The Neely Academic Fellows are researchers whose scholarship strengthens the Neely Center’s mission by generating evidence, methods, and public-facing insights on the ethics of emerging technologies. Fellows carry out hands-on work with the Center’s research tools and resources, such as the Neely Ethics and Tech Indices, Neely Design Code for Social Media, Neely Platform Design Taxonomy, and Neely Purpose-Driven XR Library. Through this work, they advance the body of evidence, methodological innovation, and scholarship at the intersection of AI, social media, XR, and related domains, while exploring effective pathways for real-world implementation. Their efforts deepen Neely’s research capacity and help translate scholarship into actionable insights for industry, policy, and education.
Focus Areas:
While individual projects vary, all Academic Fellows share a commitment to advancing ethical and purpose-driven technology through research, evidence generation, and dissemination. Fellows may focus on one or more of the following areas:
- Measurement and analysis of technology’s social impact. Use Neely Indices data and evaluation frameworks to assess how digital systems affect well-being, agency, and social cohesion.
- Purpose-driven design and evaluation methods. Utilize the Neely Platform Design Taxonomy to explore new applications of the Neely Design Code across social media platforms and evaluate the ethical dimensions of platform and product design.
- Knowledge dissemination and translation. Produce publications, data visualizations, events, or practical outputs that connect academic insights with public and industry conversations.
- XR Library case entries. Research and review immersive XR experiences across industries that fit the Neely XR Library criteria and make recommendations for inclusion.
- Community and mentorship. Support the development of the Neely Student Fellows Program and contribute to semi-regular convenings.
Fellowship Activities:
Academic Fellows’ projects may include:
- Contributing research findings to Neely Substack and other dissemination platforms available to the Center.
- Creating data visualizations and written analyses for Neely’s public channels, highlighting trends in technology perception and behavior.
- Searching, reviewing, and contributing case entries to the Neely XR Library.
- Conducting comparative research on social media platforms using the Neely Platform Design Taxonomy and Design Codes to identify best practices and gaps.
- Presenting and/or participating in Neely conferences, workshops, and events, sharing expertise with students and peers.
- Co-authoring or co-producing white papers, toolkits, or case studies that advance ethical technology design and policy dialogue.
Program Benefits:
Fellows receive tailored collaboration, mentorship, and support based on project scope, timeline, and deliverables.
Interested in Becoming an Academic Fellow?
The application period is now closed. Please check this website for the next announcement.
“63 credits and 2 years later, a lot of my time at USC (Marshall) seems blurred now, but there are a few experiences that I’ll distinctly remember, the Neely Fellowship being one of them! I met so many interesting people and got more exposure to the USC and LA innovation ecosystem than any other opportunity at USC.”
Tejaswa Gavankar, 2023-24
