Student Focus
Students have typically begun working in their sophomore or junior year, and have continued through graduation and in some cases into a graduate degree programs at USM. Students have come from Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics/Statistics, Media Studies, and Technology. Some years, high school students have worked in the RCG during the summer.
Students have been employed using a variety of means, ranging from Federal Work Study (FWS) to departmental, Maine Economic Improvement Fund (MEIF), funding, grants, contacts, and have been involved in academic and curricular experiences such as independent studies and internships that placed them in the RCG. Current efforts seek student funding through grants, contacts, cooperative agreements, and stipends from state government, business, and industry.
Since 2001, the number of students has varied from a low of three (3) to a high of over twelve (12). The ratios of disciplines and numbers have been mixed over the years; but there has always a core of Computer Science students and Technology students that have held the RCG together. The average number of students has been between four and five. The Computer Science students have provided the majority of programming and database development projects and the Technology students have provided the systems, networking, and graphics expertise. And, there have always been productive and ongoing informal as well as more formalized cross-training activities in place. Such activities have been productive and healthy for the group and have led to much experimentation and friendly competition. The common functions have centered on web-based products and projects.
Experiences have ranged from working with researcher in the areas of Bioinformatics, Marine Sciences, Toxicology, Computer Science, Technology, Microbiology, Chemistry, Physics, Linguistics, Environmental Science, Public Health, and more. Assignments for students have ranged from doing basic desktop support to creating data access, analytical, and display and dissemination systems. Work experiences have ranged broadly from laboratory instrumentation, GIS, transmission electron microscope (TEM), high performance computer cluster (HPC), to the development of open-source scientific solutions.
A significant benefit to the students is the range and depth of projects and opportunities that are represented by the RCG and the variety and expertise of the faculty and non-faculty experts that consistently show up (physically or virtually) in the RCG space. Students are treated as “junior experts” or “junior teammates” that are recognized for the “drive, determination and ability” yet are given considerable leeway due to their inexperience. Juniors at the RCG are often given a large amount of responsibility that is frequently beyond their experience, but because they know that they have an extensive network of peers and mentors available to them, few fall into non-productive traps.
Once the student has successfully completed the first semester at the RCG, he or she has usually gained a modicum of confidence, knows how to communicate successfully, and is becoming a valued and seasoned team-member. As students have been active in the RCG for more than two years, they are regarded as senior resources and frequently lead STEM related projects of significant importance and scope.