Our Mission
The Harvard Undergraduate Think Tank is a non-partisan student research group based in Cambridge, MA. Our mission is to provide a platform for the research and ideas of our fellows, who are experts in the fields of Science and Technology, Foreign Affairs, and Governance and Society. We are committed to understanding the complex challenges facing society and developing evidence-based solutions to address them. Join us in our mission to create a more just and equitable world.
Our Values
Interdisciplinary approaches
Actionable recommendations - not just ivory-tower critique!
Value-centered proposals - not just what is expeditious, but what is right​
Evidence-based solutions
Diversity, equity, inclusion, independence - non-discriminatory, non-partisan, safe and welcoming community
Our Approach
HUTT recruits from a diverse cohort of qualified undergraduate scholars to support this mission, bringing together students from across disciplines and life-backgrounds to produce integrative research of exceptional quality. As a result, our recommendations are just as multidimensional as the challenges we hope to address.
Our Origins
HUTT was founded by Arjun Akwei ‘24 and Shelby Tzung ‘24 in May 2022, who led the organization as Co-Presidents until December 2023. After observing significant gaps between theoretical research and empirical policy making, Tzung and Akwei decided to leave behind their posts in other policy groups on campus to create their own space for academically rigorous and collaborative thinking.
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As opposed to the polarization that tends to define policy-making today, they believed an emphasis on bridge-building is key to more successful ideation. At Harvard, they sought to take on that challenge by building an organization of future leaders and scholars dedicated to the pursuit of evidence-based, forward-thinking policy solutions.