The Berkman Center for Internet & Society, in collaboration with partners across the University, is looking for committed and curious students from any and all corners of Harvard to apply to be Berkman DPSI Pioneers – participants in a new and University-wide pilot program incubated by the Berkman Center called the Digital Problem-Solving Initiative (DPSI), which will occur throughout the 2013-2014 year.
Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis through Monday, September 9 at 11:59 PM ET at brk.mn/dpsi.
The DPSI pilot provides an exciting opportunity for Harvard students to work with experienced mentors and engage with real use cases in a range of sectors, build something tangible and useful for Harvard and beyond, and inform the development of the program. Each student participant will join a team that will tackle the challenge of one of the initial use cases identified by mentors across Harvard. This new initiative holds tremendous promise, and we look forward to developing it with students from across the University.
More information about DPSI and about becoming a Berkman DPSI Pioneer is below. Please share this call widely with your networks and peers. You can use these links:
Should you have any questions about DPSI or the opportunity to become a Berkman DPSI Pioneer, please feel most welcome to reach out to us directly at <[email protected]> with the subject line “[DPSI] Students”.
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Additional information:
The Digital Problem Solving Initiative (DPSI) is a Harvard-wide pilot program that aims to bring together students, faculty, university officials, fellows, and staff to work in teams on practicable and concrete digital problems and opportunities. It offers students and other participants a novel opportunity to enhance and cultivate competency with digital tools and online activity as teams engage with research, creative production, and policies governing the digital world.
DPSI provides an opportunity to influence the ways that Harvard approaches education and community. It’s an untested and aspirational experiment with high hopes; you have the opportunity to make a lasting impact on the program, and in turn Harvard, and perhaps the world.
Who Are We Looking For?
We are currently looking for committed and curious students from any and all corners of Harvard to participate in teams for the pilot. We are looking for people whose values, interests, and characteristics align with the pilot’s principles, which include team-based problem-solving, community-building, collaboration, and more. You don’t need to consider yourself a geek, a hacker, or even someone deeply familiar with technology in order to be a good candidate.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible, you:
- must be studying at Harvard and physically located in Cambridge, MA during 2013-2014
- must be enrolled in a degree-granting program during 2013-2014
- can come from any institution within Harvard
- can come from any discipline or course of study offered at your institution
Components of the Program
Each student will join a team that will tackle the challenge of one of the initial use cases identified by mentors across Harvard. Each team will be charged with defining its focus, devising its own model for working together, delivering concrete outputs that accord with its vision, and determining useful milestones along the way. To date, initial team options include:
- Cataloging, Designing, Evaluating, and Developing Shared Practices Around Innovation Labs
- Developing Big Data Analysis Tools
- Understanding Institutional Involvement in Student and Faculty Social Communication
- HILT’s Digital Identity and Capabilities
- Installation/Curatorial Space at The Fogg Museum
- Publishing Archives / Publishing History
In addition to participating in direct efforts related to one such use case with their teams, participants will also benefit from community that constitute an important component of DPSI. Developing a community of practice is one of the pilot’s core aims; events, online discussion spaces, and more will help foster community growth.
Why Should I Apply?
The DPSI pilot offers you a novel opportunity to enhance and cultivate competency with digital tools and online activity as teams engage with research, creative production, and policies governing the digital world.
You will be invited to join the Berkman Center’s inaugural class of DPSI pioneers and offered the opportunity to expand digital competencies and networks in a fast-paced and highly collaborative entrepreneurial environment. Student participants in the pilot will receive the title “Berkman DPSI Pioneer”.
You and your projects will be featured in web content and communications produced by the Berkman Center, as well as other partner institutions involved in the initiative.
Students participating in the pilot will not receive credit or compensation for the program. However, participants will connect with experienced mentors with broad networks and will have the opportunities to apply real solutions to hard problems in a range of sectors, to build something tangible and useful, and to inform the development of this exciting program.
Time Expectations of Participants
We anticipate a commitment of approximately 8-10 hours a week.
Participants should be available to engage the program beginning with a workshop on September 17-18 2013, and are committing to participation throughout the 2013-2014 academic year.
How Can I Learn More About the Program?
Even if you choose not to apply, you will have opportunities to learn more about the emergent DPSI community, the associated work on use cases, and potential ways to get involved in the future. The Berkman Center may host an information session about these topics during the first week of September 2013. To submit your name and indicate your interest, please complete this form.
If you are a non-student and interested in DPSI, please see Get Involved: Others in the Harvard Community.
How Do I Apply?
Please submit your application here: brk.mn/dpsi
We are currently accepting applications, and will continue to do so through Sunday, September 9 at 11:59 PM ET.
