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DEVELOPING A LONG-TERM PROJECT (Semester-Long or Yearlong)

Every Kahn project is proposed and designed by one or several faculty members. Its central research questions should be framed in a way that is open to a variety of disciplinary perspectives, and yet is sufficiently focused to sustain a coherent investigation. Kahn projects are normally developed as semester-long or yearlong collaborations, but short-term projects may be designed with the intention of testing and developing ideas that have the potential to become long-term projects.

Submitting a proposal for a long-term Kahn Institute project is a three step process. All three steps are essential:

	Discuss your ideas, however preliminary they may be, with the Institute Director or another member of the Kahn Advisory Committee, as early as possible, and as your ideas develop. If you like, the Institute will arrange an informal "brainstorming" meeting for you with other faculty members whose research interests dovetail with your potential project.
	When your plans have achieved a fair measure of focus and depth, send a "letter of intent" (2-3 pages) to the Advisory Committee (see Deadlines). It should clearly articulate the problem you wish to study and the questions you seek to pose.
	You will receive comments from the Committee in response to your "Letter of Intent." Use these comments to prepare and submit a full proposal (see Institute Guidelines) by the deadline.

Once a project is accepted, the proposers are appointed Organizing Fellows for their project. The Institute works with Organizing Fellows in several ways. The Director helps in the selection of participating Faculty, Student, and Visiting Fellows and, when appropriate, in deciding on a program of public events in conjunction with the project. Organizing Fellows may be invited to meet with the Kahn Institute Advisory Committee to discuss their plans. The Director works with the Organizing Fellows to draft a concise statement of the project to be used for announcements and publicity.

During the project year, Organizing Fellows direct the project's Kahn Colloquium, provide overall supervision for the work of the Student Fellows (though most of them will be working directly with other Faculty Fellows or independently), and work closely with the Kahn Institute Administrative Staff. The Kahn Institute staff takes care of the many details that keep your project going smoothly, including coordinating and publicizing all public events, handling all financial and budgetary matters, and generally doing all the behind-the-scenes work.

Organizing Fellows for semester-long or yearlong projects are released from teaching one course to lead their project's Kahn Colloquium during the year of the project and to help guide the work of Student Fellows. The year preceding the project can be a busy one for Organizing Fellows (see Project Development Timeline), for they must help select Faculty and Student Fellows, meet with them and the Kahn Advisory Committee from time to time and work with the Kahn Project Coordinator to decide on the scope and timing major public events. If they prefer, Organizing Fellows may elect to take their one-semester course release during the planning year instead of during the project year.

At the conclusion of the project, Organizing Fellows must submit a reasonably detailed report for the Institute's records, including suggestions for improving the operation of future Kahn projects.

Planning a
Kahn Project:

Developing a Long-
Term Project

Developing a Short-
Term Project