The Bloomberg Harvard Visiting Scholars Program supports rigorous, policy-relevant research on urban problem-solving and city leadership. The program selects a cohort of researchers whose work has the potential to make meaningful contributions both to scholarship and to real-world challenges. Individuals selected through the application process are appointed as Bloomberg Harvard Visiting Scholars.

Scholars may spend either one semester or one full academic year in residence at the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University. During their residency, scholars focus primarily on advancing their research while engaging with the Center’s intellectual community. This is the inaugural year of the Bloomberg Harvard Visiting Scholars Program. The Center’s goal is to build a lasting and collaborative community of scholars whose work informs the practice of urban problem-solving and city leadership.

The Bloomberg Center for Cities supports research that strengthens the capacity of cities and city leaders to deliver results. Projects should make a significant contribution to advancing the study of urban problem-solving and city leadership, with a focus on driving performance, leading innovation, and delivering results for residents. Areas of particular interest include, but are not limited to:

• Mayoral leadership and management strategies

• Conditions that enable high-performing staff and teams

• Organizational capabilities for innovation

• Evidence-based policy solutions and the capacity needed to deliver them

• The use of data and artificial intelligence to strengthen decision-making

• Effective approaches to cross-sector collaboration

Program Details

The Bloomberg Harvard Visiting Scholars Program is designed to provide scholars with protected time for research. During their residency, Bloomberg Harvard Visiting Scholars will focus primarily on advancing the research project outlined in their application. In addition to their primary research focus, scholars are expected to contribute to the intellectual life of the Center through a small number of structured activities, including:

• Hosting one research seminar per semester, focused on their ongoing work or related themes

• Convening a student study group connected to their research that meets twice per month, with monthly office hours, intended to facilitate discussion rather than formal instruction

• Organizing one event (such as a talk or panel) open to the broader Harvard community

The program provides housing near Harvard University. Financial assistance is available to enable scholars to dedicate sustained time to their proposed research project. Depending on individual circumstances, this support may be used to facilitate course buyout or other arrangements that allow scholars to step back from regular academic obligations during the residency period.

Residency may last one semester or a full academic year.

The Center anticipates being able to sponsor visas for selected scholars, subject to institutional policies and individual circumstances.

Eligibility and Application Process

The program invites applications from researchers whose work aligns with the mission of the Bloomberg Center for Cities. Applicants may come from a range of disciplinary backgrounds and be at different career stages. There are no formal requirements regarding academic rank.

Applicants should submit a proposal describing a specific research project that they will pursue during the residency. Proposals should clearly articulate:

• The urban problem or city leadership challenge that the research addresses

• The research question(s) that the project examines and the theorey/theories underpinning the work

• The research design and methodological approach

• The significance of the project for the fields of research and practice

• The type(s) of outputs envisioned and potential impacts

Applicants may be invited to participate in an interview with members of a selection committee. Following this process, selected applicants will be formally appointed as Bloomberg Harvard Visiting Scholars.

Selection Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on:

• Clarity and significance of the research problem

• Strength of the research design

• Potential contribution to scholarship and to the practice of urban problem-solving

• Alignment with the mission and thematic interests of the Bloomberg Center for Cities

Timeline

Application Launches: September 16th

Application Closes: October 28th

Selected Notified of Selection: February

Apply Now
Applications for the Bloomberg Harvard Visiting Scholars Program are now open. Apply by October 28th.