The Participating Institution program has been an important part of the IMA its inception. PIs partner with IMA to promote and guide the development of mathematical sciences linked to important applications. The program is synergistic, carrying many benefits for both the IMA and PIs. Among the many benefits of membership are maximal opportunities for participation by PI scientists in all IMA events, special IMA programs aimed at PIs, IMA support for programs held at PIs, and a variety of avenues to influence the scientific directions and programming at the IMA. There are PI programs are directed at graduate students as well as faculty. For example, each summer, the IMA collaborates with a PI to run an intensive summer program held at one of the PI campuses for graduate students at all the PIs. In 2003, a program on Combinatorics and its Applications will be held at Georgia Tech.