Partner: Data-Driven EnviroLab, University of North Carolina and Chapel Hill

The Data-Driven EnviroLab (DDL) is an interdisciplinary and international group of researchers, scientists, programmers, and visual designers. The DDL uses innovative data analytics to distill signals from large-scale and unconventional datasets and develop policy solutions to contemporary environmental problems. Working with scholars and policymakers across the globe, DDL strives to strengthen environmental policy at all levels. We promote evidence-based approaches to problem-solving while boosting information disclosure and transparency among public institutions, private companies, civic organizations, and individual citizens. 

The DDL is based at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and is based at the Institute for the Environment at UNC. As an academic research lab headed by Angel Hsu, Associate Professor at UNC-Chapel Hill, we have a particular mission to help train data-minded scholars and leaders in the field of environmental policy. Our group is primarily 11 comprised of student researchers at the undergraduate and graduate levels. 

Project: Measuring Urban Environmental Performance and Social Inclusion. The Fellow can work on any of the following projects: 

1. Project 1: Conceptual Framework – Social Connectedness Measure 
   • This project would focus on identifying and operationalizing relevant social connection/isolation indicators that can be incorporated into our extreme heat risk and resilience framework. Specific work would involve a targeted review of relevant literature (e.g., urban sociology, public health, disaster risk and prevention) to clarify the mechanisms linking social isolation to heat vulnerability and to assess which measures could be credibly and consistently measured across cities. The fellow would select one or more candidate indicators and design an approach that supports both cross-city comparability, and where data permits, within-city variation (e.g., neighborhood-level patterns). The fellow would conduct a small comparative case study of several cities, chosen in collaboration with our team, and compile data to measure the social inclusion indicator. The final product could involve a box or feature in the UESI index and website, or a publication intended for a peer reviewed publication. 
2. Project 2: Exploring the Role of Bus Stop Design in Air Temperatures 
   • This project would involve using Kestrel low-cost air temperature and humidity sensors to measure air temperature under different types of bus stop shelters over the course of the summer. Sensors would be deployed at each site on a rotating schedule (or multiple simultaneous placements if available) to capture air temperature at rider height, and, where feasible, complementary variables like relative humidity and heat index. The analysis would compare thermal conditions across shelter types and contexts, focusing on metrics that are decision-relevant for transit planning (e.g., average mid-day temperature differences, frequency of “high heat” periods, and whether certain shelter features consistently reduce peak heat exposure. The final deliverable would be a short write-up and briefing summarizing methods, results, and practical implications, with actionable recommendations for bus stop siting and shelter design (e.g., shade placement, materials, ventilation, and priority locations for upgrades).The project would involve fieldwork as well as an analysis/write up of the results and give some recommendations or implications for public transit design. Local partners could include the town of Chapel Hill, UNC Transit, UNC Chapel Hill as well as other partners, as the information would likely be useful to them.
3. Project 3: Assessing the Heat Mitigation Impact of Milwaukie Forests in Raleigh 
   • This project assesses the heat mitigation potential of a Milwaukie forest, a densely planted urban forest, in the Raleigh area. Using low-cost air temperature and relative humidity sensors (Kestrel Drop D2s), the fellow will quantify heat stress conditions within the forest and in nearby non-forested areas. By comparing temperature, humidity, and derived heat stress metrics across forested and non-forested sites, the project aims to examine the cooling effects of dense urban tree cover. Results will provide evidence of the role that compact urban forests play in reducing heat exposure and improving thermal comfort in urban areas. 
4. Project 4: Assessing the Effects of Cooling Pavements 
   • In urban areas, man-made materials like asphalt in roadways contribute to the urban heat island (UHI) effect and variation in temperatures within urban areas. Cool pavements are a heat mitigation strategy that aims to lower temperatures by increasing the reflectivity of paved surfaces so that they absorb and re-radiate less heat. In this project, the fellow would assist in evaluating the impacts of a cool pavement program implemented by a local government in North Carolina. The fellow would support field data collection using a network of local temperature sensors installed throughout the city, engage with city officials, and conduct analyses to estimate program impacts.

Read the full project description.

Application Link: Apply here

Key Applicant Information:  

• Location: USA, with a preference for someone who could work locally in their Chapel Hill office.
• Quantitative research skills are required.

Partner: HelpAge Canada

Established in 1975, HelpAge Canada is a national charity and international NGO dedicated to improving the lives of older people across Canada and globally. We are the national backbone of the Community-Based Seniors Serving (CBSS) sector, representing more than 10,000 organizations and reaching over 400,000 older adults through a shared focus on belonging, inclusion, and financial well-being.  

As an active member of the HelpAge Global Network (208 organizations in 99 countries), HelpAge Canada works to advance the shared vision of a world where older people live safe, healthy, and dignified lives. Our programs build capacity, foster collaboration, and strengthen the collective voice for ageing well. 

Project: Benchmarking Belonging

This fellow will work on establishing surveys, based on the UCLA loneliness scale, distributing surveys, and analyzing the survey to establish Belonging benchmarks (heat map) per identified administrative boundary. This will be done by identifying the average UCLA likert score per administrative boundary. This will establish the 2026 baseline, on which future scores will be measured. Please read full project description.

Application Link: Apply here

Key Applicant Information:

• Location: This project is prioritizing applicants based in Canada.
• Ideally is an older adult with background knowledge or experience in the areas of ageing, community development and non-profit/civil society. Comfort in conducting research and literature reviews. 

Partner: HelpAge Canada

Established in 1975, HelpAge Canada is a national charity and international NGO dedicated to improving the lives of older people across Canada and globally. We are the national backbone of the Community-Based Seniors Serving (CBSS) sector, representing more than 10,000 organizations and reaching over 400,000 older adults through a shared focus on belonging, inclusion, and financial well-being.  

As an active member of the HelpAge Global Network (208 organizations in 99 countries), HelpAge Canada works to advance the shared vision of a world where older people live safe, healthy, and dignified lives. Our programs build capacity, foster collaboration, and strengthen the collective voice for ageing well. 

Project: Informing Policy

This Fellow, through conducting international literature reviews of past and present policies, government infrastructure and other National or International level policies, infrastructure and conventions, will develop a suite of 3 to 4 policy recommendations for all levels of government to consider. These will be aimed at strengthening the sense of belonging and reducing loneliness experiences by Older Canadians in all their diversity. 

Fellows will work together on knowledge mobilization and building a 6-step path to belonging. Please read full project description.

Application Link: Apply here

Key Applicant Information:

• Location: This project is prioritizing applicants based in Canada.
• Ideally is an older adult with background knowledge or experience in the areas of ageing, community development and non-profit/civil society. Comfort in conducting research and literature reviews. 

Partner: The Inside-Out Center (International Headquarters of The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program and Alternative Dialogue & Exchange Initiatives)

Founded in 1997, The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program is based on the idea that incarcerated individuals and college students might mutually benefit from studying social justice issues together as peers, through a dialogue of equals.  

The core of Inside-Out is a semester-long academic course, through which 15-18 “outside” (campus-based) students and the same number of “inside” (incarcerated) students attend class together weekly inside prison. Participants read a variety of texts, write several papers, enter into dialogue in small and large groups, and work together on a final class project.  

Project: Inside-Out Think Tanks: Taking the Course Experience Further and Deeper (An In-Depth Study of Think Tanks throughout the Global Inside-Out Network from the Past and/or Present) 

The work of this project will be to gather information about where both past and existing think tanks have taken their Inside-Out experience. Each group is unique and has been engaged in very diverse kinds of social justice initiatives. We want to delve into the development of each of these groups, including the mission, organization, and ongoing work of the group – and in what ways their work has taken Inside-Out further and deeper.  

The fellow involved in this project will be provided contact information for the members of these groups, and develop a series of questions that can inform an interview with some of the think tank members via Zoom (when possible). Hopefully, the fellow will also be able to collect artifacts of the groups’ work, as well as craft a full description of each group’s membership, past work, and plans for the future. Finally, it would be of interest, once the information is gathered, to explore some of the intersections and common themes of the groups’ work. Please read the full project description. 

Application Link: Apply here

Key Applicant Information:  

• Location: Philadelphia, USA
• Preference will be given to applicants with prior experience with the Inside-Out program as an inside student, or applicants with lived experience of incarceration. 

Partner: The Inside-Out Center (International Headquarters of The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program and Alternative Dialogue & Exchange Initiatives)

Founded in 1997, The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program is based on the idea that incarcerated individuals and college students might mutually benefit from studying social justice issues together as peers, through a dialogue of equals.  

The core of Inside-Out is a semester-long academic course, through which 15-18 “outside” (campus-based) students and the same number of “inside” (incarcerated) students attend class together weekly inside prison. Participants read a variety of texts, write several papers, enter into dialogue in small and large groups, and work together on a final class project.  

Project: What Transformation Looks Like – and Where It Can Take Us: Portraits of Inside-Out Alumni and How They Have Applied What They’ve Learned from the Inside-Out Experience  

The fellow involved in this project will be provided with names and contact information for both former inside and outside alumni in order to set up Zoom interviews with them. The fellow will develop questions for these interviews that will help to inform the interview process. After gathering the information, the fellow will examine the gathered data for both common themes, as well as a fuller understanding of the process of transformation experienced by the alumni – and how / why that transformation influenced their future trajectories. Please read the full project description. 

Application Link: Apply here

Key Applicant Information:  

• Location: Philadelphia, USA
• Preference will be given to applicants with prior experience with the Inside-Out program as an inside student, or applicants with lived experience of incarceration. 

Partner Organization: Partners In Health Liberia

Partners In Health (PIH) is a global health and social justice organization founded in 1987 with the mission of ensuring that quality health care is a human right. PIH began working in Liberia in 2014 at the request of the Government of Liberia during the Ebola epidemic, supporting emergency response efforts and helping rebuild the national health system. Since then, PIH Liberia has established a long-term partnership with the Ministry of Health, focusing on strengthening rural health systems in Maryland County in the Southeastern part of the country. 

PIH Liberia envisions a health system where all people, especially those most marginalized, can access quality, dignified, equitable, and comprehensive care. Its programs take a community-based approach whereby trained and paid community health workers link patients to functional health care services that include but not limited to maternal and child health, mental health, NCDs, HIV and tuberculosis care, surgery and trauma services, and community health. In addition to clinical service delivery, PIH collaborates with academic institutions to engage in medical education and research to generate evidence to guide policy and advocacy to advance inclusive, diversified and equitable people-centered care in the company of governments to foster leadership and governance. 

Project: Beyond Access: Co-Creating Belonging in Healthcare for Persons with Disabilities in Rural Liberia

This project seeks to examine and elevate the experiences, needs, and agency of persons with disabilities within the health care system in Maryland County, rural Liberia. Building on findings from PIH Liberia’s recent Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Assessment, which included focus group discussions with vulnerable groups, the project will explore how physical inaccessibility, negative provider attitudes, communication barriers, and financial barriers and social exclusion shape access to care across the full continuum of care, from community-level linkages to facility-based services.  

Using a participatory and co-creation model, the Samuel Scholar will work alongside persons with disabilities, local Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), community health workers, and health facility staff to conduct a disability-informed facility accessibility audit. The audit will include an audit of physical spaces as well as assess facility service providers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to disability inclusion. Please read full project description.

Application Link: Apply here

Key Applicant Information

• Location: Maryland County, rural southeastern Liberia
• The project welcomes both in-country and remote scholars, with a strong preference for in-person engagement in Maryland County

Partner: Synergos Institute – South Africa

Synergos Institute is a global nonprofit organization founded in 1987 that works to reduce poverty and inequality by strengthening collaborative leadership and building trust across divides. In South Africa, Synergos focuses on social cohesion, inclusive leadership, and systems transformation in contexts shaped by inequality, historical trauma, and institutional fragmentation. 

Our mission is to cultivate leaders and partnerships that can solve complex societal challenges through collaboration, empathy, and shared purpose. A distinctive aspect of Synergos’ work is the integration of Inner Work for Outer Change— recognizing that sustainable transformation requires shifts in mindsets, relationships, and systems. Programs include Bridging Leadership development, the Spiritual Civilization initiative, community dialogues, and multi-stakeholder partnerships that bring together civil society, government, business, and community actors. 

Synergos emphasizes culturally grounded approaches, reflective practice, and ethical leadership to foster belonging and dignity. Our work spans local, national, and global networks committed to inclusive and sustainable development. 

Project: Inner Work for Outer Change

Synergos Institute – South Africa proposes to host a Fellow to conduct rigorous research on the intersections of belonging, spirituality, wellbeing, and inner work as foundations for collaborative leadership and social transformation. Grounded in Synergos’ Bridging Leadership approach, the project will examine how inner dimensions of leadership — such as self-awareness, purpose, compassion, and meaning-making — influence the capacity of individuals and groups to build trust, navigate difference, and co-create solutions to complex societal challenges. 

The participatory research will be situated in real-world contexts where leaders, practitioners, and communities are working across divides shaped by inequality, historical trauma, identity, or institutional distrust. Particular attention will be given to culturally rooted spiritual and reflective practices that foster connection, resilience, and ethical action, strengthening belonging for individuals and communities. 

Spirituality will be understood inclusively, encompassing religious, indigenous, contemplative, and secular forms of meaning-making. Using qualitative or mixed methodologies such as interviews, focus groups, and case studies, the Fellow will document lived experiences of belonging and examine how inner work contributes to effective bridging across social, cultural, and political differences. 

The project aims to generate publishable academic knowledge while remaining grounded in practice and respectful engagement with participants. Ultimately, it seeks to illuminate how personal transformation and collective wellbeing are interdependent, offering evidence for more holistic approaches to leadership and systems change. Please read the full project description.

Application Link: Apply here

Key Applicant Information:

• Location: Johannesburg, South Africa (Hybrid — remote participation possible)

Partner: Tamarack Institute for Community Engagement

The Tamarack Institute is a leading Canadian charity that catalyzes collective action to solve major community challenges. Our vision is to build a connected force for community change to end poverty, build youth futures, address climate change, and deepen belonging. Since our founding, we have been dedicated to centering those with lived experience. Through our Tamarack 2030 Plan, we are committed to interrupting the systemic roles of racism, colonization, and xenophobia in communities. We operate through two primary pillars:

Networks for Change: We support a movement of over 400 municipalities and thousands of learners across four networks: Communities Ending Poverty, Communities Building Youth Futures, Community Climate Transitions, and Communities Building Belonging.

Skills for Change: We transform community-developed knowledge into practical tools, supporting changemakers through five interconnected practices of community change. Guided by our principles, Tamarack provides a unique platform for Fellows to engage with deep community roots while influencing Canada-wide policy. We focus on the possible, leveraging hope and collective potential to drive measurable impact across Turtle Island.

Project: Communities Building Belonging

The Tamarack Institute, in partnership with the Belonging Forum, seeks to host a Samuel Scholar to catalyse the integration of belonging into community-led poverty reduction, climate equity, and youth employment efforts across Canada.  

By building a rigorous evidence base, the project will demonstrate that belonging is a fundamental right for all living things and the vital policy priority of our time. Please read the full project description.

Application Link: Apply here

Key Applicant Information:

• Location: Canada (remote)

Partner: Good Faith Partnership + Warm Welcome

Founded in 2022, the Warm Welcome Campaign works to provide UK residents with places of belonging through Warm Welcome Spaces. Our bold purpose is to enable a connected society where everyone has access to welcoming community spaces. The Warm Welcome Campaign is part of the Good Faith Partnership. We unite different passions, skills and expertise around a common vision: the power of people working together to bring about lasting change. 

Warm Welcome Spaces are unique community-run initiatives that operate in a way that works best for their community, united by the common principles of being warm, safe, inclusive and free to access. They are located in libraries, community centres, faith spaces, and local businesses. They help their guests to combat loneliness, offer support with issues caused by the cost-of-living crisis, and boost wellbeing. These spaces bring people together through the universal language of sharing meals and cups of tea. 

Project: Exploring Inclusion in Warm Welcome Spaces across the UK 

The Warm Welcome Campaign has been working alongside an inclusion specialist group called NeuroAdvantage to co-develop an inclusion toolkit with Warm Welcome Spaces across the UK. The toolkit is designed to help Spaces think about ways they can strengthen the inclusive nature of their Space and create a deeper sense of belonging for a wider range of people. The Warm Welcome Campaign network currently has over 6,000 registered spaces and more than 250 of these spaces have engaged in the co-design process of this toolkit. The inclusion toolkit will be shared publicly in April 2026. 

We aim to study how Warm Welcome Spaces across the UK begin to implement the findings and tools included in this toolkit. We hope to understand what is going well, what needs work, and what barriers exist to help Warm Welcome Spaces put the learning into practice. Identifying gaps in the toolkit, the fellow will work alongside Warm Welcome Spaces to develop suggestions and strategies for action. Please read the full project description.

Application Link: Apply here

Key Applicant Information:

• Location: UK-Based