Planning your CE 333T Proposal Project

Your project is more than writing the proposal.  Project involves all kinds of research. Searching for published information Searching for published information Reading Reading Interviewing Interviewing Synthesizing info. Synthesizing info.  Project also involves interpreting research findings and developing a plan to be implemented if you are successful in getting funded.  Final deliverable is a proposal.

Past CE 333T projects  Constructing wetlands as sustainable landscaping for new computer science buildings on campus  Increasing the energy efficiency of ECJ’s windows (pilot program)  Reducing food waste and developing sustainable disposal methods at UT-Austin (pilot program)  Reducing water use at a new residential subdivision in south Austin (pilot program)  Evaluating the feasibility of using membrane technology in UT-Austin’s wastewater treatment plant (plan for further research).

Choose a topic by considering definitions of sustainability and talking to experts.  Think about various views of sustainability: EPA EPA EPA Dartmouth prof’s slide show Dartmouth prof’s slide showslide showslide show  Some experts willing to help in the past: Greg Landreth (consultant): Greg Landreth (consultant): Leigh Byford (City of Austin): Leigh Byford (City of Austin): Naila Ahmed (LCRA): Naila Ahmed (LCRA): Stephen Niemeyer (TCEQ): Stephen Niemeyer (TCEQ): Jim Scott (TNRIS): Jim Scott (TNRIS):

Start by interviewing experts  Please interview someone with knowledge about a specific sustainability problem.  Ask this person to help you define the scope of your investigation. Home in on a real problem and possible solutions.  Discuss definitions of sustainability.

 Your final proposal will be a response to one of two Requests for Proposal (both fictional) – one from UT-Austin’s Sustainability Network, the other from a regional Environmental Protection Program. Sustainability NetworkEnvironmental Protection Program Sustainability NetworkEnvironmental Protection Program

Steps to take in next two weeks:  Read RFPs, talk to experts  Determine objectives of your potential project and of proposal.  Determine scope.  Plan the writing tasks.  Plan the research tasks.

Writing is a process. 1. Writing activities are incremental and iterative. 2. Writing helps you do your research and technical work.

Writing activities are incremental and iterative.  You can move back and forth between doing research or experimental/calculation/modeling work and doing writing.  Writing helps you understand what you really know and what you are still unsure about. Helps you plot direction.

Writing is incremental and iterative. Research Writing Experimental work, data gathering, observation More writing

In the next couple of weeks, you will use writing to refine the scope and methods of your investigation.  We will give you feedback on your topic description and your Problem Description to help you clarify the scope of your project.  We couldn’t give you this feedback without reading your writing. Writing helps you define what you will NOT investigate. Writing helps you define what you will NOT investigate.

Defining your project means figuring out what you will not investigate. Sustainability Problem Your project

What “voice” should you project in your documents? Much engineering communication is interactive and interpersonal. You may use “we” in documents this semester. In the letter only, you may use “I.”

Another type of “voice”: passive or active Another type of “voice”: passive or active  Passive Voice literary literary longer longer more vague more vague less active verb less active verb emphasizes the thing acted upon emphasizes the thing acted upon sometimes, the only accurate way to go sometimes, the only accurate way to go  Active Voice the way we speak more concise says who did it more active verb emphasizes the doer of the action all things being equal, the way to go

Passive Voice Active Voice Passive Voice Active Voice l Elapsed time is indicated by a pointer. l The project was completed by the installation crew. It is suggested that readings be recorded hourly. It is suggested that readings be recorded hourly. l A pointer indicates elapsed time. l The installation crew completed the project. I suggest you record readings hourly. I suggest you record readings hourly. Voice is a choice.

Passive Voice is longer.  “It was discovered during QD’s initial modeling efforts that the reservoir was actually a retrograde condensate reservoir.”

Active Voice is shorter.  It was discovered during QD’s initial modeling efforts that the reservoir was actually a retrograde condensate reservoir.  Better: QD’s initial modeling efforts showed that the reservoir was actually a retrograde condensate reservoir. (13-14 words) (17 words)

Passive voice can make writing ambiguous: Who is doing which testing? The scope of this strategy does not cover testing all the functionality of the different sub components. It is expected that each component be tested prior to the solution integration test.

When to use which? When to use which? agent of action: to emphasize the agent of action: Previous researchers established the relationship between chemical qualities and model parameters. Active VoicePassive Voice object: to emphasize the object: The relationship between chemical qualities and model parameters was established by previous researchers. The water sample was heated to a temperature of C. to emphasize the action: JMC Consulting recommends that BP adopt a risk- communication plan.