Research & Fellowship
We fund scholars and practitioners whose work shapes how campuses navigate the hardest questions about speech, democracy and civic life, and connect that research to people who need it.
Amplifying Voices. Advancing Education. Strengthening Democracy.
We equip higher education stakeholders with research, community and practical tools to strengthen free expression, encourage thoughtful engagement and support meaningful dialogue on and off campus.
Furthering Expression and Engagement
Sharing Research, Programs, and Resources
From funding scholars to building practical tools for campus communities, we work at the intersection of scholarship and everyday practice.
Programs & Training
We help develop the next generation of leaders through our educational workshops and by sharing tools to make an impact on civic life in their campus communities.
Dialogue & Resources
We create space for thoughtful, nuanced conversations about complex issues and offer practical ways to navigate differences.
Events & Convenings
We bring scholars, thought leaders and campus experts together to discuss pressing issues through our annual conference, workshop series and webinars to turn ideas into action.
Where our work comes to life
Fellowship, programs, and what's coming up
Research Program
National Research Fellowship
Our fellowship funds scholars from across the country and across disciplines to conduct original research on free expression, civic engagement and democratic participation on campus. Fellows receive $15,000 and join a national network of practitioners and policymakers.
UC Community Program
VOICE Initiative
Funding student, staff, and faculty projects that advance civic life within the UC system. Open to the UC community.
Impact in Action
From campus programs to national conversations
The Center's work supports students, educators, and scholars nationwide.
4,100+
SpeechMatters Podcast Listens in 2025
108
VOICE Projects Funded
94
Research Fellows Funded
10k+
Community Members Reached in 2025
Scholarship in Public
Bringing fellowship research into national higher education conversations
Presented at
The Association for the Study of Higher Education
Center fellows from multiple cohorts joined a national conference panel on academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and political pressure in higher education.
Meet the fellows
Research Impact
From fellowship research to award-winning publication
Outstanding Publication
A 2025-2026 American Educational Research Association Outstanding Publication Award
Fellows Jackie Pedota and Eliza Epstein were recognized for work on faculty responses to legislative threats to academic freedom and scholarship on race.
Explore fellowship research
Creative Expression
Using comedy to inspire difficult conversations
On Stage
8 Student Performers · a Sold-Out Debut Showcase
UC Merced’s inaugural Stand-Up Comedy Showcase – funded by the Center’s VOICE initiative – gave students a public stage to explore identity, belonging, and free expression through original performance.
Learn about VOICE
Student Research
Exploring academic freedom and why it matters
New Undergraduate Course
Training humanities students
2025-2026 VOICE recipients Kelly Brown and Dean Tyrus Miller are featured with some of the students in their course Social Media Storytellers: On Academic Freedom, a project funded by the Center’s VOICE Initiative.
Read more
Civic Learning
Helping students navigate election-year information
Outreach
300+ UCLA Campus Stakeholders
A VOICE project at UCLA, Democracy Workshops, brought students, educators, and community partners together across five events on civic knowledge, campaign media, and AI-driven misinformation.
Explore VOICE projects
Campus Engagement
Turning voter education into a campus-wide civic event
Voter Registration
700+ live attendees at UC Berkeley Votechella
With support from a VOICE award, UC Berkeley’s Votechella combined music, student organizing, and civic education to expand participation during the 2024 cycle.
Read the annual report
Why this work matters
The Stakes Are Real
Across higher education, the ability to engage across differences is being tested. Students, faculty and institutions are navigating complex questions about free expression, academic freedom and open inquiry.
At a time when meaningful dialogue is more important than ever, creating spaces for thoughtful conversation, differing perspectives, and mutual understanding is essential not just for campuses, but for a healthy democracy.
This work matters now more than ever.
This work depends on support from people who believe in it. Our resources are free because donors make that possible, helping us reach more campuses, amplify more voices, and keep going.
Featured Projects
Recent projects from our fellows
Campus Climate
(No) Shame in Speaking
Penelope Lusk explores shame as a complex and often overlooked force shaping how people express themselves on campus.
Campus Climate
What Friendship Across the Aisle Can Teach Campuses
Fellows Tara Hudson and Alyssa Rockenbach study students' friendships across political lines, turning their stories into a practical toolkit for reducing polarization and strengthening democratic learning.
Civic Engagement
Teaching Students to Outsmart AI Deepfakes
Fellow Yi Ding builds an open-access toolkit—lesson plans, slides, and interactive modules—that helps librarians and faculty equip students to spot AI-driven political misinformation and participate in democracy with clearer eyes.
How we advance open inquiry
Join the Conversation
Get thoughtful insights, upcoming events and new perspectives on free expression, higher education and academic freedom delivered directly to your inbox.
Testimonials
The Center team has cultivated an irreplaceable environment of inspiration and collaboration, which I am truly grateful for, especially amid the political challenges of this past year.
Stay up to date
Latest From the Community
UC Santa Barbara News
July 14, 2026
Fellow Daniel Lane Featured for His Upcoming Center Research, AI as a Civic Educator: Artificial Intelligence and the Civic Future of American College Students
The Fulcrum
July 5, 2026
National Advisory Board Member Alex Edgar Discusses Why Strengthening Democracy Requires Collaboration Across Generations
UC Merced Magazine
July 1, 2026