Catalyse

ResearchRound launches LUNE TWO Call for Applications

December 12, 2024

Are you a graduate student in humanities or social sciences in Nigeria, already exploring or interested in the intersections between your humanities/social sciences disciplines and Artificial Intelligence? Are you a graduate student open to interdisciplinary approaches that bridge the gap between AI and humanities/social sciences research? Are you thinking about how to engage AI ethically, contextually and in service of your communities? The AI.Humanities.Social Sciences in Nigeria Fellowship is open for students like you!

The Lune AI.Humanities.SocialSciences Fellowship will provide Nigerian graduate and postgraduate students in humanities and social sciences with an exploration of artificial intelligence through assignments, research projects, and coursework in NLP, machine learning, creative computing, learning technologies, and AI ethics. The program will offer remote delivery and data stipends. Fellows, through the support of expert facilitators and personalized mentors, will examine the development, implementation, social implications, and real-world impacts of AI technologies to develop interdisciplinary approaches and critiques for region-specific research, methodologies, and tools in low-resource graduate education settings focusing on intersections between AI and linguistics, literary and creative arts, communication and digital media, public interest research, education, community engagement, and legal frameworks. The fellowship aims to establish a post-fellowship collaborative network of Nigerian graduate students conducting technology-focused humanities and social sciences research.

About the fellowship:

LUNE is the fellowship program of ResearchRound, an independent, nonprofit research institute collaborating with various stakeholders to strengthen the capacity for quality and innovative research in low-resource settings. LUNE supports emerging researchers to build skills to confidently design, implement, evaluate and disseminate their research. The first iteration, LUNE One, was a 15-week research capacity-strengthening fellowship featuring 12 fellows, 15 facilitators and 30 courses. 

ResearchRound is an independent, nonprofit research institute collaborating with various stakeholders to strengthen the capacity for world-class research in lower-resource settings. We are organising and catalysing the research and innovation community for an inclusive and better future.

With LUNE TWO, we offer:

  • 8-week intensive virtual program
  • Twice-weekly classes led by expert facilitators
  • Hands-on experience with AI tools and methodologies
  • Exploration of ethical implications of AI in humanities and social sciences
  • Mentorship from leading researchers
  • Opportunity to develop an interdisciplinary research project
  • Network of like-minded scholars across Nigeria
  • Participation is free and we offer weekly data stipends for participants 

Timeline:

February to May 2025

Who Should Apply:

  • Nigerian graduate students in humanities or social sciences
  • Those interested in exploring the intersection of AI with their field
  • Innovative thinkers committed to ethical, community-focused research
  • Students eager to collaborate across disciplines

Program Highlights:

  • Learn fundamental AI concepts and their applications in humanities/social sciences
  • Gain practical skills in Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning
  • Develop critical thinking about AI’s impact on society and culture
  • Present final projects at a virtual symposium
  • Collaborate with peers and experts to shape the future of AI research in Nigeria

Expert Facilitators Include:

  • Dr. Chinasa Okolo (Fellow, Brookings Institution/Time 100 in AI 2024)
  • Ayantola Alayande (African Observatory on Responsible AI/Global Center on AI Governance)
  • Olanrewaju Samuel (Aya Language Ambassador for Yorùbá/Cohere For AI)
  • Tejumade Afonja (Doctoral Researcher, CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security)
  • Timilehin Durotoye (Doctoral Researcher of AI, digital media and algorithms, Penn State University)
  • Nelson Olanipekun (Founder, Citizens’ Gavel and PodusAI)
  • Frank (Onyeka) Ọnụ (Doctoral Researcher of Black Digital Humanities, University of Lethbridge)
  • Joy Victor (Data Analyst at DataedX Group | Co-Lead Tableau + AI User Group)
  • Dr. Najeeb G. Abdulhamid (Ethnographic Researcher, Microsoft Research)
  • Ololade Faniyi (Doctoral Researcher of African feminist digital cultures and critical data studies, Emory University)
  • Kauna Malgwi (Chairperson Nigerian Chapter, COntent Moderators Union)

Testimonials from Past LUNE Fellowship Participant:

“The program has exceeded my expectations, aligning my knowledge and significantly enhancing my research capabilities from start to finish. It has been a worthwhile investment in my academic and research journey” – Chime Amadi Doctoral Student/LUNE One Fellow

“I wonder how my research capacity would have been without attending this program. It was a total turnaround experience for me. I got introduced to new tools that I ordinarily wouldn’t have known. I sound like a genius before my peers when we discuss research, all thanks to LUNE” – Okechukwu Collins Obasi LUNE One Fellow

“I know what the journey to beginning and ending a research project entails. I learnt about the connection between research and sustainable development and how various disciplines contribute to addressing global challenges” – Temiloluwa Oloye LUNE One Fellow