AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program

Scientists for Human Rights

Engaging Individual Scientists

SHRP is developing several initiatives to encourage scientists to tackle human rights-specific challenges and support those who are already engaged in this work, demonstrating in the process that the human rights field is a rich and rewarding terrain for scientific inquiry and contribution.

SHRP is currently engaged in developing the following initiatives:

On-call Scientists

SHRP has established a network of “On-call” Scientists who are prepared on a pro bono basis to advise and assist human rights organizations, national human rights institutions, and field offices of UN agencies. To register as a volunteer scientist or to request the services of a volunteer scientist, please visit our “On-call” Scientists website.

Other initiatives that SHRP has developed to engage individual scientists in human rights, but which await funding, include:

Science and Human Rights Fellows

The Science and Human Rights Fellows Program will place scientists with a demonstrated interest in human rights with human rights organizations whose work demands greater scientific and technical inputs. Funding permitting, SHRP will place two scientists with local or regional human rights organizations for a one-year term, and one scientist for project-specific work in SHRP.

Graduate Fellowships

The Graduate Fellowships Program will provide talented graduate students with support to conduct advanced research toward a science-based solution to one or more human rights problems. Funding permitting, three graduate students will be funded for one year to conduct this research. In addition to the potential discovery of new applications of science for human rights ends, the fellowship is intended to raise the profile of human rights in university science departments, encourage young scientists to pursue work in that area, and promote human rights and science as a potential academic subfield.

Science and Human Rights Prize

SHRP will award the Science and Human Rights Prize to the graduate students or post-docs who develop the best new applications of science and technology for the enhancement of human rights work. The contest will be designed to accomplish several objectives: identify new and promising scientific solutions to human rights problems in the field; communicate to the scientific community the need for and importance of developing human rights relevant scientific tools, techniques and technologies; and encourage and support younger scientists to explore the intersection of science and human rights. Funding permitting, a monetary prize will be awarded to each of two students or post-docs in different fields, for scientific innovations in: (1) documenting and reporting of human rights violations; and (2) early warning and prevention of human rights violations.

(page updated 10/30/2008)