Health Equity Research Fellow (Summer or Fall 2025)

If you’re frustrated by surface-level DEI work and want to help build real, measurable, enforceable fairness into the systems that shape life and death—this is for you. FairwAI is building the first real-time bias detection platform for real-world institutions, starting with BiasLens™. We use machine learning, behavioral science, and human-centered design to surface service inequities the moment they happen—starting in hospitality and now expanding into healthcare. This fellowship is your chance to help shape that system.You’ll work on the root causes of racial bias, misjudgment, and trust breakdowns in clinical care especially those affecting Black women, low-income patients, and historically excluded communities. This isn’t theoretical research. It’s problem-solving with urgency. About the RoleWe’re looking for a Health Equity Research Fellow to lead a fall discovery sprint focused on bias and misjudgment in doctor-patient interactions. You’ll help us identify the key moments where inequity creeps in—whether at check-in, triage, cancellations, or during conversations that go unheard or dismissed.You’ll conduct expert interviews, review the literature, and help our team translate this into real-world detection logic that supports hospitals, not just critiques them. What You’ll Do• Conduct interviews with physicians, nurses, and health equity experts• Identify patterns in miscommunication, dismissal, stereotyping, and patient mistrust• Review key literature across public health, anthropology, and STS• Help define a taxonomy of “bias moments” in clinical interactions• Work with our NLP and annotation interns to structure transcript analysis• Co-author an internal memo outlining root causes and pilot-ready use cases• Support research white papers and grant framing (e.g.NSF, Wellcome, RWJF)Who You AreYou are someone who thinks deeply and cares about getting it right. You might be a public health grad student, a medical trainee, or a researcher with a background in sociology or anthropology. You’re not afraid to ask hard questions or admit when something’s complicated. You are:• Comfortable doing interviews, synthesizing insights, and thinking across systems• Motivated by real-world equity—not theory alone• A clear communicator with strong writing skills• Curious, rigorous, and grounded in evidence• Familiar with public health, health equity, or racial justice frameworks• Able to work independently and collaborate across disciplinesBonus if you have:• Experience with IRB processes, health systems, or hospital-based research• Skills in qualitative coding (e.g., NVivo, Dedoose, or similar)• Lived experience navigating bias in healthcare or community health systems (you’re not required to disclose this—but it’s valued)What You’ll Gain• A front-row seat in designing one of the first real-time bias detection systems for institutional accountability• Mentorship from leaders in AI ethics, public health innovation, and social-impact systems• Visibility with partners like Harvard SPH, Mass General, Berkman Klein, and MIT• Portfolio-worthy contributions: white papers, concept memos, co-authored grant content• A small team that moves fast, cares deeply, and respects lived experience as much as academic credentialsYou will work with a multi-disciplinary team: Dr.John Cooley – Technical AdvisorRole: Leads FairwAI’s technical architecture, AI compliance engine, and research partnerships. Bio: Dr. John Cooley is a renowned technologist and serial entrepreneur who holds five degrees from MIT: B.S. in Electrical Engineering, B.S. in Physics, M.S. in Electrical Engineering, an Engineer’s Degree, and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering. He earned the David Adler Memorial Thesis Prize and the Morris Joseph Levin Award, recognizing his groundbreaking work in engineering and systems design.John was the CTO and later CEO of Nanoramic Laboratories, where he led the company to raise $100+ in capital and developed cutting-edge battery and nanotechnology solutions. With 15+ years of experience at the frontier of hardware-software integration and AI systems, John brings a rare blend of research rigor and venture-scale execution. He now advises FairwAI on tech architecture, compliance logic, and academic research integration across MIT and international institutions. Dr. Niousha Roshani – Social Systems StrategistRole: Co-leads FairwAI’s strategy, focusing on culturally responsive AI, equity frameworks, and global engagement.Bio: Dr. Niousha Roshani is a leading voice in the intersection of AI, social justice, and public interest technology. She is a former Fellow at the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University and co-founder of the Center for Democracy Development and Rule of Law at Stanford University. With a background spanning the UN system, Latin American human rights movements, and Stanford’s impact tech community, Niousha brings a transnational lens to algorithmic fairness and ethical design. Her expertise ensures FairwAI builds tools that not only detect discrimination—but empower communities and institutions to address it systemically.Based in Brazil, she anchors our Global South partnerships and pilots. Brazil is the last country in the western hemisphere to abolish slavery. Dr. Ryan Chin – Strategic Advisor, Urban Tech & Mobility SystemsRole: Ryan advises FairwAI on systems architecture, urban integration, and commercial strategy. He brings expertise in AI-driven mobility, sensor networks, and resilient infrastructure to inform how FairwAI scales across physical environments like hotels, hospitals, and cities. Bio: Dr. Ryan Chin is a globally recognized expert in smart cities, urban mobility, and sustainable design systems.He co-founded Optimus Ride, a leading autonomous vehicle company spun out of MIT, where he served as CEO and led the development of self-driving tech for campuses, cities, and business districts. Prior to that, Ryan was Managing Director of the City Science Initiative at the MIT Media Lab, where he pioneered AI-integrated mobility systems and urban computing platforms. Ryan holds a Ph.D. and two Master's degrees from MIT in Media Arts and Sciences and Architecture. A serial entrepreneur and systems thinker, Ryan has advised Fortune 100 companies, U.S.government agencies, and international city governments on emerging technologies, sustainability, and mobility innovation. He is a frequent keynote speaker at Davos, Smart City Expo, and the UN. At FairwAI, Ryan supports us with building out our advisory team and the integration of computer vision, IoT, and AI fairness protocols into real-world infrastructure, ensuring our platform is adaptable, sensor-compatible, and aligned with the future of ethical urban technology. Mike Rinella – Government Affairs & Financial StrategyRole: Shapes FairwAI’s public policy strategy, unions to get ivolved, government, and compliance market integration.Bio: Mike Rinella brings decades of experience in public finance, state governance, and strategic planning. He served as a senior advisor to two Governors of New York, including Governor Mario Cuomo, where he worked on economic development, energy regulation, and state-level policy reform. He was also Director of Strategic Planning at SolarFi, helping guide federal partnerships and compliance infrastructure for renewable energy deployments. A graduate of Harvard Kennedy School (’86), Mike is instrumental in crafting FairwAI’s pathways to adoption by Attorneys General, state legislatures, and procurement agencies.He also helps navigate our positioning with foundation-aligned capital like PRIs and MRIs. Carson Smuts – IoT & Hardware Integration Advisor (MIT Media Lab)Role: Advises on spatial sensing, IoT systems, and architecture for real-world monitoring. Bio: Carson Smuts is aSenior Research Scientist at the MIT Media Lab’s City Science Group, where he has spent over a decade developing sensor platforms, digital twins, and hardware systems that interact with real-world environments. He co-created the CityScope urban simulation platform and led the design of MIT’s Environmental Sensing Infrastructure, a foundational piece of the lab’s smart city research.Trained as an architect at Columbia University, Carson transitioned into full-stack engineering with a passion for embedding fairness into built environments. He guides FairwAI’s integration with CCTV, IoT sensors, and spatial computing to power real-time bias detection in travel, healthcare, and hiring. Renuka Naj – Strategic Programs & Media/Communications leadRole: Leads operational management, grants pipeline, and institutional partnerships. Bio: Renuka Naj is a seasoned international development professional with a strong track record in multilateral program execution and operational scale.She formerly USAID and served with UNOPS (United Nations Office for Project Services), where she managed complex, cross-border initiatives in health systems, humanitarian relief, and public-sector procurement. Her background includes stakeholder coordination across governments, UN agencies, and philanthropic donors—making her ideally suited to drive FairwAI’s early-stage execution. At FairwAI, Renuka manages day-to-day operations, fellowship logistics, and our global partnership mapping across academia, NGOs, and donor ecosystems.Dr. Taj Ahmad Eldridge – Strategic Advisor, Capital & Climate JusticeRole: Taj advises FairwAI on capital formation, social impact investment strategy, and ESG-aligned growth. He brings deep expertise in climate finance, racial equity, and fund structuring—ensuring FairwAI’s monetization models and funding pathways align with both mission and market. Bio: Taj Ahmad Eldridge is a leading voice in climate justice investing and equitable capital innovation. A formerSenior Director of Investment at the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), Taj has helped deploy hundreds of millions of dollars toward sustainable technologies and underrepresented founders.He is currently Managing Partner at Include Ventures, where he builds investment vehicles that close wealth gaps and accelerate climate solutions—particularly in communities historically excluded from capital access. With 20+ years of experience in banking, venture capital, and fund management, Taj has advised funds and institutions including the Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Elemental Excelerator, and Capria Ventures. He is also aSenior Advisor to Jobs for the Future (JFF) and a board member of multiple national investment networks and ESG platforms.Taj’s unique strength lies in combining climate policy, community wealth-building, and financial engineering to drive systems-level impact. As an advisor to FairwAI, he supports efforts to build revenue models rooted in risk mitigation, government accountability, and regulatory tech—while helping ensure capital raised aligns with the venture’s vision of equity-first compliance. Unpaid, but eligible for school credit and includes mentorship, reference, and portfolio support. The goal is to turn this into a paid role but it is not promised.Top-performing interns will be: Eligible for future paid positions with FairwAI or its nonprofit arm if funding is available. Supported in publishing or presenting findings at tech and policy forums. FairwAI strongly encourages applications from women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, first-gen, and underrepresented groups in tech. We believe those most impacted by bias should help design the systems that fix it. Include:1. A short intro (2–3 paragraphs) about your interest and experience2. A resume or CV3. A brief writing sample (academic or professional—something that shows how you think)We strongly encourage applications from first-gen, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other underrepresented communities in health, tech, and research.Apply tot his job