Fellows at the Forefront

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Program Overview:

Fellows at the Forefront is an innovative, faculty-led summer program that empowers students to address some of the world’s most urgent social issues through research, policy, and advocacy initiatives. The program centers on peer-to-peer learning, with a weekly faculty-guided seminar series. Each summer, a cohort of approximately 10 fellows is selected to explore a pressing issue from a variety of perspectives.

Fellows participate in the program through one of two roles. Half of the cohort works with community organizations, gaining firsthand experience with the strategies and challenges of addressing social issues through policy or practice. The other half of the cohort works directly with faculty or affiliated researchers, contributing to research and analysis related to the program’s core topic. 

Themes:

During the Summer of 2026, there will be two distinct Fellows at the Forefront cohorts: 

Climate Change & The Environment 

This cohort is offered in collaboration with the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability with support from the Mindich Service Fellowship Program. Faculty-led research projects and weekly seminars are facilitated by Professor Jason Beckfield, focusing on innovative solutions and critical issues at the intersection of climate change and the environment.

 Humanitarian Aid & Climate Resilience 

This cohort is offered in collaboration with the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) with support from the Johnson Climate Fund. Research projects are led by a diverse group of HHI leadership team members, and weekly seminars are organized by Dr. Michael VanRooyen and Dr. Irini Albanti. HHI faculty, program managers, and visiting scientists will present on their projects and then invite the students to ask questions. Topics cover the range of HHI's portfolio and current issues in humanitarian aid. 

Seminar Series:

Throughout the summer, fellows participate in weekly, faculty-led seminar discussions featuring experts and practitioners in the field. Guided by a Harvard faculty leader, these seminars foster a dynamic environment in which fellows learn from one another's diverse experiences and perspectives. 

The goals of the seminars are to: 

  • Expose interns to a broad number of topics relevant to the Fellows at the Forefront theme
  • Introduce fellows to potential career paths
  • Deepen fellows’ learning by allowing them to share about their own research and internship experiences

Residential Community (Optional): 

Those fellows conducting work in the Boston area have the option to live on campus through a collaboration with the Undergraduate Research & Fellowship Office (URAF) Summer Scholars in Residence Program. The cost of housing and meals will be covered through a deduction from the program stipend.

Program Details & Application Information: 

Please visit the Funded Fellowship Programs page for details regarding the summer program experience, expectations, application instructions, selection process timeline, and FAQs.

Summer Placements

Interested students should apply on CARAT by Sunday, February 1, 2026 at 11:59pm ET.

 

Climate Change & The Environment Cohort Placements :

 

Humanitarian Aid & Climate Resilience Cohort Placements: