MIT's Work of the Future initiative envisions an economy where dramatic advances in automation and computation go hand in hand with improved outcomes and economic security for workers. The seed fund will support multidisciplinary research and education projects examining how technological progress can augment the quality of work.
2022 Call for ProposalsApplications due May 2, 2022 by 5pm ET.
Please include 2-3 page project summary and
one-page bio / CV for each PI / collaborator.
Additional details below.
The program is interested in funding research projects in three areas.
Technology development: when engineers develop a new software tool or piece of equipment, they could make decisions that have downstream consequences for workers. For example, how much skill it requires to program a machine might affect the types of workers that can interact with the technology – and the wages they can demand. How can engineering research incorporate worker context and worker consequences into the technology development process?
Organizational practices: employers make management decisions, including technology adoption decisions, that affect the skills needed, the quality of the jobs they provide, and their competitiveness in the marketplace. Different organizations may organize work differently and even approach the same technology differently, leading to divergent worker outcomes. Research on how organizational practices shape job quality, and how technology affects workers, can inform engineering and management practice.
Innovation in training: firms consistently report difficulty recruiting and retaining workers with the right skills to compete. One challenge is how workers whose jobs are affected by technological change can continue to improve their skills to thrive in new technological environments. When firms adopt new technologies, there is frequently a new demand for training so employees can adapt to new tools and practices. When new technologies demand workers to develop new skills, what are the most effective ways to help workers learn and adapt?
1. Discovery grants for multidisciplinary teams looking to launch a joint research project aligned with the research themes. Funding may support team convenings to share research and develop a common understanding of key problems; RAships for students to develop a broader research proposal in coordination with PIs; or preliminary data gathering and analysis to test early hypotheses.
(estimated range: $30,000-$50,000)
2. Matchmaking grants to pair science and engineering projects aiming to study the impact of technology development on workers with social scientists with relevant interests and expertise. Funding may support a RAship for a student to embed with and study a technology development process with an eye toward its impact on workers, or a recurring workshop convening scholars across disciplines to study a shared interest.
(estimated range: $30,000-$100,000)
3. Accelerate grants for well-defined projects to begin pursuing their research plan. Funding for these projects should contribute to developing conference papers and proposals that can lead to multi-year research projects aligned with the research themes. Funding may support a year-long graduate student RAship, as well as conference travel.
(estimated range: $75,000-$150,000)
Applications for seed funding should include:
Three reviewers will read and provide feedback on each application. The Work of the Future faculty steering committee (Julie Shah, David Autor, John Hart, and Erin Kelly) will review feedback and make final funding decisions.
Please submit application materials by May 2, 2022 at 5pm ET to workofthefuture@mit.edu in an email with “SEED FUND” in the subject line. Send inquiries to Ben Armstrong (armst@mit.edu).