Mentor applications for the Spring 2026 round of SPAR are open! This time, we’re accepting any projects related to ensuring transformative AI goes well, from technical AI safety to policy to gradual disempowerment to AI welfare and more. We’re particularly excited to announce we’ll now be accepting biosecurity projects!
SPAR is a part-time, remote research program pairing aspiring AI risk researchers with professionals in the field to work together on impactful research projects. Mentees gain research experience and guidance, and mentors get assistance with their projects. You can learn more about the program here.
Previous mentors have come from organizations like Redwood Research, METR, Google DeepMind, and RAND; universities including Harvard and CMU; and programs like MATS and GovAI.
Mentor apps will close November 30, and mentee apps will run December 17-January 14.
We typically accept applications from researchers with research experience matching or exceeding that of a late PhD student or a MATS scholar. Mentors apply with a proposal for a 3-month research project related to ensuring transformative AI goes well, and commit between 2 and 10 hours a week to supervising mentees working on it.
Mentors often look for a technical background (e.g., ML, CS, biology, cybersecurity, math, physics, etc.) or knowledge relevant to policy and governance (e.g., law, international relations, public policy, political science, economics, etc). The program is open to undergraduate, graduate/PhD students, as well as professionals of varying experience levels.
Some projects may require additional background knowledge, like knowledge of specific research areas, techniques, or tools (e.g., ML frameworks).
We don’t require previous research experience, and many mentees have none.
Even if you do not meet all of these criteria, we encourage you to express interest in the upcoming round and apply once applications open in December! Many past mentees have been accepted even though they didn’t completely match a project's criteria.
SPAR creates value for everyone involved. Mentors expand their research output while developing research management skills. Mentees get to explore safety research in a structured, supportive environment while building safety-relevant skills. Both produce concrete work that serves as a strong signal for future opportunities in AI safety.
Click here to apply as a mentor, and here to express interest as a mentee. Mentor apps will close November 30, and mentee apps will open on December 17.
Questions? Email us at spar@kairos-project.org or drop them in the comments below.