Bi-Monthly Journal
This is a bi-monthly updated blog tracking Chase's progress throughout the completion of his project.
SummaryThe second half of September was focused on cleaning up the SLR as well as my website. I spent a few days reading through my SLR and editing it, cleaning up some of the grammar as well as making some minor organizational changes. Also, there is now somewhat of a cohesive look to the website, focusing on red backgrounds and bolded text to make it look professional yet interesting. I also created a logo! It is at the top of the website header. I may change the name in the future, but for now I've settled for Bacteria2Blood, since my project researches the biosynthesis of Hemoglobin using bacteria like E. coli. Overall, some minor changes made the website cleaner, easier to navigate, and more inviting. Screenshots of Website UpdateLooking ForwardAs previously mentioned in the end of summer presentation, a road map has been developed for my project that my mentors agree is the right path. This roadmap is pictured below. First, will finish up any last SLR edits, which at this point is completed. From there, I will begin to format it for various journals. That will take place in the background, while I begin to work on my Standard of Practice, or SOP, outlining my in-lab steps. The development of the SOP will last me until late fall. These phases and more can be seen in the roadmap below.
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Summary of Progress Since the end of August, I have finalized my preliminary SLR as well as created my 40% summer work presentation/recap. Additionally, as of 9/15, I have completed both 40% meetings- one on 9/14 with Mr. Witzel and Mr. DeMarte, and one on 9/15 with Ms. Carsley. Because the SLR rough draft was finished before the end of August, I spent the past 15 days both polishing my SLR and making my summer 40% presentations. The SLR has a final word count of about 4000 words, and the most up to date version is attached to this post. The presentation was made in powerpoint format, however it was intended to be a discussion based presentation. In both my mentor presentation and my presentation to Ms. Carsley, I had the powerpoint up, but it was merely a resource to guide the conversation. All 3 presentees were given a folder I prepared with a paper copy of my SLR, as well as a copy of my extensive (3700 word) notes printed out, so they could visualize part of my process from the summer. Ultimately, the presentation covered the work I did over the summer, broken up into June, July, and August-present. Additionally, it highlighted some of the problems I had this summer and the ways I tackled them and compromised to get to where I am today. Then, the presentation dove into the content of the SLR itself, supplemented by the physical copies each mentor was given at the beginning. Finally, I discussed the plan moving forward via a roadmap. Each of these elements are showcased in the presentation below. Summer 40% Final Presentation
Viewable Files- Preliminary SLR & Summer NotesLooking ForwardAssuming I am admitted officially into the fellows program, the next step in the process is to finalize the SLR and begin developing the Standard of Practice (SOP) for the In-Lab research this winter. In the short term, I plan to edit/polish the SLR, choose journals for publication, and begin to edit the SLR to comply to their various formats.
Summary of ProgressThese past 15 days have contained my largest work towards my fellows project thus far. I finalized my notes for my SLR in a document that is 3232 words long. They are extremely comprehensive and were instrumental not only in my understanding but also my writing. As soon as I completed the amount of notes I thought was necessary, I began to write my SLR. After days of writing, the SLR rough draft is essentially complete. It contains 6 distinct sections, each containing various subsections, and the total word count thus far is 2900 words- concise but comprehensive. I plan to finish the final two sections of the SLR purposely kept for the end of writing, the abstract and the conclusion, in the coming days. Gallery- Notes & SLR Rough DraftBelow are three picture galleries. The first is of my finalized notes sheet that has compiled data from all of the papers read thus far. The second gallery is of my SLR Rough Draft in its current state. Picture- CommunicationsBelow is a screenshot of an example communication I have had with my mentors during the past 15 days. Looking forwardLooking forward I hope to complete a few things. First, I am planning to reach out to my mentors this week about scheduling a meeting for my summer 40% review presentation. I have already had an informal discussion with Mr. DeMarte and we agreed later next week would be a good time, however I will formalize that and put it on the calendar soon. Second, I am planning to finish the Conclusion and Abstract sections of my SLR rough draft. These are the two sections of an SLR typically reserved for the finishing phase of writing because of their summative nature. Finally, I plan to clean up my website and begin preparing my presentation for my summer 40% meeting.
More long term, the goals are still the same for the coming months. Assuming I am accepted into the fellows program for the year, the first step is editing my SLR and making a final draft. This editing not only includes traditional essay editing, but also picking a journal and conforming my writing to their requirements (every journal has a different format and set of requirements to follow). After the SLR is edited and final drafts for each chosen journal are finalized, I will begin the publishing process by submitting them for review. After the SLR is submitted, I will begin to develop my SOP as mentioned in previous blog posts. The goal is to have a reasonable SOP with established financials, a very clear and actionable plan, and a solid materials list for lab set up. This detailed plan will be what I need to begin in-lab research either before winter break or after. |