KITP

Prologue

Before discussing logistical details, we describe the overall process of organizing a KITP research program of duration 8 weeks or longer.  (Shorter programs have some special issues, as do biological physics programs.)  This is a cooperative process among the coordinators, their advisors, and the KITP, mostly through the Deputy Director.  The most important feature that differentiates a program from a conference or a short workshop is that it is an organic development that grows in stages.  The first stage is to invite and secure commitments from your key, long-term participants. The success of a program depends crucially on your long-term participants, and we have family-friendly policies (and some private funding) that assist those who wish to bring family members.  The second stage is to send announcements to a large group of potential participants soliciting applications.  The third stage is issuing additional invitations, which should be thought of as an ongoing, continual process that begins about a year or more in advance and continues, sometimes even after the program begins.

When your program was pre-approved, we asked that you line up your key, long-term participants.  By "long-term," we mean at least 4 weeks.  By "key participant," we intend a scientist whom nearly everyone in the field would recognize as among the leaders in this area of research.  These are people whose presence will substantially enhance the research activities and, like the coordinators, attract other outstanding scientists to attend and to make extended visits.  Securing early commitments from them will help publicize your program as word spreads and as they encourage others to apply, thereby reducing your own effort.

Therefore, as soon as KITP’s web site is prepared to accept applications, you or we should contact the key group again and invite them to apply.  We can issue invitations to them at any time; there is no need to wait for the application deadline, and you should take advantage of this flexibility to begin recommending invitations and securing commitments.   Perhaps the most common mistake made by program coordinators is to wait until after the application deadline to begin inviting their key, long-term participants. Their commitment helps attract other top-notch scientists and, as they tell their friends about coming, others will want to apply.

As applications are received, you should continue to invite those long-term people whom you are certain to want.  Finally, shortly after the application deadline, you will recommend most of the rest of the applicants to be invited.  The application deadline is "soft;" KITP continues to accept applications until the program ends.

A second mistake often made by coordinators is thinking that they can fill out their available participant-weeks all at once after the deadline.  It is tempting to think of the problem as one of putting blocks into slots, but humans do not conform to such a model.  Often times, people find that they cannot come for as long as they had hoped or for different dates than originally anticipated.  Inevitably, there is attrition due to unforeseen circumstances.

Furthermore, there is a certain learning curve for all involved.  The Deputy Director needs to understand your scientific goals and who your key people are.  The coordinators need to become familiar with the KITP process, from the solicitation stage through the invitation stage.  You need to understand our policies and constraints and the questions and complications that arise before an official invitation with a financial commitment can be sent.  The best way to do this is to start with a few people and gradually work up to the longer list that is likely to be formed after the application deadline.