Summer Internship Project Course - Summer-B 2022

Welcome to our UF CISE Summer Internship Project Course!!

Dr. Sartaj Sahni is our Course Supervisor and Facilitator, and I am your Instructor.

This course is designed to be a fun, fast-paced, and in-depth immersion in project management and software development & testing..

Objectives: In the six weeks of this course, you will work together in groups of three or four students, to achieve the following objectives:

Course Plan: The above-listed objectives will be achieved stepwise, as follows:

  1. Achieve an understanding of how to select a student group and project, and formulate the project's high-level specification;
  2. Develop a task-by-task Project Plan;
  3. Develop a schedule for achieving the project objectives, using a GANTT chart for planning purposes;
  4. Design software to achieve project objectives, as stated in the Project Plan;
  5. Code, test, and analyze performance of software modules and system using Agile Development methodologies;
  6. Present partial and final results in Midterm and Final Presentations; and
  7. Summarize project design, development, and results in a Final Report of length nine to 11 pages (12-point type, 1.5-line spacing)

We will work together in-class and online, to achieve the above objectives while sharing knowledge, techniques, and tools. Computer software will be accessible via your UF GatorLink account, and via the Internet.

I look forward to working with you as your Instructor :)

Mark Schmalz, Ph.D.               em: mssz@cise.ufl.edu

P.S. A few words about life in Florida ... Q&A to help you in Gainesville and on-campus

Q0: I am a part of the summer internship program at UF and I have a couple of questions about it that I’m hoping you can help me with:

MSS-ANS: We look forward to your arrival, and are happy to help you with information and answers.

Q1: What are the timings that we have to be available on campus each day?

MSS-ANS: We expect to hold the lecture and presentation sessions on Tuesdays 3-5pm and Wednesdays 1-3pm (All times Eastern Daylight Time or EDT).

Q2: Where will our classes/projects/activities be held? Knowing the location of the building will help us book a place to live nearby.

MSS-ANS: We will try to hold our lecture and presentation sessions in the CSE Building, Room 301J (conference room within CISE office suite). You can use Google Maps to find the CSE Building at "432 Newell Drive, Gainesville FL 32611".

Also, we have a Canvas-based website for our course, with all information and assignments, so students can study online as well as the required lecture attendance. We will also try to make UF CISE Department computing capabilities available, for which you will have to get a UF ID and a CISE computer account (directions will be provided).

Q3: Are there any meal plans for on campus dining that we can opt for? Are there Halal options available?

Dr. Sahni ANS: I am not aware of any meal plans. Generally, students make their own meal arrangements in their apartments.

MSS-ANS: There are several grocery stores near UF, also several halal food stores and/or restaurants near the University ... Google "halal food in gainesville fl" to get a list of these places and their coordinates.

Q4: What will our days at UF look like? Will this program consist of classes, projects, or any other activities?

MSS-ANS: We expect to hold the lecture and presentation sessions on Tuesdays 3-5pm and Wednesdays 1-3pm (All times Eastern Daylight Time or EDT). The rest of the time you will devote to completing your projects and assignments (two presentations and a final report). All details and requirements will be explained in-class and on our Canvas website. Due to visa delays for some students, we will have a backup site publicly available on my CISE web pages (URL = https://www.cise.ufl.edu/~mssz/SIPC-SummerInternshipProjectCourse.html (Links to an external site.) )

Q4: Will we work on projects with other students outside of our group and will they be group projects?

Dr. Sahni ANS: You will work on projects in groups of about 4. You may form the group anyway you like or Dr Schmalz will form the group for you. Dr Schmalz will let you know whether any inter-group coordination is needed.

MSS-ANS: Due to logistical difficulties, we will not have cross-course project groups, but groups within the planned summer course will be allowed to collaborate. All requirements and guidelines will be given in the first lecture, and on the Canvas website and CISE backup website.

Q6: How are the transport facilities (bus, train, etc.) near campus?

Dr. Sahni ANS: The campus runs an intra-campus bus system and the city runs a citywide bus system. These are free with a UF ID card, which you should be able to get for around $15 to 20. It is best to stay near a bus stop. You should talk to seniors from your University who are already here. They can guide you about convenient places to stay.

MSS-ANS: The Gainesville area does not have good train service, and driving on Florida highways can be dangerous (we drive on the right [opposite of India] and car speeds of 75mph to 95mph, i.e., 120-155km/hr are not uncommon (even though the speed limit is 70mph), So even if you have an international driver's license, please do not plan to drive a car at UF or in Florida - we want you to stay safe and healthy!! Gainesville bus service is slow at times, but more-or-less reliable -- URL: https://go-rts.com/ (Links to an external site.) and click on "Schedules". Please be aware that there will be road construction on campus, so you may have to take long detours.

>> Map of Gainesville that you can zoom-and-pan to see various features: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Gainesville,+FL/@29.6861968,-82.3897973,12z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x88e6202169bf2c2b:0x80e7795d28108d96!8m2!3d29.6516344!4d-82.3248262 (Links to an external site.) Also, it's good to remember that we do not use the Metric System in the USA (including Florida), rather we use English units (that the British call "Imperial System of Measurement".) So all distances on maps, directions, etc. are in miles, not km (although a few websites have English <=> Metric conversion routines.)

>> Here is a map of the UF campus: https://campusmap.ufl.edu/#/ (Links to an external site.)The CSE building is at the Southwest corner of the intersection of Newell Drive and Stadium Road, and looks like this: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/CSE_and_Marston.JPG (Links to an external site.)

>> To get to the classroom, (1) enter the CSE building (northerly half of the CSE/MarstonLibrary complex) at the atrium. (2) You will see an elevator -- enter and press "3" to get to the third floor. (3) When you exit the elevator, turn right and go through the wood-faced fire door. (4) Turn right immediately and go into the lobby and enter the first door on your right (has a glass front with windows). (5) Go straight, then take the hallway to the left, and CSE/E301J is the first door on the left.

A few additional words about comfort and safety in Florida:

>> Summers in Gainesville are warm and humid -- plan for temperatures in the daytime to range from 85degF to 100degF (30 to 38 degCelsius) with humidity from 80 percent to 100 percent relative. So you will want to bring shorts and t-shirts, sandals or sneakers (what the British call "trainers') to wear in the daytime. This is perfectly acceptable attire for classes at UF. And you will want to have a hoodie or cardigan to wear indoors, as our buildings can be rather cool due to air conditioning. Also plan to bring an umbrella, as it often rains heavily in the afternoon and/or early evening.

>> Attire for presentations is "business casual" -- khaki trousers and a collared (e.g., polo or business) shirt are perfectly acceptable, with covered shoes or dress sandals.

>> We have alligators on campus -- they are big lizards (not soft-toys), and potentially dangerous wild animals, so do not plan or execute any contact with them - and please do not feed the alligators. This also holds for other wildlife that, from time to time, wanders onto campus or within our suburban areas.

>> If you are not a certified and strong swimmer, please do not enter the water (pools, streams, recreational springs, rivers, or ocean). If you are a certified swimmer, please do not swim anywhere except pools that have a lifeguard. If you are interested in learning to swim, we can ask if UF Recreation has a swimming class at the Florida Pool ... so be sure to bring a swimsuit and a cover-up (e.g., T-shirt).

>> Finally, the sun here is rather intense in summer, so you can purchase sunscreen at the local pharmacy stores or grocery stores. There is no shame in wearing a hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses to protect yourself :)

Administrative Questions? Email the coordinator: sahni@cise.ufl.edu
Academic Questions? Email the instructor: mssz@cise.ufl.edu