The MIT Science Policy Review is a researcher-run journal at the intersection of emerging technology and public policy. Our goal is to impartially review policies that address current issues and bridge the gap between scientists, policymakers, and the general public. Get in touch to see how you can help out.
We are looking to recruit Authors and Associate Editors to write on the Review Article topics listed below. Each article represents a collaboration between 2–5 experts on a scientific topic. The authors submit three article drafts to their assigned Associate and Executive Editors and go through an anonymous peer-review process before receiving final publication approval.
We are also looking to recruit Interviewers to conduct interviews with experts at the intersection of science, society, and policy. Each Interview Article represents a collaboration between two or more authors who work with our Interviews Editor to identify interviewees, research their backgrounds, prepare questions, conduct the interview, and publish a final transcript.
For this year’s volume, we have selected a unifying theme: Ethics in Innovation. Article and interview topics have been selected with this theme in mind. Finished pieces will not need to exclusively focus on ethics, though we request that each topic is looked at through an ethics lens in some capacity.
Candidates with a strong background in policy or one of the topics listed below are encouraged to apply. Please fill out the form at the link below by October 20th, 2024 if you are interested in becoming an Author, Associate Editor, or Interviewer for MIT SPR Volume VI. Articles will be published in August 2025. If you are chosen, we will contact you shortly and provide additional information, including authorship team members, draft deadlines, and details on the editorial process.
We highly encourage pre-formed teams with article or interview topics in mind to apply. While we solicit specific topics on this form, we will also consider new articles and interview topics pitched by applicants, particularly when a team of authors/interviewers is already assembled.
Autonomous weapons
AI in medical diagnosis
Fair use of data
Geoengineering
Assisted evolution for species to handle climate change
Energy poverty/unequal access to clean energy
Microplastics
Carbon-capture technology
Climate refugees
Revisiting nuclear energy
Wearables data collection/normalized biometrics
Telehealth
Anti-aging research
Building telescopes on indigenous land
Ethics of space mining and resource sharing
Policing tech & surveillance (‘predictive policing’)
Neurotechnology
Graduate student mental health
Pitch your own topic
Gene editing
Combating mis- or dis-information
Citizen science
Science reporting at a major media outlet
Conflicts of interest in research funding
AI-generated content (education, art/creative work)
Equitable space colonization
Corporate climate pledges
Reforming the postdoc experience
Pitch your own topic
Review Articles are typically 6 – 8 pages and highlight the intersection of science, technology, and policy. As such, they include a discussion of requisite scientific fundamentals to understand the scope of policy options and review existing policies to contextualize potential solutions. All Review Articles are peer-reviewed by subject-matter experts in relevant topical areas.
Interview Articles reflect transcripts of conversations with leaders in areas that intersect science, technology, and policy. They highlight the perspective of prominent scholars, industry experts, and policymakers in our core topic areas. Questions are judiciously prepared in advance, and the final transcripts are edited to ensure that the language and presentation remain accessible to a broad, non-technical audience. The interviewee must approve the final draft prior to publication.