Group Projects Class of 2010 Logistics

Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB

Group Projects Class of 2010

Logistics


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

http://www.bren.ucsb.edu/services/student/index.html

http://www.bren.ucsb.edu/services/student/index.html

http://www.bren.ucsb.edu/research/group_projects.asp

http://www.bren.ucsb.edu/research/group_projects.asp

http://www.services/students/index.html

http://www.services/students/index.html


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


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


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




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


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


$$$

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


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!


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

https://gauchospace.ucsb.edu/


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


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


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


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)


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)


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


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


Deliverables

See Group Project Guidelines for Specific Deadlines and Timelines

Deliverables will be covered in more detail in 401A


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


Winter 2009

Winter 2009 Project Defense Final report Abstract and acknowledgements for

presentation program Brief - 4 page summary of highlights with

graphics Poster


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


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)


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


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.


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

Documents

Group Projects Class of 2010 Logistics