Stanford Existential Risks Initiative Summer Fellowship
In Summer 2026, the Stanford Existential Risks Initiative will fund 10-week full-time research projects dedicated to mitigating existential risks, with an emphasis on building a community of existential risk researchers via speaker events, discussion groups, social events, etc. Students will work with a mentor (a faculty member, postdoctoral scholar, or industry expert), who will provide weekly advising along with guidance on projects and their design.
Existential risks, or global catastrophic risks, are risks that could cause the collapse of human civilization. Prominent examples of human-driven existential risks include 1) nuclear war, 2) an infectious disease pandemic, 3) hostile or uncontrolled deployments of artificial intelligence, and 4) climate change and other environmental degradation creating biological and physical conditions that thriving human civilizations would not survive. Existential risks projects could range from technical research to policy or philosophical works.
The program will run for 10 weeks from 6/22/25 to 8/28/25, and is open to all current Stanford students (both undergraduate and graduate). Participants will be paid a research stipend of $8,000 for their work. To apply, please fill out the form below. Applications will be considered until March 20th, 11:59PM. Interviews will be held after spring break.
Find more information about SERI at seri.stanford.edu.
- Conduct intensive research under faculty mentorship
- Produce a final poster and presentation
- Engage with top scholars in fields of existential risk in small, weekly group seminars
- Collaborate with interdisciplinary scholars in fields of AI, bio, nuclear, and climate policy
- Build a tight-knit community with on- and off-campus social events
Must be a Stanford student in the following year- open to freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors planning to coterm in the fall, and masters students. Full-time participation on the Stanford campus is required. Research fellows will be provided a working space in Encina Hall for the duration of the summer and are expected to attend weekly forums and discussion events.
