Current Progress

Week 1: 19 Jan - 26 Jan

  • Began working on EcoCentre project

  • Conducted preliminary research and completed beginning assignments to include background topics, mission statement, project deliverables, etc.

  • Held first meeting with project academic advisors

  • Began preliminary website design

  • Sent first email to project sponsors

  • Created Trello task board to organize past, current, and future assignments and work

Week 2: 27 Jan - 2 Feb

  • Created an initial cover page and title for final paper

  • Outlined background necessary to understand context of citizen science and multiple other facets of the project

  • Held second meeting with project academic advisors

  • Identified urgent questions needed to advance project for both the sponsor and our advisors

  • Further developed project objectives

Week 3: 3 Feb - 9 Feb

  • Created a first draft of the proposal introduction and background

    • Flushed out background information on citizen science, environmental concerns, Port Phillip Bay, and the Port Phillip Bay EcoCentre

  • Sent a follow up email to the sponsors due to a lack of response to the first

  • Gathered list of interesting factoids

  • Created interview template document

  • Wrote introductory paragraph for methodology section of proposal

  • Completed mid-term feedback evaluation forms on group member performance

Week 4: 10 Feb - 16 Feb

  • Met with the Port Phillip EcoCentre sponsors and discussed key questions we had about the project and the Laboratory

  • Started Proposal document as well as created a section of the website for said document

  • Had a meeting with our project librarian who helped us find and access more background research tools and resources

  • Created authorship table for Proposal

  • Created Project Slides for Presentations

  • Fixed the Background section of the Proposal

Week 5: 17 Feb - 23 Feb

  • Sent Email requests to Pittsburgh, Leiden, and Boston Museum of Science labs for information on their projects

  • Presented Methodology Presentation

  • Produced final draft of Final Presentation slides of the Prep Term

  • Sent Proposal draft to the EcoCentre to get their feedback

  • Created first two week plan

Week 6: 24 Feb - 2 Mar

  • Presented Final Presentation of Prep term

  • Finalized Interview templates

  • Submitted Proposal for IRB approval

  • Finished Proposal and sent it to the EcoCentre

  • Met with our research librarian to clear up citing issues and fix citing for figures

IQP Term Start

Week 1: 14 Mar - 21 Mar

  • Scheduled meeting with the EcoCentre to cut down partner spreadsheet

  • Picked out several key partners that have room for growth in partnership with the EcoCentre

  • Communicated with Leiden University to set up a virtual interview

  • Sent survey out with questions for The Citizen Science Lab in Pittsburgh

  • Started Excel Cost Analysis template

  • Confirmed weekly meeting times for the two weeks before travel

Week 2: 22 Mar - 29 Mar

  • Interviewed Leiden University

  • Interviewed Boston Museum of Science

  • Picked out 5 key partners for interviews

Week 3: 30 Mar - 5 Apr

  • Traveled to Melbourne

  • Started working on Final Report

  • Drafted Partner Interview Questions

Week 4: 6 Apr- 12 Apr

  • Adjusted Partner Interview Questions to be partner-specific

  • Presented to EcoCentre staff on our project

  • Set up interviews with 5 key partners as well as an additional with Victoria National Parks' Association

  • Participated in Tangaroa Blue storm drain cleanup, mollusk survey, and beach fauna event.


Week 5: 13 Apr- 19 Apr

  • Sent out EcoCentre equipment survey to 5 staff members

  • Held interviews with Victoria National Parks Association, Deakin University, Melbourne Water, Hobson's Bay Wetland Centre, and Tangaroa Blue Foundation.

  • Participated in the Microplastics River Trawl on the Yarra River.


Week 6: 20 Apr- 26 Apr

  • Changed project objectives and mission statement to more accurately fit the project.

  • Sent out a supplemental survey to several organizations within the Port Phillip EcoCentre Partner network that weren't in the selected 5.

  • Brainstormed ideas for collateral and then finalized what collateral would be produced before the end of the project.


Week 7: 27 Apr- 4 May

  • Created Collateral that included two website pages and a slide deck

  • Finished compiling findings in order to more accurately recommend to the EcoCentre

  • Created a spreadsheet with estimated costs for wanted equipment and then recommended equipment using this

  • Prepped for final presentation and presented final presentation

  • Submitted Report