology. Member institutions hold collections that offer a historical perspective on topics in all of these fields and more. For information on each member’s resources, see its listing in “Participants” and contact the institution. The Consortium’s policy is to ensure that each member with collections hosts fellows every year. An applicant’s proposed itinerary may be a factor in the decision whether to award a fellowship. In keeping with NERFC’s regional interests, the Consortium may also favor applications that draw on institutions from more than one metropolitan area. To ensure deep engagement with collections, strong proposals will plan for a minimum visit of two weeks at two different institutions. Researchers may allocate the remainder of their fellowship period to a combination of other member institutions.
Each NERFC itinerary must:
- be a minimum of six weeks
- designate two institutions to visit for at least two weeks
- designate a third institution to visit for at least one week
- allocate the remaining fellowship week to any number of the consortium’s other member institutions
NERFC expects fellows to visit all the repositories they list in their proposals for the length of time they specify. Unsuccessful applicants may reapply. Fellowships are only awarded once per discrete research project.
🗓️ Application Deadline: Candidates must apply online by February 1, 2026.
Posted 12/16/25
Enlight Fellowship (02/01)
In this 10-week summer incubator, you’ll split your time between interning at a local social impact organization and developing your own social venture with Innovate@BU. Generously funded by the Enlight Foundation, you’ll receive a $10,000 stipend and develop the leadership, technical, and entrepreneurial skills necessary to solve today’s most pressing social and environmental issues. All BU students are eligible to apply (including international students).
Student Qualifications:
- Must either be a current BU student in any school/college or an alumni within 1 year of graduation. Undergraduate students, graduate students, and PhD candidates are all welcome to apply.
- Remain in good disciplinary standing during the internship program. We reserve the right to rescind or seek repayment of the stipend if a student fails to maintain good disciplinary standing during their program participation.
- International students who meet program requirements are welcome to apply. Since the award is a non-service-based scholarship, international students are not required to obtain U.S. off-campus employment authorization in order to participate.
Program Dates: Summer 2026
🗓️ Application Deadline: February 1, 2026
Posted 12/01/25
Russell Sage Foundation Dissertation Research Grants (02/03)
The dissertation research grants (DRG) program to support innovative and high-quality dissertation research projects that address questions relevant to RSF’s priority areas: Behavioral Science and Decision Making in Context; Future of Work; Race, Ethnicity and Immigration; Immigration and Immigrant Integration; and Social, Political, and Economic Inequality. Proposed projects must be closely aligned with the funding priorities listed on the RSF website for any of these areas, contribute to RSF’s mission to improve social and living conditions in the U.S., and demonstrate appropriate use of relevant theory, innovative data, rigorous research methods, and measures.
Applicants must be enrolled doctoral students at an institution of higher education in the U.S. or a U.S. territory, who have completed all program requirements except the dissertation. To receive funding, an applicant whose proposal is selected for a grant must have their dissertation supervisor document that the dissertation research (a) is the same research that was described in the DRG proposal and (b) has been approved by the dissertation committee. In cases where a dissertation consists of several related papers, the proposal should focus on the most important paper. If your discipline, department, or institution does not use this process to approve dissertation proposals, please email programs@rsage.org to see if you or your project is at the appropriate stage for RSF support. There is a lifetime limit of one dissertation research grant per applicant. Previous recipients of RSF grants are also ineligible. RSF encourages applications from scholars who are traditionally underrepresented in the social sciences and its applicant pool, as we seek to promote diversity broadly, including (but not limited to), racial, ethnic, gender or sexual identity or orientation, first generation, disciplinary, institutional, and geographic. RSF prioritizes applicants who do not have sufficient time to devote to the dissertation and/or sufficient funds to pay for necessary research expenses. If you are fully funded for the proposed grant period, on a departmental, university, or national fellowship, your application is not likely to be externally reviewed. If your financial support is in the form of a Teaching or Research Assistantship, your application may still be externally reviewed if it is of interest to the Foundation. Funding Dissertation grants are up to $15,000. These grants will support all aspects of dissertation research (data collection, data preparation, data analysis and writing), but are not intended for students who have completed data collection and analysis and propose to spend the entire grant period writing the dissertation. Some dissertation grants may be co-funded by the W.E. Upjohn Insitute for Employment Research and The Policy Academies. The Upjohn Institute for Employment Research will support dissertation research on employment-related topics in any discipline, with particular interest in policy-relevant research pertaining to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.
🗓️ Application Deadline: February 3, 2026 (2 pm Eastern Time/11 am Pacific Time). Decisions are expected to be announced in May and grants can start on or after July 1. Funding decisions are final. RSF expects to approve up to 20 grants.
Posted: 11/18/25
David E. Bell Postdoctoral Fellowship (03/03)
The Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies (HCPDS) is currently accepting applications for the next cohort of the David E. Bell Postdoctoral Fellowship.
The two-year Bell Fellowship is an interdisciplinary, postdoctoral training program designed for researchers and practitioners in the fields of population sciences and/or population health. The cornerstone of the program is fellows’ ability to conduct self-directed research and writing, with mentorship provided by world-renowned faculty. The training is bolstered by participation in weekly seminars, professional development and other skill building activities, plus communications & media skills preparation.
The next cohort will begin on Sept 1, 2026. We welcome applications from scholars working in the following areas: 1) Immigration and migration; 2) Geospatial and multilevel modeling with a focus on heterogeneity; 3) Youth, families, and social mobility; and 4) Aging societies
Funding: The salary is $75K/yr plus benefits and a generous research, travel, and computer fund. Open to eligible U.S. and international candidates. This fellowship is supported through sources other than federal funding.
🗓️ Application Deadline: Tuesday, March 3, 2026 at noon/12:00 PM ET (U.S.).
All questions can be sent to popcenter@hsph.harvard.edu.
Posted: 01/21/26
Charles E. Lindblom Memorial Fellowship (03/10)
(An Invitation to the College and University Fund for the Social Sciences) The 2026 Charles E. Lindblom Memorial Fellowship supports an interdisciplinary social science project that evaluates the efficacy of an intervention to reduce inequality. One fellowship of $7,500 will be offered to a doctoral candidate in economics, political science, sociology, anthropology, history, and/or interdisciplinary social science at one of the member institutions for the College and University Fund for the Social Sciences.
Applications to the 2026 Lindblom Memorial Fellowship must propose projects that evaluate the efficacy of an intervention to reduce some form of inequality around the globe, including interventions by public, nonprofit, and private organizations. Projects are expected to result in the completion of an article-length paper within one year of the award.
Eligibility: The Charles E. Lindblom Memorial Fellowship is open exclusively to PhD candidates affiliated with the member institutions of the College and University Fund for the Social Sciences. Applicants must have completed all requirements and examinations for the PhD other than the dissertation by the time of application.
How To Apply: The Lindblom Memorial Fellowship application consists of a proposal describing the project (maximum 5 pages, including bibliography) and a CV.
🗓️ Application Deadline: The deadline for applications is Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. Please visit apply.ssrc.org to access the application portal.
FAQ: For more details or to contact us with questions, please review the FAQ page.
Posted: 01/13/26
Rolling Deadlines
International Association for the Study of German Politics Project Fund
Purpose:To support research in German politics. The funding may be used for workshops, seminars, public-facing events, or individual fieldwork in Germany.
💰Funding Information: Up to £2,000 GBP (~$2,600)
🗓️ Application Deadline: Rolling
Proposals should be submitted to the IASGP co-ordinator (intasgp@gmail.com) and a decision will be made within 4 weeks
If you have reviewed the Crowdfunding Policyand believe BU Crowdfunding is right for your project, please submit an application below. The Application Details section provides an outline of what is needed to submit a project.
Need more info before applying? Review the posts in our application phase categoryfor helpful resources before submitting a project.
🗓️ Application Deadline: Rolling
National Museum of African American History and Culture Internship Program The mission of the National Museum of African American History and Culture Internship Program is to provide equitable and meaningful temporary workplace-based learning experiences guided by staff mentors across a broad range of museum career fields to support the academic and professional goals of future museum leaders and advocates.
Internships at the National Museum of African American History and Culture offer undergraduate and graduate students, recent graduates and career changers opportunities to work closely with professionals and scholars in the museum field. The museum provides a dynamic learning environment and access to supportive mentors that help interns reach their educational and professional goals. Interns can gain practical museum skills and program development experience in a variety of traditional and non-traditional museum careers.
🗓️ Application Deadline:
Internships are available as full-time (30-40 hours per week) or part-time (20 hours or less) positions from 10 to 13 weeks throughout the year with the possibility for an extension. Start dates and duration may be flexible and arranged with approval from the mentor.
- Spring Internships (January-April): October 15th Applicant Deadline
- Summer Internships (June-August): February 15th Application Deadline
- Fall Internships (September-December): June 15th Application Deadline
Barcelona Four Seasons School of DemographyRegistration is now open for the 2024 programme of courses offered by the Barcelona Four Seasons School of Demography (Bcn4Seasons School). This new series of intensive academic courses launched by the Centre d’Estudis Demogràfics (CED – Centre for Demographic Studies) covers a range of sociodemographic subjects and related techniques that are applicable to social sciences in general.
🗓️ Application Deadline: Varies
Future of Learning: AI Grant (FLAG) newly launched initiative will fund small, low-cost, AI-focused projects up to $5,000. Open to Boston University faculty and graduate teaching fellows, FLAG funding is designed to serve as a springboard for the exploration, design, and implementation of new or improved pedagogical approaches using generative AI in courses and educational programs that support learning for BU students. Learn about this funding opportunity and start experimenting! FLAG Initiative proposals are accepted monthly and reviewed by the leads of the three DL&I units – Center for Teaching & Learning; Education Technology group; and the Shipley Center. Expected response time for submissions is two weeks. This grant will follow the same schedule as our ACT grants.
🗓️ Application Deadline: Rolling/Monthly
Accelerating Classroom Transformation (ACT) Grants The ACT Initiative invites Boston University faculty and graduate teaching fellows to experiment with learning technologies to improve the BU student experience. Intended to fund small, low-cost, technology-enabled projects, ACT Grants serve as a springboard for the exploration, design, and implementation of new or improved pedagogical approaches in courses and educational programs that support learning for BU students. Individual Boston University faculty and graduate teaching fellows may apply for an ACT Grant.
💰Funding Information: up to $5000 may be used for technology licenses, hourly wages for students to assist with the implementation or assessment of the project, or other associated costs. ACT funds will be distributed to your BU department for management.
🗓️ Application Deadline: Rolling/Monthly
- Proposal due: October 2, response by October 16
- Proposal due: November 1, response by November 15
- Proposal due: December 1, response by December 15
Rewriting the Code (RTC) is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to disrupting gender and racial inequity in tech. By connecting, equipping, and empowering undergraduate, graduate, and early-career women in tech, RTC is unapologetically making space for women to enter and thrive in the tech industry. The community is virtual and operates through Slack and regional in-person events. Membership is free, as are all of the amazing resources and opportunities RTC provides.Sign up todayto take advantage of this women-focused network with over 18,000 members across 110+ countries, prioritized career opportunities with 50+ tech companies, and, most importantly, the sense of pride, representation, and belonging.
Questions: Contact info@rewritingthecode.org
Minority Access’ National Diversity & Inclusion Internship Program (Paid) The Minority Access National Internship Program is designed to allow talented undergraduate and graduate students experience the diversity and scope of career opportunities available in the federal, state and local government and participating private business entities. The program allows students to merge academic theory with the experience they are learning in the workplace. Minority Access interns receive pre-employment training, financial management and professional development, and recognition for fulfilling the program’s requirements.
Funding Information: $15.50 – $19.50 hr.
🗓️ Application Deadline: December, March & July 1st.
Boston Public Schools is accepting applications for classroom teaching positions in the district for Fall 2023. Pathways exist for provisional licensing and/or alternative certification.Interested candidates can fill out the quick apply form and someone will follow up. For more information, check out their Flyer or visit the BPS website.
🗓️ Application Deadline: Rolling
The Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies (HCPDS) is a university-wide initiative dedicated to interdisciplinary research focused primarily on the quantitative social science of population change, socio economic development, and public health. Their goal is to produce population-based evidence that will better inform policies needed to create healthy and resilient societies. They are seeking a full-time, doctoral-level Research Analyst to support ongoing studies of cognitive aging and dementia in South Africa. Applicants should submit a cover letter, CV, and writing sample to the HCPDS at popcenter@hsph.harvard.edu. For more information, visit Harvard’s Center for Population and Development Studies.
🗓️ Application Deadline: Rolling
Preservation Society of Newport County Summer Internship An internship at the Preservation Society combines practical experience, collaboration with our professional staff, and exposure to various aspects of general non-profit operations. Interns will gain valuable skill sets, learn about workplace interactions, and gain further insight into their professional interests. Open to current undergraduate juniors and seniors, current graduate students, or recent graduates (within one year) from a bachelor’s or master’s level program. Applications are reviewed and decisions made on a rolling, first-come, first-considered basis. Applications and resumes are accepted year round, even if a specified position is not available or advertised. Visit the Preservation Society website for more information.
🗓️ Application Deadline: Rolling
WCM Behavioral Geriatrics Postdoctoral Training Program This 2-year Postdoctoral Training Program in Behavioral Geriatrics develops independent investigators capable of conducting patient-oriented research to improve the quality of life and quality of care of older adults. Applicants must be an MD and/or Ph.D. recent graduate or anticipate having their degree by September 1, 2023, in a relevant field. Applicants must be a citizen or permanent resident of the U.S. Applications are currently being accepted for the 2023-2024 cohort that would start on September 1, 2023. Candidates will be selected on a rolling basis. Visit the WCM Behavior Geriatrics website for more information.
🗓️ Application Deadline: Rolling
BUCH: Off-Cycle Request for Faculty Project Awards. The Center accepts applications on a rolling basis for events taking place in the current academic year. Please note that because the Center’s budget is set one year in advance, most available funds have already been allocated for the current year and off-cycle awards are necessarily small. For the current year, the limit is $500, except under unusual circumstances. Learn more at the BUCH website!
🗓️ Application Deadline: Rolling
BUCH Publication Production Cost Award for Faculty in the Humanities. Faculty may apply for funds to support production costs after a peer-reviewed publication with direct relevance to the humanities has been accepted for publication but before it has gone to press. The Center is unable to reimburse expenses that have already been paid out. You must apply well in advance of your book’s publication so that the Center can be mentioned as a sponsor in your book’s acknowledgments. If you receive an award, please be prepared to send a digital photograph of your book jacket and a link to your publisher’s website where your book is advertised. We will use these materials on our website or in our annual report and to help with publicity. The Center accepts applications for these awards throughout the year on a rolling basis. To learn more, visit the BUCH website.
🗓️ Application Deadline: Rolling
Faculty Library Acquisition Awards.
The Center manages several endowments that provide funds for library acquisitions, such as the complete run of a journal or a database of otherwise inaccessible material. These funds are meant to supplement, not replace, the normal library purchasing fund, and may be used to build the collection in one of the University’s recently inaugurated areas of study. Proposals should specify the importance of items proposed for purchase to a community of users; these funds are not intended to purchase materials of interest to only one faculty member. The Center accepts applications for these awards throughout the year on a rolling basis. Applications for library acquisitions should involve both a faculty member and a librarian. Where a faculty member initiates the request, they should consult with the collection development librarian in their area. Learn more on the BU Library website!
🗓️ Application Deadline: Rolling
Global Economic Governance Initiative Opportunities. The Global Development Policy (GDP) Center at Boston University is seeking support for the the Global Economic Governance Initiative (GEGI) program. Learn more about this opportunity at Global Economic Governance Initiative.
🗓️ Application Deadline: Rolling
Institute on Culture, Religion, & World Affairs (CURA). Travel grants of up to $500 are provided to Boston University students who wish to travel outside of Boston for a conference or to conduct research on a subject related to CURA’s mission. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.To Apply: Send an explanation of the purpose of the travel, along with a budget for the trip, your current CV, and an email from a professor approving the plans to Assistant Director Arlene Brennan.
🗓️ Application Deadline: Rolling
The Jewish Cultural Endowment (JCE) supports Jewish cultural programs across the University, sponsoring lectures, conferences, literary events, curricular enhancement, and artistic performances and exhibitions. Its mission is to foster an appreciation of Jewish culture in all its richness and diversity. The JCE invites grant proposals from individuals (faculty, students, and staff) with access to a BU program administration that will be responsible for planning, promoting and executing the event. JCE funded events must take place on the BU campus and should directly benefit the BU community.
🗓️ Submission Deadlines: each year in February, May, and October.
Academic Supports
More coming soon!
Student Organizations
The BU Graduate Student Organization sponsors social activities and other events that are open to all graduate students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
Anthropology
Anthropology in the Works is a student-run group that is an inclusive, collaborative, creative space for students to explore anthropology and is open to any student interested in learning more about the discipline. We work to increase the understanding and appreciation of anthropology and to dispel claims that it is not “real” science. We are dedicated to learning more about the traditions and customs of different cultures by hosting and participating in events around campus and across the Boston area. Anthropology in the Works connects undergraduate students with faculty and graduate students and contributes to the community within the Anthropology Department. We do this through planning excursions, discussions, presentations, and celebrations attended by various members of the community. For more information, contact the Executive Board at aitw@bu.edu.
Economics
Graduate Economics Association (GEA) assists students in the Economics graduate program and provides peer resources on a variety of topics. The GEA can be contacted at mailgea@bu.edu.
BU Women in Economics (WEorg) is a graduate student-led organization dedicated to the advancement of women in all stages of research in economics. Contact WEorg at weorg@bu.edu.
History
History Graduate Student Organization (HGSO)hosts social events as well as academic and professional programs for all current graduate students in the History Department.
Politcal Science
The Graduate Student Speaker Series is organized by a few of our graduate students to bring in a variety of speakers from across subfields.
Other
Alianza Latina is Boston University’s largest Latinx student organization dedicated to providing programming that fosters community and encourages students to learn more about Latinx culture and identity, regardless of their own race or ethnicity. We implement weekly cultural, social, and professional meetings as well as community service events on and off campus. For more information, email them at alianzal@bu.edu.
Alpha Phi Omega is the gender-inclusive community service fraternity at Boston University. They aim to establish a space for our members to build a diverse community right here on campus and with the city of Boston. APO partners with numerous community partners, such as the American Red Cross Food Pantry, Women’s Lunch Place, and the Boston Bruins Foundation, to help support this city we call home. There’s definitely an opportunity to get involved with any issue or social justice area you’re passionate about.