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.

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 Why

On average, a student will spend 300-600 hours on their undergraduate or Master’s thesis. For a PhD thesis, this number can go beyond 6,000 hours.

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 hundreds or thousands of hours don’t go to waste, but instead create a positive impact:

  • To you and your 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

  • Christine PX Tan

    Executive Director

    christine@effectivethesis.org

  • Xyeanne Million

    Community and Marketing Director

    xyeanne@effectivethesis.org

Our Board Members

  • 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

  • Renan Araujo

    Research Manager at Rethink Priorities' Existential Security team

  • Daniel Hnyk

    Operations Manager for the European Summer Program on Rationality

  • 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.