These online salons bring Fellows together across geography to engage in open dialogue about important contemporary topics and get to know each other better. We’ve hosted these hour-long virtual conversations with Fellows from across the country, and have been joined by experts from academia, community and political organizing, and more to enrich each conversation. Salon topics have ranged from examining the future of community, to re-thinking approaches to creative education, to sharing stories about deliberative democracy and place-based social change. All Fellows are invited to suggest a future salon topic.
The Benjamin Franklin Medal is one of the Society’s two highest honors. The Benjamin Franklin Medal was instituted in 1956 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Franklin’s birth and the 200th anniversary of his membership of the RSA. Franklin became an Honorary Corresponding Member from the colonies in 1756 and was an active member of the Society during his 15 year sojourn in London. The Medal is conferred on individuals, groups and organizations who have made profound differences in areas closely linked to the RSA’s agenda, whether through transatlantic cooperation and collaboration or through significant contributions to global affairs and social progress. Fellows gather to celebrate the Medal recipient, the RSA’s history, and to spend time meeting the wider US-based community. In 2024, Raj Chetty was awarded the Benjamin Franklin Medal by RSA US for his groundbreaking research at Opportunity Insights.
RSA US Fellows come from all walks of life and are working across diverse fields. Given the wealth of knowledge within this network, we want to make sure everyone is able to benefit from it. We regularly curate Skillshares that feature an RSA Fellow or invited guest who will share either a skill, best practice or methodology online. Interested Fellows can join and hear a short presentation, and then ask questions to learn how to apply what was shared.
The RSA Fellowship is a unique global network of changemakers enabling people, places and the planet to flourish.
