# Introducing the Summer of Protocols Cohort

By [Protocolized](https://paragraph.com/@protocolized) · 2023-04-12

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Issue 4
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**Today we're announcing the Summer of Protocols research grants.** Check out the biographies of the [12 Core Researchers](https://efdn.notion.site/Core-Researchers-f6524a71c3c64ffd8ebaedcffe6fa38c) and [22 Affiliate Researchers](https://efdn.notion.site/Affiliate-Researchers-18e7ff237ebe46c483aadea93c8145db). They will be working together over the summer to advance our thinking on protocols via a variety of fascinating brewing projects. We'll share details of the projects in coming weeks, but to preview a bit, the themes include: urbanism, memory, architecture, cultural transmission, organizational behavior, safety, and of course, computing technology. The summer will kick off with an intensive-immersion early phase featuring [20 guest speakers](https://efdn.notion.site/Visiting-Researchers-560e4e25925a480c9fe71812cca4b316) who will challenge our researchers to think hard about a variety of protocol-related topics. In composing this cohort, we were primarily solving for thematic breadth and a high potential for collaboration and cross-pollination. Since this is one of the first research programs of its kind, in an era of exploding interest in protocols, we tried to create a portfolio of strong and broad projects that felt most relevant to foundational questions.

We'll introduce our researchers in-depth in future issues, but here is a brief introduction to our core researchers for today.

[Nadia Asparouhova](https://nadia.xyz/)(US) - writer and researcher  
[David Lang](http://davidtlang.com)(US) - entrepreneur and writer  
[Chenoe Hart](http://www.chenoehart.com)(US) - architectural designer investigating how the internet relates to the built environment  
[Dorian Taylor](https://doriantaylor.com/)(CAN) - self-taught practitioner who grew up in Canada in the dot-com 1.0 era  
[Rafa](http://rafael.fyi)(GER) - explores and builds web3 collectives and DAOs  
[Kei Kreutler](https://www.ourmachine.net/)(GER) - a writer and artist interested in how cultural narratives of technologies shape their use  
[Kara Kittel](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kara-kittel-81a2598a/)(US) - researcher and creative producer based in New York  
[Toby Shorin](http://tobyshorin.com)(US) - writer and technologist based in New York  
[Timber Stinson-Schroff](https://twitter.com/tmbr_ss)(CAN) - ecovering business student, but has a lingering interest in organizational design and management theory  
[Drew Austin](https://kneelingbus.net/)(US) - writer whose work explores the relationship between technology, culture, and cities  
[Sarah Friend](https://isthisa.com)(GER) - artist and software developer currently based in Berlin, Germany  
[Angela Walch](http://angelawalch.com)(US) - crypto researcher & law professor

As with other frontier technology areas, it is tough to cast a wide net, but we think we've made a small start. One of our hopes is that if this program succeeds in the ways we hope it will, it will open up many more options to grow this nascent field of what we're starting to call "Protocol Studies" in a highly pluralist and inclusive way.

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### Discussions with one of the internet's forefathers, Vint Cerf

[![](https://paragraph.xyz/editor/youtube/play.png)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9NHy7MCGm0)

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### Discoursed (Thoughts from the SoP server)

"Good protocols minimize required information by its participants..."  
\- Rafa

[Discord Link](https://discord.com/channels/1082444651946049567/1084135714830164100/1095255564528926750)

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### Three Links

[Juice](https://garden.bradwoods.io/notes/design/juice) - A design protocol for interactive user experience _(shared by Kyle Mathews)_  
[The Hobo Code](https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/a25174860/hobo-code/) - Secret hieroglyphs used by travelers to pass information  
[Protocol Heist](https://www.pcgamer.com/eve-online-player-uses-obscure-rule-to-pull-off-the-biggest-heist-in-the-games-history/) - Gamer uses obscure rule to pull off one of gaming's largest heists

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[Website](https://summerofprotocols.com/) | [Discord](https://discord.gg/PGauyYyu6T) | [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@summerofprotocols)

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*Originally published on [Protocolized](https://paragraph.com/@protocolized/introducing-the-summer-of-protocols-cohort)*