Harvard Impact Labs announced the inaugural participants for two programs that put Harvard research and expertise to work for society: the Impact Lab Development Fellowship and Public Service Leaves. Ten faculty from six Harvard Schools were selected through a competitive application process. The participating professors span fields from law, education, and political science to public health, medicine, and bioengineering.
Public Service Leaves: Harvard Impact Labs provides sabbatical support for Harvard faculty to spend a semester working in government or nonprofit organizations. The initial participants will be Ingrid Bassett, who will work at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to design and evaluate childhood vaccination outreach and communication strategies, and Alisha C. Holland, who will be working on the Argentinian President’s Council of Advisors to develop new channels for citizen participation in green energy projects, streamline bureaucracy, and increase citizen trust in government.
Impact Lab Development Fellowship: The nine-month fellowship provides faculty with training, coaching, and $25,000 in seed funding to develop meaningful scientific collaborations with public and private leaders aimed at producing evidence-based, scalable solutions to social problems. The initial cohort of eight fellows, listed below, will participate in monthly workshops led by Harvard Impact Labs Faculty co-Directors Danielle Allen and Jeffrey Liebman, covering topics such as refining problem definitions, building partnerships, scaling, fundraising, and communications. Launched in spring 2025, Harvard Impact Labs is a University-wide initiative created to strengthen the capacity of Harvard faculty to design and scientifically test solutions to some of society’s biggest challenges. The initiative provides resources, training, and opportunities for faculty to work alongside leaders in government, nonprofits, and the private sector.
“The selected faculty are eager to learn from leaders outside of academia and work alongside them to develop solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities,” said Amanda Pallais, the Robert C. Waggoner Professor of Economics and co-faculty director of Harvard Impact Labs. “Harvard Impact Labs is designed to provide faculty with the tools, connections, and support to build partnerships that turn research into meaningful change.”
“Public Service Leaves open the door for faculty to step directly into government and nonprofit organizations,” said James S. Kim, professor of education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and co-faculty director of Harvard Impact Labs. “Immersion in these environments provides an opportunity for faculty to apply their skills and research insights to pressing problems while deepening their understanding of the issues, building new relationships, and sparking fresh research questions.”
“These Harvard faculty will work with public, nonprofit, and private sector leaders in the U.S. and abroad to improve health, education, economic mobility and well-being,” said Pauline Abernathy, executive director at Harvard Impact Labs. “Our aim is to bring Harvard’s research engine to bear on real-world challenges in ways that are responsive, collaborative, and rooted in community needs.”
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