2005-11-04

sci-fri 11/4/05

Present: Peter B, Mark S, Lori W, Barbara G, Jennifer Z

Keck

Lori hasn't had a chance to contact the chemist at Trinity.

First step is metals; it can grow to expand into organic stuff, but it also needs to be able to stand alone -- based on past feedback. This was discussed last week when no biologist was present. Even so, we remember John I saying that the biologist most likely to join is the one not yet hired.

What consensus do we seek about project direction? "We" are the ones doing the work, not the broader division, yet we don't want to have later regrets that we should have included (...) But this week's group is less clear on which direction (pest vs metal) is the better fit and start. We need to firm this up, and firm up who is going to be involved. The consensus needs to come before Thanksgiving break.

We'd like to get the sample collecting power of a big class like Eco-bio. (120 Eco-bio students is 10% of the student body, 35% of the incoming class). Gen chem also approaches this size. So we need to talk to the Eco-bio people.

Do we already have much of the letter? No.

How much is general introduction to research at Earlham? Not much -- they understand vision, so they want the project description, implementation details, what do you need logistically & financially. Not "we envision" but rather "we will".

Keck seemed particularly interested in "real research" -- e.g. publishable results. It's also "real" in the sense of a real location, and "real" in the sense of connected to pre-existing faculty interests.

College needs to demonstrate plan for eventually taking over funding -- this is a place to tie into the capitol campaign; timing is about perfect. If we get this, it would be starting summer '07, and the college would need to take over in summer '10 -- about when the new building opens!!

We have 3 pages of narrative, plus 1 page letter from Doug.

One question we need to answer in the narrative: "why Keck"?

Summer science

Lori will edit last year's letter this weekend and post a draft to wiki.

We still need to figure out biologists' funding situations. "Here's what we're doing this summer, Len, and here's what you don't need to fund, because we have money from other sources."