Harvard initiates pilot project to address some of today’s most significant challenges

On Wednesday, Harvard made known the introduction of a pilot for a new University-spanning initiative named Harvard Impact Labs. This program will assist faculty members collaborating with leaders in government, non-profits, and the private sector to formulate solutions for urgent social issues.

Universities have historically been at the forefront of generating scientific insights aimed at enhancing the human experience through research in the life sciences and engineering. Harvard Impact Labs aspires to bolster the impact-oriented efforts of social scientists, employing the resources of scientific inquiry to aid public officials in overcoming the challenges they encounter daily. Each lab will concentrate on a particular societal issue, such as local economic growth, affordable housing, educational success, top-tier healthcare, or community safety.

Throughout the pilot phase, the initiative will encompass three primary elements: (1) a fellowship program aimed at supporting faculty as they forge substantial scientific partnerships with leaders in the public and social domains, (2) initial funding to back these collaborations as they design, evaluate, and expand solutions in practical contexts, and (3) public service leaves to provide faculty with opportunities to immerse themselves in government or non-profit organizations, gaining in-depth insights into the challenges they intend to tackle. Through these facets, Harvard Impact Labs will back faculty already engaged in this essential work and equip others with the skills and resources necessary to apply their research and expertise for societal benefit.

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“Similar to how Harvard faculty in the life sciences have diligently endeavored to create medical advancements that save and enhance lives, Harvard Impact Labs will assist faculty and students from various disciplines in addressing the real-world obstacles our society encounters,” stated Hopi Hoekstra, the Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the C.Y. Chan Professor of Arts and Sciences, and the Xiaomeng Tong and Yu Chen Professor of Life Sciences.

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“In this period of dissatisfaction with the current situation, diminishing trust in expertise, and skepticism towards government and democracy, there has never been a more critical time for an initiative of this nature,” remarked Jeremy Weinstein, dean of Harvard Kennedy School and Don K. Price Professor of Public Policy. “By providing faculty and students with the necessary support — and linking them with real-world practitioners — Harvard Impact Labs can assist in addressing our most significant challenges and enhancing lives around the globe.”

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“Harvard Impact Labs builds upon the remarkable efforts conducted by many of our faculty in collaboration with communities nationwide and internationally, whether it involves enhancing education, healthcare, housing, public safety, the environment, or a myriad of other concerns,” expressed Nonie K. Lesaux, the interim dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Roy E. Larsen Professor of Education and Human Development. “Communities and leaders are making significant efforts to devise solutions, and we can facilitate the acceleration of that work.”

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“We are excited to empower more Harvard faculty to collaborate with public- and private-sector innovators to create, examine, and elevate solutions for various social challenges,” conveyed Jeffrey Liebman, the Robert W. Scrivner Professor of Public Policy at the Kennedy School and co-faculty director of Harvard Impact Labs. “At the Government Performance Lab, I’ve witnessed how faculty and students can simultaneously transform lives and advance scientific knowledge by engaging directly with those confronting society’s greatest challenges — and I’m enthusiastic about expanding that mission with Harvard Impact Labs.”

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“Numerous Harvard faculty members are keen to apply their expertise in making a tangible impact beyond the university, but determining where to begin can be challenging,” remarked Danielle Allen, the James Bryant Conant University Professor, co-faculty director of this initiative, and director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation. “This initiative is designed to enable more faculty to have large-scale impact and facilitate swifter progress on some of the nation’s and world’s most daunting social issues.”

Faculty members from all Harvard Schools will qualify for funding and assistance. The initiative will reside at Harvard Kennedy School and report to the deans of the Kennedy School, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and the Graduate School of Education. It will be overseen by a distinguished team of faculty advisers from across the University and spearheaded by co-faculty directors Danielle Allen; Jeffrey Liebman; James S. Kim, professor of education; and Amanda Pallais, the Robert C. Waggoner Professor of Economics. The executive director, Pauline Abernathy, brings extensive experience in implementing reforms at national, state, and local levels, having held senior roles in government, non-profits, and philanthropy. She is an alumna of the Kennedy School’s Master in Public Policy program.

This pilot initiative is made feasible by a generous contribution from Julian Baker, who obtained his A.B. in social studies from Harvard College in 1988.

Further details regarding the initiative can be located on the Harvard Impact Labs website.