DISCO Affiliate Application
Applications Open: 2026 DISCO Affiliate Program
The DISCO Network Affiliate Program aims to create a supportive, intellectual community for a diverse, interdisciplinary cohort of researchers, technologists, policymakers, practitioners, and students who challenge digital technology’s role in perpetuating inequality.
Our 2026 program will support junior and early career scholars in developing writing projects that address and challenge digital social inequalities. Participants will attend monthly meetings to receive feedback on individual writing projects, engage in peer review, and build community across disciplines. All affiliates will also participate in a DISCO JAM, an in-person writing retreat where participants form writing groups, engage in the collaborative writing process, and produce a draft of a publishable piece.
By the end of the program, affiliates will have refined their individual projects, contributed to a collaborative written piece, and prepared pitch plans for publication.
Monthly meetings will be held on Zoom from February through December 2026. Meetings will take place on the following dates*:
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET
Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET
Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET
Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET
Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET
Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET
Tuesday, September 8, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET
Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET
Tuesday, November 10, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET
Tuesday, December 8, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET
In addition to the monthly meetings, an in-person DISCO JAM collaborative writing retreat will be planned for July 2026 in Chicago, IL*. Full travel support will be provided.
This program is open to all graduate students, early-career professionals, and junior faculty whose work explores a pressing issue at the intersection of technology and social justice.
To apply for the DISCO Affiliate Program, please submit your application here. The deadline to apply is Sunday, January 11, 2026, at 11:59 PM.
If you have any questions about this program, please contact Cherice Chan, DISCO Network Program Coordinator, at chericec@umich.edu.
* Dates and location may be subject to change.