2026 GC Digital Research Institute (GC DRI) Application

The GC Digital Research Institute (GCDRI) returns for its 10th year! Hosted by the GC Digital Fellows as part of GC Digital Initiatives, the DRI offers an immersive introduction to interdisciplinary research computing designed for beginning learners. Participants will gain foundational vocabularies and hands-on skills that empower them to become more confident, flexible, and self-directed technology users.

Are you interested in using digital tools in your research but unsure where to start?
Do you want to develop essential computing skills in a supportive, interdisciplinary environment?

The DRI provides an introduction to core digital research methods that can be applied across a wide range of disciplines and projects. No prior programming experience is required. The institute begins with the basics—starting from the command line—and gradually builds toward a toolkit of approachable computing practices.

Eligibility

The institute is free and open to Graduate Center students, faculty, and staff. Applications are required.

Application

Apply here

Deadline: Monday, December 8, 2025 , 11:59 p.m.

Schedule

The 2026 DRI will take place remotely over four days:

January 20, 2026 (Orientation, intros and Command Line)

January 21, 2026 (Data Literacies, HTML/CSS & Intro to Python)

January 22, 2026 (Intro to Python) 

January 23, 2026 (Track 1: Data Manipulation in Python, & Text Analysis, Track 2: Mapping)

Each session runs 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (EST), with breaks throughout.
Participants are expected to attend all four Zoom sessions.

Info Session

An optional virtual information session will be held during the GCDI drop-in hour:

Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 4:00 p.m (Register here for the Zoom link)

If you have any questions, please contact: [email protected] or Lisa Rhody, deputy director of GC Digital Initiatives ([email protected]). We look forward to seeing you in January!

We look forward to welcoming a new cohort in January!

 

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What is the GC Digital Research Institute?

The GC Digital Research Institute (DRI) is an introduction to core digital research skills that can be applied widely to different kinds of projects. This institute is catered towards building foundational skills and will be paced accordingly to ensure those who are new will leave feeling more confident in their skills. DRI is designed for beginning learners—those who have little or no prior experience working with a programming language.

Traditionally, the GC Digital Research Institute (GC DRI) takes place over a 4-day, in-person, intensive institute in mid-January. Participants will develop basic digital research skills and connect with others in an interdisciplinary context.

It is training course for learning core digital research skills while connecting with peers in an interdisciplinary environment. The GC DRI combines training in areas such as HMTL/CSS, Python, command line, digital mapping, and data literacies, among others, with specialized workshops and professional development sessions.

Participants will share their academic goals, collaborate as they learn, and explore a variety of digital methods to employ in their research.

GC DRI Workshop Series is free and open to all members of the Graduate Center community.

GC DRI began in 2016 as part of the CUNY Strategic Investment Initiative and developed in partnership with Software Carpentry, the New York Public Library, Mozilla Science Lab, Humanities Intensive Learning and Teaching, and the Digital Humanities Summer Institute.

 

Supported by The Provost’s Office,
the Digital Research Institute is a GC Digital Initiative.

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More reasons to participate

Build Community	Share Ideas	Learn New Skills
Engage with researchers who are passionate about using digital skills to enhance their work.	Inspire peers and the world at large with your work by learning new presentation techniques.	Build technical and professional skills through small collaborative group workshops.

Still have questions?

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