Big Ideas Go Further With an Expert in Your Corner
Our Programs
The Foreword offers a flexible path from your first question to a finished project, starting with a core Research Fellowship and two optional labs to help you find your direction and take your work further.
Pathfinder Lab
3 Sessions | 3 Experienced Mentors | Pre-Project Exploration
Not sure what you want to explore yet? Pathfinder Lab pairs you with three different Mentors for one session each, giving you the space to talk through your interests, test out ideas from multiple perspectives and land on a project you actually want to pursue. By the time you start your Research Fellowship, you will have a clear direction.
The Foreword Research Fellowship
10 One-on-One Sessions | Dedicated Expert Mentor | Typically 4-6 Months | Student-Led Project
This is the core of The Foreword. Through 10 one-on-one sessions with an expert in the field you’re exploring, you’ll shape an idea, build a research plan and see it through to a finished project. You’ll follow built-in milestones to keep the momentum going and a second Mentor to review your project, so you walk away with both an original body of work and a clearer story about what drives you.
Launch Lab
3 One-on-One Sessions | Showcasing Specialist | Post-Project Exploration
Your project is finished. Now it’s time to share it. Launch Lab pairs you with a specialist to help you prepare a submission you’re proud of and find the right home for your work, from student journals and science fairs to competitions and conferences. You can add Launch Lab at any point during your fellowship.
Your Program, Your Way
Option 1
Research Fellowship
Jump straight into the 10-session Fellowship and turn it into an original project.
Option 2
Pathfinder Lab + Fellowship
Test out your interests with three mentors first, then take your favorite idea into the Fellowship.
Option 3
Fellowship + Launch Lab
Complete your project, then work with a specialist to share it beyond The Foreword.
Option 4
The Full Experience
Find your question, build your project and get it ready to share with the world.
An Expert Mentor in Your Subject of Choice
Our network is made up of thousands of vetted, background-checked PhD researchers and industry experts who know what it takes to build a project from the ground up.
Our Mentors read through project ideas and select the students they want to work with, so you get paired with someone who is genuinely excited about your topic. If the fit isn’t right after your first session, our Mentor Guarantee covers a new match or a full refund.
Ronit G.
Medicine & Public Health
MD candidate, Dartmouth College · MSc Biostatistics, Harvard · BA Data Science, UC Berkeley
Ronit uses data science to answer real questions in global health and medicine, with research and consulting experience from UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health to the World Bank. Ronit has also taught AI and computer science to more than 200 students.
Advaitha A.
Biomedical Engineering & Digital Health
Technology Business Consultant, Deloitte · BSE Biomedical and Electrical & Computer Engineering, Duke
Ronit uses data science to answer real questions in global health and medicine, with research and consulting experience from UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health to the World Bank. Ronit has also taught AI and computer science to more than 200 students.
Pairs with project card: When Minutes Matter
Khushi D.
AI & Computational Biology
PhD candidate in Computer Science, Columbia · BA Computer Science, UC Berkeley
Khushi builds machine learning tools that turn genomic data into insights for cancer research, after engineering roles at Amazon and NVIDIA. She’s a strong fit for students who want to build an app or work with real code.
Connor J.
American History
PhD candidate in History and Black Studies, Yale · BA History (Honors) and Africana Studies, Brown
Connor is a historian of the American South. He helps students uncover the stories behind places they know, from a local monument to the name on a school building, and share what they find through a paper, a podcast or a proposed historical marker.
Dr. Rachel Nefertari B.
Global Health & Cross-Cultural Studies
PhD Health Behavior & Global Studies, Indiana University · MA International Affairs, Indiana University
Dr. Rachel is adjunct faculty at Indiana University’s School of Public Health and a health diplomacy consultant focused on refugee health in Africa and the Middle East. She is also a former K–12 teacher with nine years experience as a college professor.
Sam D.
Literature, Film & Creative Media
PhD candidate in English, UMass Amherst · Adjunct Professor, Barnard College · MA American Studies, Columbia
Sam is a filmmaker and musician whose documentary earned festival recognition. He has 10+ years of teaching experience, including as a high school English and History teacher in NYC.