ISS Theme Projects
Overview
The ISS theme project allows Cornell faculty members to work in-residence at the Institute to collaborate on a common interdisciplinary topic. Lasting three years, at the core of each project is social science research that will attract attention from national and international academic communities as well as private and government funding agencies.
Each theme project should challenge those within and beyond Cornell to look anew at critical issues in the social sciences and reconsider their own social worlds. For faculty, it offers opportunities for sustained discussion of a core subject and its implications. For students, the project offers stimulating courses and opportunities for collaborative research.
In the first year of each theme project, the institute recruits up to 10 faculty members from Cornell as core participants. These ISS faculty fellows spend time planning the events of year 2, which may include weekly seminars, workshops, conferences, courses, and collaborative research. They also recruit post-docs, and generally learn how to work as a team. The year culminates with a major public lecture by the project leader that makes the case for the theme project and previews its activities.
The second year of the project is the most active, as core team members lead activities that engage the campus and the community. In year 2, the ISS faculty fellows have offices at ISS, and are expected to devote at least 50 percent of their time and energy to the theme project in exchange for partial course and administrative relief.
In the third year, each theme project focuses on completing a set of substantive scholarly outputs, as well as establishing a legacy for the project at Cornell. This can be broadly defined, and might include a series of journal articles, an edited volume, a major grant proposal, or the development of a research center or institute.
