RIPS and the Math Clinic:Two student team-research programs

Sponsored by Industry

Mike RaughInterconnect Technologies LLC

michael.raugh@gmail.com

505-918-0696

Presentation for Harvard SEAS Dec 10, 2012

My Background

PhD Stanford, Math (20+ years in industry)

1999-2006 director HMC Math Clinic 2001-2012 director RIPS at IPAM/UCLA

Currently semi-retired in Placitas, NM NSF REU Reviewer Proposed HPCC National Software Exchange

www.mikeraugh.org2

HMC Team on Projects Day

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RIPS 2009 at IPAM/UCLA

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From RIPS 2012 to Rhodes

5Mohit Agrawal, Princeton University

Math Clinic at HMCTwo-semester capstone experience

Clinic program well established over decades

Each department has a clinic director

• 50% of math students elect to participate

3-5 sponsored projects/year (four students per team)

• Total industry financing (all IP assigned to sponsor)

Students get 6 semester units credit for the senior year

some summer sessions with stipend/credit hours for students

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RIPS at UCLANine weeks of summer but same number of hours

• Now in 12th year (Raugh RIPS founding director)

• 36 students from 350-450 applicants

• 33% foreign students

9 projects (four students per team)

Joint industrial-NSF financing (no IP assigned to sponsor)

Students housed on UCLA campus, receive $3K stipend

Entire IPAM building available in the summer for RIPS Two offices per team, full system access and support

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Program Elements, 1

• Industry sponsors recruited by HMC/IPAM

• Sponsor proposes a project problem

• Supports (but does not manage) project

• Provides funds and usually data, and assigns liaison

• Liaison monitors progress, provides discipline knowledge

• Regular conference calls

• Project IMPORTANT but NOT on sponsor’s critical path

• Sponsor benefits

• Work products, fresh ideas, long-term recruitment exposure, name recognition as good citizen (IP, patents at HMC)

• Success not guaranteed

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Program Elements, 2

• Each team: 4 students, 1 faculty mentor, 1 sponsor liaison

• Project manager is a student

• Faculty mentor helps guide and sets standard of professionalism

• Sponsor’s liaison monitors progress, provides discipline expertise

• Students rework sponsor’s proposal into Work Statement

• Set milestones and deliverables

• Reports, presentations, analyses, software

• Work Statement is negotiated with sponsor

• Students learn teamwork (a challenge in itself)

• Project manager and mentor learn about project management

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Program Elements, 3

• All projects overseen by Program Director

• Explains sponsor’s role to liaison

• Available to sponsor to discuss issues

• Liaison involvement is critical to success (regular interaction)

• Meets regularly with project managers and academic mentors

• Promotes cooperation among teams

• Leads in brainstorming team organizational issues

• Helps project managers learn to manage

• Helps guide mentors in their support for project managers

• Reviews all work products before presentation to sponsors

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HMC Scheduling

• (Prior Summer, sponsors selected and contracts signed. Students assigned to teams. Managed by department clinic director)

• Opening Day—sponsor presentations, introductions

• Weeks 1-2—select project managers, prepare Work Statements

• End of semester 1 —mid-term presentations/reports

• End of semester 2 —Projects Day Presentations

• Final Reports, Software & Documentation

• PROJECTS DAY

• Acceptance by sponsors – fee paid half-way, and at end

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RIPS Scheduling

• IPAM Administration handles

• Engagement of Sponsors• Vetting of Project Proposals

• Recruitment and selection of Students and Mentors

• Housing and travel arrangements

• Remuneration

• RIPS Director (“Guest Conductor”)

• Overall management of ongoing projects

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Director’s Key Management Tools• Initial meeting with sponsors—stress importance of

regular

contacts, role of WS, student project management

• Explicit written norms for Project Manager, Work

Statement, Presentations, Reports

• Weekly meetings with Faculty Mentors, Project Managers

• Weekly review of schedule and progress

• Collaborative trouble-shooting

• Open critiquing of practice presentations—peer

participation promotes excellence

• Careful editing of report drafts (LaTeX template)

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Startup Considerations for Harvard Cultivate sponsors, set pricing and expectations

Sponsor supplies liaison and (usually) data

Projects are not contract work or internships (success NOT guaranteed) Educational functions of the University (each project managed by a student)

Manage contracts and legal issues with sponsor

Provide faculty & mentor compensation Comp time, academic credit, payment

Recruit students (regular units credit, stipend for summer)

Director assignment, compensation

Administrative support

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