The Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics (KITP) at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), serves the global theoretical physics community via a unique structure and mode of operation. KITP drives interactions with long stay scientist-curated programs for the broad and diverse physics community. This extended exposure to scientific peers stimulates collaborative networks that advance the intellectual enterprise of physics. As a largely peer-managed institute, with essential input from the community in the planning and implementation of its research programs, the KITP responds to new scientific opportunities, encourages transformational research, and promotes diversity by ensuring broad opportunities and representation. The KITP strives to reach out to new scientific communities and to foster inter-disciplinary research.

Intellectual Merit:

Each year, KITP holds about 12 programs, ranging from 4-12 weeks in duration. Most participants stay for 3 weeks or longer. (4-day conferences embedded in most programs allow participation by those who cannot travel for an extended period.) The KITP encourages science that crosses interdisciplinary boundaries, both during the proposal development process and by running complementary programs in parallel.

The mode of programming is different from a typical conference—rather than back-to-back talks with limited opportunity for discussion, a typical program holds no more than 1 formal talk per day. At least 1/3 of every talk session is devoted to discussion. The interactive format, long residence times and ample opportunity for self-organized, small-group discussions encourage formation of new collaborations and allow participants to initiate substantive research in novel directions within a few weeks. Program participants report acquiring an average of 3 new collaborators during their stays. Over the course of the grant, participants attributed over 3100 papers partly or entirely to their KITP program participation. KITP's resident scientists published approximately 350 more. KITP hosts about 800 visitors per year for its programs and another 600 for short conferences, its summer course in quantitative biology, and other activities.

Broader Impacts:

In order to bring forefront physics to as large an audience as possible, the KITP records all talks, seminars, discussions and public lectures and provides them to the world-wide community. The "KITP Online" archive hosts over 21,000 talks and is watched for more than 400 hours every day of the year, dramatically increasing our audience. Zoom audiences around the world can attend conference and program talks in real time. The Scholars program supports the research efforts of faculty at teaching-intensive primarily undergraduate institutions by funding 6 weeks at KITP, over a 3-year period. Every year, one KITP scientific conference supports a one-day conference for about 50 high school and 2-year college physics teachers from around the US. This Teachers' Conference presents participants with a unique opportunity to hear talks on current research, delivered by KITP visitors, and interact with the speakers and KITP faculty and postdocs. Teachers report that the conference also provides a unique opportunity to network with teachers who share common interests.

In all of its activities, the KITP's management encourages participation of groups that have been historically underrepresented within the physics community. Women are better-represented among KITP participants than among US physics faculty, and participation by minoritized racial and ethnic groups is roughly proportionate to their representation on US faculty. This is accomplished by selecting diverse leadership (advisory board and program coordinators), and deliberate program management practices carried out by the KITP. The KITP's activities also facilitate career development, allowing for new mentors and mentees to connect and raising the profiles of early-career researchers.

Last Modified: 05/23/2024
Modified by: Lars Bildsten