designing your projects - a clarification

Paul Burchard (burchard@pobox.com)
Wed, 14 May 1997 06:47:27 -0400

Every project in this institute will, to a greater or lesser extent, be
designed by the participant teams. In fact, some teams (#2 and #14)
have even come up with their own topics, which are now listed on the web
site, along with the project ideas from the faculty. (And so, contrary
to what I suggested earlier, there will be no "canned" projects.)

Whether you're adapting a faculty idea or proposing your own, here are
the basic "litmus tests" to consider as you narrow down your project
ideas:

1. Does the project address the core theme of this year's institute --
the study of "systems" (large networks of interrelated variables, and
their perturbation and scaling properties).

2. Does the project reflect local environmental concerns in the area
where you're teaching?

3. Does the project reflect the resources available this summer at the
institute? (Can the environmental science techniques you want to learn
be fruitfully studied in the Princeton area? Does the faculty expertise
correspond to your needs? Does our budget cover the necessary
equipment/travel? See the "Resources" section of the web site.)

Once your project passes these basic litmus tests, you may want to wish
to consider the other criteria listed on the web site at
http://www.woodrow.org/teachers/environment/modules/1997/goals/projects.html

Paul Burchard <burchard@www.woodrow.org>
Woodrow Wilson Web Architect