group projects class of 2010 logistics
DESCRIPTION
Group Projects Class of 2010 Logistics. Information Sources. Group Project Guidelines http://www.bren.ucsb.edu/services/student/index.html Past Reports and Briefs http://www.bren.ucsb.edu/research/group_projects.asp Brief Template and Example http://www.services/students/index.html - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Group Projects Class of 2010
Logistics
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Information Sources
Group Project Guidelineshttp://www.bren.ucsb.edu/services/student/index.html
Past Reports and Briefshttp://www.bren.ucsb.edu/research/group_projects.asp
Brief Template and Examplehttp://www.services/students/index.html
2nd year Presentations this Friday April 3rd, 3pm Double Tree Resort
Your 2nd year Peers
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Administration
Group Project Committee (09-10)• Christina Tague, Group Project Chair• John Melack• Cathie Ramus• Jim Frew• Amy Burgard
Staff Group Project Coordinator Your first point of contact for all matters related to group
projects
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Registration
You should be registered in 401A (Tague) for spr 09
If not, do this before end of week or you’ll need an approval code
401B (fall 09) & 401C (win 10)Multiple sections; register in the one with your
advisor
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Meetings
Meet at least once/weekStudents are responsible for scheduling meetings and
securing meeting space (not advisors)Bonsai Room & Visitor Center are designated group project
meeting spacesVisitor Center available during business hours Bonsai available at all hours
Students reserve rooms for group project meetings in these spaces using Corp TimeCorp Time Scheduling Instructions (on services)
http://www.bren.ucsb.edu/services/student/StudentSchedulingofRooms_000.htm
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Meetings (cont.)
Be good peers…Check availability before schedulingNever schedule on top of an existing reservationAlways remove reservations if you won’t be using the room and remove it as soon as you know
Staff will not schedule group project meetings in other rooms unless Bonsai and Visitor’s Center are booked or it is a special stakeholder meeting (in this case send email to scheduling@bren)
Please use scheduling@bren to reserve any rooms or media (i.e. video projectors, conference phone etc) and do so reasonably well in advance
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Money Matters
Each group gets $1,300 plus up to $200 for printing Includes all costs including poster and briefs Printing allocations made to individual group membersCan “buy” more printing
Appoint a financial manager (FM) by Thursday 4/9 and inform Amy Burgard (aburgard@bren) via email (group nickname, manager name and email)
Mike Best will arrange meetings with each manager (perhaps groups of managers) and educate them about financial matters
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
$$$
FMs should study information about finances in handbook
Get to know the Bren School’s Financial StaffConnie Fourqurean (connie) = purchasingFrank Soares (fsoares) = travel and payrollMike (mbest) = extramural and gift funds, proposals,
financial statements, questions, problems, training
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
External Funds
While obtaining additional funding may be desirable, we generally don’t pick projects that can’t be done on the base budget provided by the School or funding promised by the client.
You are not encouraged to spend a lot of time trying to raise funds at the expense of doing the project!
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Contracts/Grants
Contract/grant = money given to University for a specific deliverable(s)
Proposal to funding organization is written (with Mike Best’s coordination)
Must be faculty principle investigator (PI); PI ultimately responsible
Proposal must have budget, budget justification, clearly articulated deliverables, start and end date
Must be approved by the Office of Research before submission (takes at least 1 week)
ONLY the Office or Research can accept contract and grant money; you can’t do this on your own!
OVERHEAD RATE = 50%!!!!i.e. $100 yields only $50 of real capital
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Gifts are Best!!!
Donor writes check to UC Regents stating that it is a giftCan be no deliverables; no signed paperwork; can be
general stipulations… “to support research about alien life on Mars”
All gifts coordinated by Jennifer Deacon (jennifer@bren)Most federal agencies and many other public agencies can
not make gifts
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
The Golden Rule If you want the gold, you have to speak
with Jennifer first
Do not under any circumstances, even if faculty tell you to, talk to anyone about a giving a gift without first talking with Jennifer Deacon!!!
Active fundraising by students without Jennifer’s guidance is not appropriate
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Summer Internships
If internships promised, identify one group member to be the summer internship coordinator (IC)
Decide EARLY who is going to do the internships
IC works with Dave Parker for help coordinating internships
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Work Stations
One computer for each group in Commons (13 total)Computer assignment map will be posted in
Services/Group ProjectsException: Eco-Ent projects will be in BH 2027 until we
create more stations in Commons (although that probably won’t be during your time here)
Obtain keys from Frank SoaresMove-in date = Monday, April 27th
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Computer Resources
Each group must appoint:Web Manager (IM)Data Manager (DM)
Inform Amy Burgard (aburgard@bren) by Thursday, 4/9 Compute staff will hold a mandatory training meeting for
DMs and IMs in the near futureMuch to learn about computing related to group projects
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Website
Each group must create (by end of spring quarter) and maintain a web site
At a minimum the following is required:Names and email of all group membersGroup email addressNames and email of advisor(s)Final project proposal (completed at the end of spring)
All GP computers will have Adobe Suite installedWebsite design workshop to be held in spring quarter
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Grading
GradesLetter grade assigned for 401A by TagueIP (In Progress) grade at end 401BLetter grade assigned at end of 401C by
advisorLetter grade replaces previous IP gradeB or better requiredSeparate grades
Often the whole group gets the same grade but this is not required
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Evaluation Criteria
401ATague will outline in her class, Basic Course Outline is available on Gaucho Space – make sure you have access to ESM 401A on Gaucho Space (https://gauchospace.ucsb.edu/)Log in using your University ID
401B & CUnderstanding of relevant published literatureCritical perspective on quality and shortcomings of prior workUnderstanding of both social and natural science dimensions of the issues Originality of analysis, problem formulation and scope of workRelationships with outside advisors and stakeholdersResourcefulnessPunctualityCommunication skillsParticipation
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Peer Evaluations
Completed at end of each quarterThese are taken into account in assigning gradesIf you don’t identify probs., they can’t be solvedS (09) submitted to Tague & faculty advisorF (09) & W (10) submitted to faculty advisor and
GP Coordinator
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Faculty Evaluations
401A reviewed at the end of spring GP Advisor Evaluations – Completed at end of project
Extremely important that every group member participates and provides thorough and informative feedback
Why not end of spr & fall?Past students recommended against this because many uncomfortable doing so mid-project and when it is difficult to be anonymous
Communicate serious mid-project advisor issues to Amy, anonymously if need be
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Faculty Advisors
Monitor progress, provide technical assistance/expertise, and evaluate project and assign grades
Project leadership/mgmt and quality of final products is YOUR responsibility
NOT project managers, more like a consultantAttend a regular meetingProvide advice but generally reactive; you need to take initiativeNo two advisors alikeExpect variability in engagement, expectations, responsiveness,
and feedbackMay be quite hands offAll expect you to take chargeTurn around time needs vary but NEVER expect under 1 weekSchedule initial meeting with advisor NOW and explore how they
will interact with you
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
External AdvisorsGroups are expected to obtain the counsel of outside advisors (at
least two) who may have interest in the projects, data, or deliverables
You are responsible for identifying them, developing professional relationships with them and maintaining professional contact
Outside advisory committee often includes another Bren faculty member
Interact with them with absolutely the highest standards of professionalismDon’t have a meeting without an agendaPrepare minutesSend thank you notesMeet deadlines and keep promisesNever share negativity
ACKNOWEDLEGE them frequently, privately and publicly (if they welcome this)
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Structure of the Group
Democracy vs. efficient organizationThis is a situation where democracy is overratedSomeone needs to be in charge or chaos will rule
Laura’s advice: designate a project manager!!!Give manager authority to be the ultimate decision-
maker (not tyrant)Rotate role?
Must designate a financial manager, data manager, and web managerMay want to create other roles as well (get advice from 2nd years)
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Problems
Primary responsibility for problem solving lies with studentsAvoid complaining; propose solutions It’s possible you’ll have slackers or pseudo-slackers
Involve advisor after thorough efforts by the group to solve problems
If serious unresolvable problems (this is rare), go to Amy, Christina and/or John; they will involve group project committee if appropriateWritten documentation essential if administrative solution
ultimately requiredPS There is an campus ombuds office:
http://www.ombuds.ucsb.edu/index.html
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Use of Human Subjects
MUST follow very strict procedures and may need to obtain approval from the human subjects committee if human subjects will be used in research
This even applies to CONDUCTING SURVEYS!!!It's potentially a very big deal not to be in complianceThis will be covered in detail in 401A, and a
representative from UCSB Office of Research will present on human subjects approval process
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Deliverables
See Group Project Guidelines for Specific Deadlines and Timelines
Deliverables will be covered in more detail in 401A
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Spring/Fall 2009
Spring 2009 Draft and Final Project Proposal Other deliverables required by Tague Proposal Review Meeting Written proposal review summary Peer Evaluations Group website
Fall 2009 Progress review meeting (mid-quarter presentation) Written Progress Report Peer Evaluations
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Winter 2009
Winter 2009 Project Defense Final report Abstract and acknowledgements for
presentation program Brief - 4 page summary of highlights with
graphics Poster
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Public PresentationDate TBA; Group projects officially end winter
quarter so it could be as early as the end of finals week; likely the second week of spring quarter
Will likely be in a different next year—hopefully at Bren
Not the same as defense talk because different audience
Don’t “dumb down” but tailor it to a diverse audience more interested in substance and findings and less in details of methods
Poster session & reception follows
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
What you need to start doing IMMEDIATELY
READ the Group Project guidelinesSchedule meetingsDefine roles (FM, DM, WM, IC) and email relevant partiesStart developing your group; learn about each other; do
something togetherEducate yourself about your project
Collect papers and reports and read about your projectYou can’t get started and you can’t do a good job if you
don’t know the current state of knowledgeGet clients funding commitments firmed up (working with
advisor and appropriate Bren staff)
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Helpful Resources
Writing skillsWriting Center (writing@bren)Individual and group tutoring
Research skillsJanet Martorana (martoran@library)Librarian assigned to BrenHolds weekly office hours here at Bren
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
CautionsThe work belongs to ALL group members
Everyone must be listed as authors in all presentations and publications even if you’ve adapted it
Make sure references to others work/data/models are thoroughly referenced
There may be problems sharing datasets or products with outside clients because of licensing agreements; explore this well in advance with Jason.
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
WoWs
Avoid having group project become all or overly consuming and not taking advantage of all the other important learning opportunities at Bren
This may or may not be extremely challenging (more likely may)You may or may not have issues with group members, advisor of
clients; it’s all goodThis is one of the best preparations possible for your future
career (ask any alum or employer)You will face the same sorts of challenges (and harder) in your
job; appreciate the opportunity to practice nowThis is an educational experience—”a practice not a perfect”Relish the process as well as the product