GCSE PROGRAMS · LEADERSHIP
Senior Fellows Program
RESEARCH TO ACTION FROM
The Global Council for Science and the Environment's leadership cohort for professionals ready to move beyond research alone and into implementation.
RESEARCH TO ACTION FROM
Senior Fellows Program
The GCSE Senior Fellows Program is a leadership cohort for professionals who don't just study problems — they scale solutions. Senior Fellows are the people willing to make big bets: to take ideas from research all the way through to real-world delivery. Senior Fellows propose and lead applied work through GCSE's Innovation Labs: transdisciplinary teams that co-develop solutions bridging knowledge and action. Labs generate decision-relevant research and translate it into outcomes that matter — working directly with stakeholders, governments, and communities. Learn more about our current Innovation Lab research priorities →
As part of the cohort, Senior Fellows engage in structured training and learning exchange alongside other GCSE leaders, building both their applied science practice and their professional network across sectors.
"Being a GCSE Fellow has been a great opportunity to spread the word about the environmental and public health challenges regarding waste plastic in the US and around the world."
- Jeff Seay, GCSE Senior Fellow, Chemical Engineering
Apply to become a GCSE Senior Fellow
WHAT SENIOR FELLOWS DO
Fellows Lead Work that Connects
Research to Implementation
Fellows:
Lead Innovation Labs as Principal Investigators (PIs)
Design and guide research-to-action initiatives that inform decision-making
Co-produce knowledge with stakeholders to ensure relevance and uptake
Translate complex research into actionable strategies, tools, and policies
Build and lead transdisciplinary teams across sectors
Mentor emerging leaders and contribute to GCSE programs
WHAT SENIOR FELLOWS GAIN
Fellows Lead Work that Connects
Research to Implementation
The cross-sector infrastructure, partnerships, and institutional backing to take work beyond disciplinary and organizational boundaries — what most institutions can't provide on their own
Visibility with funders, policymakers, and partners who are positioned to act on research
A leadership cohort with structured training and learning exchange with other GCSE leaders
An organizational home to develop and house Innovation Labs — with the convening power to make them land
Build and lead transdisciplinary teams across sectors
HOW IT WORKS
Fellows Lead Work that Connects
Research to Implementation
At the core of the program is the opportunity to develop and lead an Innovation Lab — GCSE's primary mechanism for advancing research into action. Senior Fellows begin by submitting an Innovation Idea, which outlines:
The Innovation Idea outlines…
The challenge being addressed
The proposed research-to-action approach
The intended outputs (e.g., tools, frameworks, pilots, policy integration)
A clear funding pathway
EACH LAB IS DESIGNED TO...
Generate decision-relevant research
Work directly with stakeholders throughout the process
Translate findings into implemented solutions
An Innovation Idea becomes an Innovation Lab once full funding is secured.
FUNDING EXPECTATIONS
Intellectually Rigorous
and Operationally Viable
Senior Fellows are expected to lead work that is both intellectually rigorous and operationally viable.
Applicants should:
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Have an identified funding pathway
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Be prepared to work with GCSE to develop and submit a proposal to a clearly defined funding opportunity
All Innovation Ideas must articulate how the research will move into action and where funding will be secured.
WHO CAN BECOME A GCSE SENIOR FELLOW
Expert in their given field, typically holding a terminal degree (Ph.D., M.D., Esq., etc)
May be early to late career with domain-relevant expertise
Given the transdisciplinary structure of Innovation Labs, Senior Fellows may come from a background in scientific research or policy implementation from academic, industry, policy, or non-profit sectors.
Excited to bridge scientific research with applied solutions that support more resilient communities, addressing environmental and public health challenges.
Open to collaborative project development
A PLATFROM FOR RESEARCH THAT DELIVERS IMPACT
PROGRAM PRINCIPLE
The Senior Fellows Program is built on the principle that research alone is not enough. It is a platform for leaders who are committed to ensuring that knowledge is co-produced, translated, and implemented — advancing solutions that are scientifically grounded and operationally effective.
Checkout our current Senior Fellows