Our Mission
We aim to drive real progress on the world’s most pressing problems, by empowering students to focus their thesis and careers on what truly matters.
The Problem
On average, a student will spend 300-600 hours on their undergraduate or Master’s thesis. For a PhD thesis, this number can easily go beyond 6,000 hours.
However, most theses may have little to no impact.
A few may make a difference to the author. Fewer have some impact on their field. And only a tiny fraction may actually contribute to the world.
Our Why
We believe that a thesis is more than an academic requirement - it’s an opportunity to contribute to critical global problems and lay the groundwork for a high-impact career.
Our mission is to drive real progress on the world’s most pressing problems, by empowering students to focus their thesis on what truly matters.
So that these 300—or even 7,000—hours don’t go to waste, but instead create a positive impact:
To you and your high-impact career path.
To your academic field.
And most importantly, to the world.
Our How
We aim to empower students to utilise their thesis as a pathway to impact.
We offer tailored resources, connections, and mentorship to guide students toward creating high-impact theses and launching impact-driven careers.
We are currently in the process of launching new services for students. Please subscribe to our newsletter to be informed of our latest opportunities!
Our Team
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Christine PX Tan
Executive Director
christine@effectivethesis.org
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Xyeanne Million
Community and Marketing Director
xyeanne@effectivethesis.org
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Our Board Members
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David Janku
Founder of Effective Thesis
Analyst at the Czech Science Foundation and Sociology of Science
PhD candidate at Charles University in Prague -
Sven Herrmann
Head of Research Operations at the Global Priorities Institute at Oxford University
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Renan Araujo
Research Manager at Rethink Priorities' Existential Security team
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Daniel Hnyk
Operations Manager for the European Summer Program on Rationality
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Julia Michaels
Executive Director of the Center for Public University Transformation
Our Story
Effective Thesis was founded in July 2017 by David Janku, with initial support from Daniel Hnyk and members of the Czech EA Association. What began as a small initiative has grown into a global platform, supporting hundreds of students and researchers worldwide.
Since then, we have directly supported over 2,000 students across all services and coached more than 500 students one-on-one. We also have a network of over 165 expert advisors and our students’ research has been disseminated in more than 30 countries.
Effective Thesis was founded based on the principles of Effective Altruism, specifically with regard to how to use one’s resources to do the most good. It is also informed by the career advice organisation, 80,000 Hours, on how to use one’s career to significantly improve the world.
Our Partners and Friends
Effective Thesis has also been shaped by the support of many individuals who have generously shared their time, ideas, and wisdom with us, helping to strengthen and advance our mission.
Our Funding
Effective Thesis has received funding from the Effective Altruism Infrastructure Fund, the Survival, Flourish Fund, and some smaller donors.
