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Academic Fellowship Program

The Paradigm Policy Lab is committed to accelerating the creation of high-quality legal and policy scholarship on crypto and related frontier technologies. To that end, we are pleased to offer support for academics interested in basic research through the Policy Lab's Academic Fellowship Program.

We hope that the research we fund helps make the case that crypto is a force for good in society. We also believe that occasionally uncovering uncomfortable truths is an important step toward building a better and more resilient system.

Expectations

  • A 6-month commitment (min. 5 hours of research per week on average; bi-weekly check-ins with the Policy Lab)
  • Delivery of 1 paper/report, publishable as a working paper or in an academic journal (Paradigm will have the right to publish any work product on our website)
  • Presentation of research findings to Paradigm and portfolio

Support

  • A $60k stipend for the first 6 months ($50k in discretionary funding; up to $10k for conference/research travel)
  • Introductions to the Paradigm network of portfolio companies, researchers, and data sets
  • Technical assistance where applicable (e.g., collecting data)
  • Fellowship offsite with Paradigm Policy Lab staff and other fellows
  • Invitation to Paradigm Policy Lab events and calls

Criteria

  • An academic affiliation, broadly defined (e.g., college/university, think tank, non-profit)
  • Interest in crypto and/or open and decentralized systems, as evidenced by past scholarship or professional experience

Selection Process

Applications are accepted and evaluated on a rolling basis. Interested candidates should submit the materials listed below by sending an email to: policylab@paradigm.xyz

  • A CV
  • A research proposal (not to exceed 1000 words) outlining how you plan to use the funds
  • A written response to the following prompt (not to exceed 500 words):
    • What is the most critical basic research relating to crypto that policymakers are missing?
  • Any additional information you think demonstrates your interest in crypto and your skills as a researcher