OSE Fellowship Press Release

Notes

• Announcing OSE Fellowship - a $100k work-study grant for civilization transformers. OSE Fellowship.
• College level study (9-15 credit hours equivalent), with high school equivalent education prerequisite
• 4 Fellowships will be given out, by application
• Inaugural program starts Sep 1, with 4 Fellowship positions (grant), in addition to 20 Apprenticeship positions (no grant)
• Work study in apprenticship allows for learn and earn experience, with no college debt
• Open Source Ecology is starting a 4 year immersion experiential teaching school for worldchangers right here in Maysville, MO
• OSE has been in business since 2006, and has proposed the Global Village Construction Set on the world stage at TED [1]
• OSE has been featured hundreds of times in popular media including New Yorker, Wired, Inc, Fast Company, NPR, etc. https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Press
• OSE has been features in dozens of books, including Makers (Chris Anderson), The Zero Marginal Cost Society (Jeremy Rifkin), Plenitude (Juliet Schor), Doughnut Economics (Kate Raworth)
• Notables such as Noam Chomsky and Chris Anderson have commented positively about this work
• OSE has run on a shoestring budget over the years, including crowdfunding, 2 kickstarters, and about $1.5 foundation and fellowship funding.

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Open Source Ecology Announces OSE Fellowship: A $100,000 Work-Study Grant for Civilization Transformers

MAYSVILLE, MO – May 10, 2025 – Open Source Ecology (OSE), a pioneering force in open-source hardware and sustainable development since 2006, today announced the launch of the groundbreaking OSE Fellowship. This unique four-year immersion experiential teaching program, based in Maysville, Missouri, offers a $100,000 work-study grant to individuals dedicated to becoming impactful worldchangers.

Building upon OSE's internationally recognized work in developing the Global Village Construction Set (GVCS), a library of 50 open-source industrial machines for creating thriving, localized economies, the OSE Fellowship represents a significant step towards empowering the next generation of innovators. OSE's ambitious vision has garnered global attention, notably through a TED Talk [1] and hundreds of features in prominent media outlets such as The New Yorker, Wired, Inc., Fast Company, and NPR (as detailed at https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Press).

OSE's influence extends into the literary world, with its work highlighted in influential books like Makers by Chris Anderson, The Zero Marginal Cost Society by Jeremy Rifkin, Plenitude by Juliet Schor, and Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth. Esteemed thinkers such as Noam Chomsky and Chris Anderson have also publicly acknowledged the significance of OSE's mission.

"For years, OSE has operated on a lean budget, fueled by crowdfunding, two successful Kickstarter campaigns, and approximately $1.5 million total in foundation and fellowship funding," states Marcin Jakubowski, Ph.D., physicist-turned farmer-builder and educator. "The OSE Fellowship marks an exciting new chapter, allowing us to directly invest in individuals who are passionate about creating a more resilient and equitable future."

The four-year immersive program will provide fellows with hands-on experience in building, operating, and innovating within the framework of the GVCS. Participants will learn practical skills in areas such as digital fabrication, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, construction, and community building, all within the context of an open-source and collaborative environment. The $100,000 work-study grant will support fellows throughout their participation in the program.

Open Source Ecology invites individuals with a strong drive to make a positive impact and a willingness to learn and contribute to apply for the OSE Fellowship. This is an unparalleled opportunity to gain the skills, knowledge, and network necessary to become a true civilization transformer.

Applications for the OSE Fellowship will open [Insert Date/Details on Application Process]. Interested individuals are encouraged to visit [Insert OSE Website or Fellowship Application Link] for more information.

About Open Source Ecology:

Founded in 2006 and based in Maysville, Missouri, Open Source Ecology is dedicated to developing open-source hardware solutions for sustainable living and localized production. Its core project, the Global Village Construction Set, aims to provide the essential tools for creating modern infrastructure at a fraction of the cost through collaborative, open-source design and fabrication.

Contact: [Insert Name (if applicable)] [Insert Title (if applicable)] Open Source Ecology [Insert Email Address] [Insert Website]