Applications for The Psychedelics in Society and Culture Fellowship (PiSC) Program Due March 3, 2025
The Psychedelics in Society and Culture Fellowship (PiSC) Program is a collaborative initiative between the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics(BCSP) and the Center for Interdisciplinary Critical Inquiry (CICI), in partnership with Harvard University’s Mahindra Humanities Center. This initiative funds projects on psychedelics by UC Berkeley undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty. We encourage collaborations with our partner initiative at Harvard, but such collaborations are not required.
While much research on psychedelics has focused on their therapeutic potential, this program supports collaborations that explore the intersections of psychedelics and humanistic inquiry. Generously funded by Flourish Trust, the BCSP’s PiSC fellowships provide grants of up to $45,000 to support projects across the arts, humanities, and social sciences, with a focus on the following goals:
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Deepen understanding of psychedelics’ historical, cultural, and societal roles, as well as their broader implications for human experiences.
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Explore psychedelics across diverse histories, cultures, and geographies to expand scholarship and contribute to the growing field.
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Foster collaboration and intellectual exchange among scholars and institutions through shared learning opportunities.
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Support innovative scholarship that advances knowledge of psychedelics’ complex roles in society and culture.
We welcome a wide range of proposals, including original scholarship and research projects, public events, knowledge dissemination, arts programming, fellowship programs, travel grants, interactive workshops, multimedia projects, and initiatives focused on ethical and regulatory studies.
Flourish Trust, the BCSP, and the Center for Interdisciplinary Critical Inquiry gratefully acknowledge the invaluable contributions of Indigenous participants and other community collaborators, whose perspectives and efforts enrich this initiative and exemplify the principles of reciprocity and inclusion. As the flagship project of the BCSP’s Psychedelics in Society and Culture initiative, the fellowship program reflects its mission to deepen our understanding of psychedelics, their impact on human experiences, their diverse histories, cultural meanings and connections, and their significance across different societies.
Click here for more information and guidelines.