Catalogue description:

About VIP:

VIPP 501-VIPP502 capstone objectives:

continuity, technical depth, and disciplinary breadth of VIP capstone projects are intended to:

• Provide the time and context necessary for students to learn and practice different professional skills, make substantial contributions to the project, and experience different roles on a large, multidisciplinary VIP team.
• Enable the completion of large-scale projects that are of significant benefit to faculty members and industry partners.
• Develop critical thinking and problem solving skills to the diagnosis and solution of problems.

Project coordination:

VIPP 501-VIPP502 projects will be coordinated by one lead faculty member (referred to as Project main Investigator (PI)), along with sub-projects Co project Investigators (Co-PIs). Beyond project technical issues, the PI will be responsible for coordinating the logistics of each project and ensure smooth integration of the project components.

VIPP 501 equivalence across AUB

VIPP 501 is the first of the two courses acting as surrogates for capstones (senior projects) for different departments across MSFEA. Table 1 lists the proposed courses across MSFEA to which VIPP 501 can act as a surrogate. Most MSFEA departments have equivalent courses either listed as capstones, as special topics, as design courses, or as tutorial courses.

Faculty/Department Course equivalent (# of credits)
Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture
ARCH	GRDS	CIVE	CEAE	EECE	INDE	MECH
508 (6) Design	406 (4) Design	401 (3)	501 (3)	501 (3)	501(3)	501 (1)

VIPP 502 equivalence across AUB

VIPP 502 is the second of the two courses acting as surrogates for capstones (senior projects) for different departments across MSFEA. Table 2 lists the proposed courses across MSFEA to which VIPP 502 can act as a surrogate. Most programs have equivalent courses either listed as capstones, as special topics, as design courses, or as tutorial courses.

Faculty/Department Course equivalent (# of credits)
Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture
ARCH	GRDS	CIVE	CEAE	EECE	INDE	MECH
508 (6) Design	406 (4) Design	402 (3)	502 (3)	502 (3)	502(3)	502 (1)

Learning outcomes

Equivalent to the those required by the participating student at their home department.

Learning objectives:

VIP, students will:

• Learn and practice professional skills
• Make substantial contributions to the team project
• Experience different roles on a large, multidisciplinary team

System overview

week	Activity/Event
Week 1	Introductions, overview of team’s work, discussion of semester goals
Week 2	Sub-team selections finalized, and sub-team meeting times finalized
Week 3	Verification of student participation in class.
Week 7	Turn in VIP notebooks at team meeting for mid-term grading (TLV)
Week 8	Midterm presentations
Week 12	Web-based peer-evaluations released for students to complete.
Week 14	Final presentations. Turn in VIP notebooks at team meeting for final

Grading:

Students participating in VIP will be graded based on two bases, the first according to the home department criteria, and the second according to the broader VIP metrics.

A - For home department:

Students are evaluated according to the metrics established in their home departments. If none of project investigators (PI or Co-PIs) of a project belong to the department of the participating student, the PI will be educated on the required metrics listed in the student’s home department

B - For VIP, beyond home department:

The premise of VIP is teams working on projects. Much like a real-world team, individual members work on different aspects of the project. Your grade is based on three areas, along with three requirements. Although each student contributes in different ways, you must demonstrate achievements in all three areas below.



As part of the assessment of the above, each student is required to maintain a VIP notebook. Each student must understand that if work is not documented in their VIP notebook, “Then you didn’t do it,” (i.e., work that is not documented in the notebook will not count toward your grade).

Notes on documentation

The VIP notebook will be evaluated based on the below criteria.
Notebook Maintenance

• The notebook must be a bound notebook, with a sewn or glued binding, such as a composition book or lab notebook.
• Your name, your project's name, your contact info, and your team members' contact info must be recorded on the outer or inside cover.
• Each page must be numbered, dated, and signed.

To-Do List Maintenance

• Maintain checkboxes for items to be done.
• Check-off and date items when done.

Meeting Notes

• For meeting notes, include checkboxes for items for which you are responsible and deadlines for your sub team and the overall team.

Usability

• Will your VIP notebook be of use to people who join the team later and need to refer to it? This includes legibility, intelligible technical and meeting notes, and overall organization.

Overall

• An overall rating of your notebook. (Detailed design notes, design decisions, copies of or pointers to code that you wrote, records of important websites, etc.)

Wiki content

• Wiki content refers to documentation produced online, either through the VIP wiki site, or another VIP-approved site.

GitHub (if student is developing software)

• GitHub code refers to code produced and checked into the GitHub or other VIP-approved code repository. The frequency, quantity and quality of contributions are evaluated.

Labs and Facilities:

VIP will have rooms and equipment that are shared by many VIP teams. In order to provide a good working environment, the following rules apply to anyone with access to these rooms and equipment
1. The room priorities are:

• Scheduled team meetings, lectures, and learning modules
• Weekly sub-team meetings (multiple groups can use rooms at same time)
• Video conferences or special meetings with VIP stakeholders
• Other project-related work (multiple groups can use rooms at same time)
• Room schedules can be viewed on the VIP website.

While the above priorities indicate which events take precedence, a good neighbor policy on using the rooms applies. If you need to access computers, equipment, or work on a project in the room while other activities are going on (sub-team meetings, etc.), you are welcome to do so as long as it does not disrupt a scheduled activity. Similarly, multiple groups may use a VIP room at the same time. Also, where it does not disrupt one of the above uses, VIP participants may use the rooms for other activities such as studying.

2. Everyone is expected to pitch in to keep the rooms clean. Food is allowed in the rooms provided any spills or messes are cleaned immediately. The rooms are monitored by camera, and staff will pull videos to identify offenders. Gum is a particular problem especially in carpeted rooms. Do not place used gum anyplace other than in a trash can.

3. The rooms have equipment both for general use and for specific teams. General use equipment includes projectors, and monitors. Other equipment may be for general use or dedicated to a team specific purpose; some equipment may be general use one semester and assigned to a team another semester. Some equipment may pose personal hazards if used inappropriately.

• Equipment owned by the VIP Program may not be removed from a VIP room without completed an equipment loan agreement, which would need to be approved by one of the VIP Directors.
• You will be responsible for the replacement cost of any equipment not returned in good condition.
• You must be sure you know how to operate the equipment safely. Written approval to use the equipment does not indicate that the team advisor has reviewed equipment use and safety. You are responsible for knowing the hazards and safe operation of any equipment you use.