Download ppt - New Students Welcome to YOUR VIP Team! VIP Integrates Research and Education

Ed Coyle and Randy Abler, Co-Directors

Vertically-Integrated Projects Program

Georgia Institute of Technology

[email protected]; [email protected]

The Vertically-Integrated Projects (VIP) Program:Integrating Undergraduate Education and

Graduate Research

Vertically Integrated Projects Program

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• New Students– Welcome to YOUR VIP Team!– VIP Integrates Research and Education– VIP Enables Innovation

• Returning Students– Do not need to attend this lecture.

• This is an Introduction to the VIP Program

Welcome to the VIP Program!


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Undergraduate Students need Real Projects in which they

Learn the Innovation Process

Large-Scale Research and Development Efforts Need Help

at all Levels of Innovation

What is VIP? A Partnership

Undergraduate Students

Research and Development


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Design/Discovery in an R&D Context

• You see the full range of your discipline(s)• Understand research process and issues• Dig deep into some topics• Learn about & work with other disciplines• Create things/processes/etc. that move the project

forward• Join the university community!!• Have fun!!


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The VIP Goal:Foster Innovative Thinking & Entrepreneurial Behavior

by Involving Students in Challenging Projects.

Ensure Success by Providing the Necessary:

Time Context Mentoring


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Program Architecture• Long-term, large-scale R&D/Design projects:

– Large teams: 10-20 undergraduates; 1-4 grad students– Long-term participation: each UG can register for credit

for up to six semesters– Sophomores through seniors + grads on each team– New students replace those who graduate

• Challenging, real projects:– Real research projects for real customers

• The Innovation Continuum:– Research, develop, design, & deploy real solutions


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How VIP Teams Work:• They function like design/research firms

• Projects grow semester to semester, year to year, decade to decade, ….

• Work collaboratively to develop skills and contribute to your team

• Everyone must be self-motivated!

• Faculty advisers do not give you all the answers – because they don’t have them!


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As a Team Member:• Responsibilities

– Everyone does Technical Work – Everyone does Presentations and Writes– You are to be Active; not Passive

• Roles and Time– Learning– Contributing– Coordinating and Leading– Communicating


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VIP Grading – The Purpose• Provide Feedback to You

– How are you doing?

– How can you do better?

• Check on team progress– Is everyone working

– Is the team on the right track

– What needs to change to make faster progress


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VIP Grading – The Process:• Occurs at Middle and End of Each Semester

• Design notebooks will be graded:– https://vip.gatech.edu/wiki/index.php/Main_Page– If it isn’t in your design notebook, you didn’t do it!

• Advisors will discuss your progress with you.

• Quizzes, presentations, reports, opinions, etc

• Peer evaluations


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Peer Evaluations• You evaluate each member of your team

• The process is confidential

• Advisors see all team members evals of you

• Determine grade/range and email to you with comments if see problems

• Advisers meet with you if they see problems.

• Meet with your adviser if you’re concerned.


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Team Start-Ups/Transitions• New (and Returning) Members Have Met!• Progress Update from Returning Members

– Returning Members: Prepare and Give presentation on progress from last semester. End-of-Semester presentations are perfect

for this.

• New Teams + New Team Members– Learn about teams’ tasks and goals

• Schedule Team Dinner for Week 2, 3, or 4


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Getting (Re)Started• Returning Members – Plan for Semester

– Train New Members: Course Modules, Tools, Reading Assignments, Labs, etc.

– Organize Projects; Plan this Semester’s Work– Make Progress!

• New Members – Start Learning– Explore team’s t-square/wiki/etc sites– Question returning members about project– Get Involved!!


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Resources• PHP/MySQL Course Module: Dr. Abler

– Meets Fridays 3:05-4:25 in Klaus 1440– Useful for many teams: all eX teams, CW, VIA,

ITS,…– Open to all VIP Students– SVN, PHP, MySQL – 3 Levels

• VIP Subnet and Server – Designed/Administered by Dr. Abler

• Two VIP Labs: VL-1440 Klaus 1440


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Benefits to You• Takes design experience to a new level• New depth and breadth of knowledge• You Can participate in a large research effort• Improves the undergraduate curriculum• See how course knowledge can be applied• Learn to work in a team; Opportunity to lead• Be an active learner, not just a passive learner• Do something you can talk about in interviews


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Thank You for Joining!Questions?

Further Information: http://vip.gatech.eduContact: {ejc, randal.abler}@gatech.edu