CHAI Affiliation Scheme

CHAI research affiliates form a core part of our ecosystem. They have a professional interest in work aligned with our research agenda and help to take forward the CHAI Hub’s mission, values and principles.

CHAI research affiliates are individuals recognised for their contribution to key areas of causal AI research and are valuable allies in ensuring ambitious and high-quality outputs from the Hub. They also provide a link to key stakeholders, increasing the impact of our research work in their discipline and outside academia. 

Benefits 

CHAI research affiliates benefit from exciting opportunities to engage, interact, and collaborate with our broad community of AI scientists, clinicians, regulators, policymakers, industry, and patient representatives. They benefit from: 

  • Engagement with the Hub’s work via updates, events and activities (including seminars and workshops) 

  • Networking opportunities 

  • Training and upskilling courses 

  • Hackathons and datathons 

  • Potential for funding opportunities via our knowledge and people exchange programmes (secondment scheme, funding calls etc) 

  • Social activities and community Slack 

  • Access to mentorship and guidance 

  • Opportunities to collaborate with our leadership team, researchers and co-investigators, as well as fellow affiliates as part of the wider ecosystem – fostering knowledge exchange. 

  • Affiliation can boost your profile and make your work more visible to the CHAI ecosystem 

Types of Affiliation 

CHAI Scholars 

PhD students and postdoctoral researchers whose research focus aligns with the mission of the CHAI Hub and who actively contribute to the CHAI Hub in terms of its research, educational, and industry activities are invited to apply to become CHAI Scholars. PhD students will become ‘CHAI PhD Scholars’. Postdoctoral researchers will become ‘CHAI Postdoctoral Scholars’. 

CHAI Fellows 

Exceptional, continuing contributions from CHAI Scholars to the CHAI Hub will be recognised with promotion to CHAI Fellow status. The CHAI Management Board will consider cases for promotion annually. Candidates for promotion must hold a PhD or equivalent degree (or experience) and have at least one year of membership as a CHAI Scholar. 

Candidates will be asked to demonstrate evidence for having made exceptional contributions to advancing the mission of CHAI. This may include (but is not limited to): 

  • Establishing successful and lasting inter-disciplinary collaborations (demonstrated through research impact such as high-impact publications) 

  • Impactful translational work with industry partners (such as work supporting tech transfer, spinouts, consultancies, patent applications, and other commercialisation activities) 

  • Active and leading roles in the organisation of community events (such as hackathons, research seminars, journal clubs, etc.) 

  • Track record of engaging with the public, and patients and help spread the importance of AI for social good (in CHAI’s case, healthcare) 

  • Celebrating CHAI’s ethos of equality, diversity, inclusion and mentoring of others. 

Application process 

Applications for becoming a CHAI Scholar can be made by filling out this online application form. Applications are on a rolling basis so there are no deadlines, but submissions will be reviewed approximately six times a year. The Leadership Team will review applications and aim to respond within two months. The Hub reserves the right to approve or decline affiliate applications at its discretion. 

Researchers who are directly funded through the CHAI Hub will be automatically considered for the scholarship scheme and will not need to apply. 

CHAI Scholar status is renewed annually and entails a (lightweight) reporting requirement on contributions made to the Hub. Exceptional contributions will be recognised with a promotion to CHAI Fellow status. 

For further information, please contact chai@ed.ac.uk