Abstract

This student initiated, researched and authored proposal requests funds to purchase 4 laptop computers and a LCD projector for computer-based presentations made by Neurobiology and Behavior graduate students. Currently, the program does not possess any of the requested equipment and must rely on borrowed equipment from other departments (who have their own high demands on the equipment) or rent from Health Sciences Classroom Services, which requires that students reserve the equipment far in advance. Laptops equipped with Microsoft Powerpoint (in addition to other software provided by the Neurobiology & Behavior department), available to students on a 'loaner' basis, will allow students to become familiar with this advanced presentation technology, as well as take advantage of multimedia features not possible with traditional presentation methods. This essential equipment will also be available to graduate students in the 14 departments that are affiliated with the Neurobiology and Behavior Program. Based on student input, as well as our analysis of projected needs of the program, we are confident that the funds requested in this proposal will be sufficient to accomodate the audio-visual needs of all students in the program and provide the graduate students with the level of autonomy and sophistication that is required to be successful in this highly competitive field.

Background

The Neurobiology and Behavior Program (NBP) is an interdisciplinary degree granting program comprised of faculty from 14 departments at the University of Washington. There are currently 40 students in the program with approximately 8 annually incoming students. On occasion, students enrolled in the Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD) also join the program. There is significant interaction between students in the NBP and students enrolled in all of the 14 departments that comprise the program, resulting in a collaborative environment comprised of over 300 students.
Students in the NBP must effectively and enthusiastically present their ideas and their data to a wide range of audiences in order to be successful in this highly competitive field. Scientists need to develop and refine these presentation skills during their tenure as graduate students. The program takes an active role in developing this skill by requiring students to present their data at numerous points throughout the year beginning the first quarter of the first year of study. These presentations occur during first year rotation talks, annual retreats, conferences, thesis and dissertation defenses, laboratory meetings and student-run journal clubs. Currently, there is no audio-visual equipment in the NBP for any purpose. At this time, the program arranges to borrow this equipment from the Physiology and Biophysics department, (which also has high demand for the equipment) or reserve it far in advance from Classroom Services. Since there are, at a minimum, 10 department-wide events and numerous individual student occasions each year requiring a laptop and LCD projector for students to present their data and ideas, there is an urgent need for this technology in the NBP. Currently, students in the department use either slides, overhead projectors or borrowed equipment to make their presentations.
As a first year student in the NBP, I have given a rotation talk and have recently attended my first program retreat. We borrowed laptops (or requested them from classroom services) and an LCD projector on these occasions. During each event (1 of which I presented at) there was at least a twenty minute delay because of technical difficulties due to the unfamiliar equipment. This set-back had many effects: it interupted the order of presenters (therefore the printed program was no longer accurate), and it was disconcerting to encounter technical difficulties in the midst of the strenuous experience of public speaking. Lastly and most discouragingly, because of the delay, the audience was not able to ask questions to several of the presenters. It is frustrating to work so hard to put a presentation together with the intention of both receiving feedback and stimulating interesting discussion only to have the climax of the effort (the question and answer session following the presentation) truncated.

Benefits

We are requesting 4 laptop computers and an LCD projector for student use. Computer-based Microsoft Powerpoint presentations are standard across disciplines and the available technology allows for the display of complex data to diverse audiences. Quicktime movies and web-based files are often incorporated into Powerpoint presentations and these innovations in technology provide a visual representation of concepts are frequently difficult to comprehend when listening to someone speak. For example, the image of one brain cell ³talking² to another is a phenomena that is far more interesting to view than to hear described with words. The opportunity to have an audience ³visualize² ideas and data is not only exciting, it also provides an avenue for more advanced communication between the presenting scientist and the audience. NBP graduate students would like the opportunity to practice the art of presentation with equipment that is advanced and readily available.
In addition to using the laptops on the day of the presentation, students would benefit substantially from having access to the laptops on a Œloaner¹ basis to draft their presentations. Organizing and constructing presentations is usually a lengthy process that often cannot be completed at the library computing centers. There are no communal desktops or laptops available for student use which requires students use the equipment in the library or find an available computer in the laboratory they work in. This causes inequalities within the program (as laboratories have varying resources) that could easily be minimized if students had access to Œloaner¹ program laptops. Additionally, having the equipment available for sufficient time to prepare for a presentation increases the overall quality of the talk and of the experience in general.
Finally, given that students in the program conduct their dissertation research in numerous locations (Health Sciences Building, UW hospital, upper campus, the Veteran¹s Hospital and The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center), a portable computing system is the most practical way to accommodate the needs of all of the students in the program.

Student Access

Priority would go to NBP graduate students. However, considering that the NBP is comprised of 14 departments, students in those departments would also have access to the new technology. There would be no restrictions to access for currently matriculated students in the above program.
There will be a sign out sheet for each computer that will reside in the program co-coordinator's office. Students will be allowed to sign the computers out for one week. If another student has not signed up for the computer after the one week interval, then a student can continue to use the computer by signing the equipment out for an additional week. The extended time frames are necessary because students will be able to use the computers to construct their presentations, which can often be a lengthy process. Students will be allowed to take the computers to off-site conferences as well.

Available Resources

Currently there are no financial, personnel or space resources devoted specifically to student technology in the NBP. Students have access to computer equipment in their mentor¹s laboratory when it is available, but there are no projectors available for practice, which results in frequent technical difficulties that arise during the day of the presentations. The funding requested for the equipment described in this proposal would fulfill our current needs.

Installation Timeline

not applicable

Departmental Endorsement

In addition to storage and security, the NBP will provide matching funds to pay for the software necessary for the laptops. A list of this software is as follows (all prices from University Bookstore Computer Center except Prism which is from GraphPad, Inc.):

Microsoft Office 2000 for PC (2 licences; 1 CD) = $107
Microsoft Office 2001 for Mac (2 licences; 1 CD) = $113
Endnote 4.0 (reference database software; 4x) = $720
Adobe Illustrator 9.0 (vector drawing software; 4x) = $400
Adobe Photoshop 6.0 (image editing software; 4x) = $1200
GraphPad Prism (statistics/graphing software; 4x) = $1340

Sub-Total of Software Costs = $3880
8.6% Sales Tax = $334
Total of Software Costs = $4214

The NBP has also agreed to provide support outside the warranty period for this equipment, as well as fund hardware/software upgrades should the need arise.

Several departments that are affiliated with the interdisciplinary NBP support this proposal. Below are comments from some of the departmental administrators:

"Pharmacology is very supportive of your program obtaining computer equipment and, in particular, a LCD projector. We don't have one of our own and they are very expensive to rent from classroom services. Most speakers and students use them these days and it would be very helpful to your students and ours!" - Susan Silbernagel, Administrator, Department of Pharmacology

"I think this is a great idea. We have 2 computer projector's in the department and they are always booked for use. Usually they are reserved by faculty for courses and students can't get to them. Laptops are useful to the students too - especially when they travel, or are TA'ing a course, etc." - Marcia Knipher, Administrator, Department of Biological Structure

"I have noticed over the years the increased usage of laptop computers and LCD projectors by both faculty and graduate students to assist in teaching courses and also for presentations to groups. The department of Psychology has had to double the number of both laptop computers and projectors to accomodate the need by our personnel. The Neurobiology and Behavior graduate program crosses 14 departments in the School of Medicine and the College of Arts and Sciences. While students in this program have a home program, they are at the mercy of the other departments to support their electronic requirements and needs. Our department has 140 of our own graduate students to support in addition to the Neurobiology students. I believe that it would be a tremendous benefit if the Neurobiology students could turn to their home program for their electronic needs. Therefore, I completely support their request for Student Technology Fee money to assist them in acquiring both hardware and software for them." - Paul Bernard, Administrator, Department of Psychology

"I am writing to give my enthusiastic support to this proposal -
and thank you! It would make life easier for everyone." - Laurie Levy, Administrator, Department of Physiology & Biophysics

Student Endorsement

The two NBP representatives to GPSS (Siobhan Robinson and Matthew Cunningham) initiated, researched and authored this proposal. Additionally, all of the NBP students were polled with a list of potential proposal ideas and we received numerous enthusiastic responses for this proposal. After a draft of this proposal was completed, we asked individual students how they would benefit from a ³check-out laptop². The following are some of their responses:

"Access to a laptop and projection system would be invaluable. I need one at least once per quarter and currently presentations are always associated with scrambling around trying to find a system at the last minute. Because the projection systems are only available on the day of the presentation (we currently have very limited access to borrowed equipment) the quality of the presentation is usually compromised. Presentations are important. This equipment would make life so much better (I can¹t believe we don¹t already have this)!" - David Margolis

³Given the increasing reliance on ³digital² presentations for laboratory rotation talks, thesis defenses and journal clubs, a laptop and projector has become essential equipment for graduate students.² - Francisco Perez

³The use of a laptop and LCD projector would be of immense help during my graduate education. There have been multiple occasions where I have required the use of this equipment in the past and the lack of access to it has already presented difficulties. I foresee even greater use for it in the future.² - Tom Hnasko

³Laptops available to students would drastically change my experience here at UW. I currently do not own a laptop and therefore am completely dependent on the kindness of other departments to borrow their equipment. I would use a laptop a couple of times a year for various presentations. The quality of my presentations would improve with this technology. Additionally, in the future, the quality of our presentations will reflect upon the University of Washington.² - Ann Simons

³The Neurobiology and Behavior program presently does not possess the equipment (laptop, projection system) necessary to make Powerpoint presentations. Normally we borrow this equipment from other departments but I would appreciate guaranteed accessibility when making presentations both on and off campus.² - Joy Sebe

³Easy access to a laptop and LCD projector system would increase my ability as a graduate student in preparing for and presenting my data. I currently do not own a laptop and would greatly benefit from a departmental, sign-out laptop² - Julie Harris

"A fully equipped laptop would be of great use! I especially like the idea of having it available for meetings. A bunch of us recently went to the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting and could've made great use of a laptop with internet connection capabilities to keep in touch with the lab, look up papers on PubMed, and the like." - Christie Robertson

And one final comment from the president of the Biological Structure graduate students: "There is a real need for this equipment. Biological structure students would benefit from being able to use this equipment. Having access to a light weight projector and laptop would allow students to practice their talks and run more student oriented meetings and journal clubs. The Biological Structure students support this proposal from our peers." - Linda St-Marie, President of Biological Structure graduate students

Items

Below are the items making up the current proposal. The asterisk (*) beside items signify that they were approved by the committee. This however was not implemented correctly for our database before 2005, so earlier years may not show this.

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