We are writing to share an exciting summer opportunity for early-career academics, industry researchers, and artists of all types: theDiverse Intelligences Summer Institute (DISI).  

 

The idea behind DISI is simple. We bring together promising early-career scholars (graduate students, postdocs, and faculty) for several weeks of serious interdisciplinary exploration. If you are interested in the origins, nature, and future of intelligences—regardless of discipline—please apply! 

 

Our program engages three broad themes: 

 

 

Starting this year, each iteration of DISI will have a thematic focus, which will be reflected in additional faculty emphasis and a working group. The 2024 focus is the Formal Foundations of Intelligence (i.e., mathematical, computational, and philosophical scholarship on the foundations of biological and artificial intelligences). If your work connects with this focus, please let us know! However, most participants will not connect with the annual focus, so don’t let the topic deter you from applying. We welcome applications from scholars working on any and all aspects of mind, cognition, and intelligence; indeed, they will make up the majority of admitted participants.   

 

To enrich the conversation, we also recruit several “storytellers” (artists, writers, filmmakers, etc.) who participate in the intellectual life of the institute while pursuing related creative projects.  

 

We’re looking for open-minded participants who want to take intellectual risks and break down disciplinary barriers in the spirit of dialogue and discovery. We hope that this creative community will work together to develop new ways of engaging with big questions about mind, cognition, and intelligences. You can read more about DISI—including previous iterations—on our website: https://disi.org. 

 

DISI 2024 will take place in the beautiful seaside setting of St Andrews, Scotland from June 30 to July 20, 2024. During this time, participants will attend lectures, workshops, social events, and salons, building connections with each other and with our world-class faculty. They will also work together on projects of their own devising.

 

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, we will cover most of the cost of participation in the institute (including lodging and most meals). We ask admitted participants to seek travel funding from their home institutions or employers; a limited number of travel scholarships are available. Moreover, participants will join our growing network of past faculty and alumni, with lifetime access to dedicated resources (e.g., funding opportunities for future projects). 

 

Review of applications will begin on Friday, March 1 and will continue until all spots are filled. The application can be found at: https://disi.org/apply/.

 

We would be grateful if you would forward this announcement to any talented folks who might be interested in this opportunity. Thank you for helping us grow our DISI community!

 

With all our best wishes, 

The DISI Admin Team

 

Erica A. Cartmill, DISI Director; Professor of Cognitive Science, Anthropology, and Animal Behavior, Indiana University

 

Jacob G. Foster, DISI Director; Professor of Cognitive Science and Informatics, Indiana University

 

Kensy Cooperrider, DISI Associate Director of Content and Outreach, Host of ‘Many Minds’ podcast

 

Amanda McAlpin-Costa, DISI Associate Director of Administration

 

 

 

 

Diverse Intelligences Summer Institute