Survey Synthesis Fellows in 2024-25 Cohort

[njlyon0]

Summary

Need to design and administer a course-wide survey of the 2024-25 cohort to get a sense for the structure/content changes we should be making for the next cohort.

Sub-Tasks

• Discuss possible survey foci with Design Team
• Identify actionable next steps

Resources

• TBD

[njlyon0]

Closing Meeting Feedback

Got some informal feedback from students at today's closing meeting. Putting my--likely incomplete--summary of some of the highlights below for posterity:

• Try to reduce length of each meeting (even if increases the number of meetings)
• Deeper dives into certain topics
• More guidance about characteristics of good projects / effective prep
• Compile list of synthesis papers (and GitHub repos?)
• More formalized mentor-group relationships
• Figure out connection versus exposure in networking sessions
  • Maybe use breakout groups?

[marty-downs]

• Maybe less about "formalizing" mentor-mentee relationship, more about getting mentors to teach some more in-depth analytical skills: metaanalysis, SEM, wavelet theory, etc.
• ask participants whether they are more interested in the starting phase of a long-term project or a get-it-done-in9 months project. Responses could inform how they choose projects
• When they pitch projects, ask them to describe the short term and long term goals.-
• Consider splitting networking sessions from content sessions (Tuesday networking, Thursday content...)
• Many things that could be done in a longer "startup" phase:
  • have mentors give seminars (so participants get to know them better and learn what they are good at)
  • take some of the edge off of the everything, everywhere, all at one feeling of the in-person week by putting some more get-to-know you time upfront
  • better advice about how to scope projects (including advice from past participants)