Guidelines

What is needed in a full program proposal to KITP? 

A successful full proposal needs to contains the following:

  1. A clearly motivated scientific case (3 pages at most) that explains the background to the broader physics audience, the specifics for the specialists on the board, and why you think the time is ripe for progress.
  2. Commitments from at least 3 people to be coordinators. A program will not succeed if there is not at least one well-organized coordinator in residence all the time. The best programs have 2–3 coordinators in residence all the time. 
  3. No more than a page, describing your plans for recruiting and inviting a diverse pool of program applicants to your program.
    • KITP program invitees should represent the diversity of your field, including gender, racial, ethnic and career-stage diversity. We expect coordinators to make considerable efforts towards achieving this goal. We need to know your plans for ensuring a diverse pool of program applicants should your program be approved.
    • KITP programs bring together scientists from many scientific communities, career stages, nationalities and demographic backgrounds. Please explain how you will create an inclusive environment in this setting and how will you encourage collaboration among this diverse set of participants.
  4. A sense that the community agrees this program is a good idea. This is usually accomplished by sending your draft to the community and asking them a few questions:
    • Is the program description broad enough or are some vital subfields missing?
    • If such a program were run, what would be your interest in a stay of three weeks or longer?  Since no commitments can be made, this is just a preliminary head count.
  5. A justification as to how long a program you feel is needed.
  6. Whether or not and why you would like to use one of your program weeks for a 4–5 day conference.

Questions the Advisory Board tends to ask:

  1. Is there really an argument that scientific progress will be made because of the program? Is the time ripe?
  2. Are these the right coordinators? Will they really show up? Will they attract the community?
  3. Have the coordinators shown strong interest in achieving a diverse program?
  4. When was the last time this community was at the KITP? If recently, why do they need to come again so soon?
  5. Is the community large enough to populate the program?