Biotech Talent Acquisition/Recruitment Intern

PlanetBio is a global hub for Life Science news, jobs, and community. We're seeking interns to help with the ongoing process of identifying, attracting, and engaging potential candidates, including the overall process of filling job vacancies. The right candidate for the intern position will have a major/minor in Biology/Biochemistry or one of the other Life Sciences. In addition, the intern will perform outreach to companies within the Life Sciences ecosystem. Interns will help design job descriptions, and recruitment and selection strategy. Interns will also be responsible for transferring job postings listed on the client company websites onto the PlanetBio website.

Science Journalism/Content Writer Intern

PlanetBio is a global hub for life science news, jobs, and community.We are seeking interns to compose articles on Life Sciences-related topics and current events in the Biotech/Pharma industry, for posting on the www.planet.bio website. Interns may also perform outreach to Biotech/Pharma companies for creation of newsletters on topics of immediate relevance to the Biotech/Pharma sector.

Website Development Lead, Intern

About The Visionaries At The Visionaries, we’re building the next generation of industry-defining companies from Concept to Seed - and beyond. We do this by bringing together extraordinary people to ideate, refine and validate businesses through research and design. Building great companies is difficult, and while most ideas will fail, we have developed the script to launch the best ideas when we’ve built undeniable conviction that they can change the world. We are looking for a Web Development Lead to help us deliver distinctive digital brand experiences and lead our web development strategy. This position requires that you can shape strategies, define the technologies we deploy, and develop scalable solutions. Every project you will be working on is customized and tailored for every Newco we create at the studio. We are looking for an Agile-based mentality that can apply Scrum as a methodology for development. This role manages a bit of everything - processes, projects, and other intern developers. This requires very strong communication - written and verbal skills in addition to emotional intelligence. 

Website Development/Design

Project ScopeImplement and maintain a user-friendly web applicationWrite functional requirement documents and guidesImplementation of security and data protectionPerform updates and maintenance of live websitesWrite documentation for Visionaries partners for website development. Update web-based application for the StreetCard platform

Advocate for Police Reform

The Black Lives Matter movement has made clear that elements of policing are in dire need of reform, especially in situations where police employ lethal force. There are any number of common sense ideas that have been proposed, from community policing to diversity training and psychological testing. The most important of these ideas, however, is obvious, and yet, has seen almost no discussion in the public sector. Despite widespread coverage of police shootings of black citizens (and occasional investigations into those shootings), the police involved are almost never tested for drug and alcohol use immediately following these incidents. Frequently, the use of excessive force is written off as a consequence of an adrenaline “high.” While this may be a factor, in many instances there are powerful reasons to believe that the police involved were under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.I am looking for politically aware and motivated student interns (or a team), to help with advocating for these reforms. This student group will be continuing the work of a group of students from UAlbany who performed a considerable amount of research into legislation and media in support of the project. We are creating an Advocacy Document, which will be submitted to our elected representatives to be enacted. Additionally we are collecting contact information for members of the Albany County, New York State, and Federal government. And finally, we are designing a survey for polling of university students to get a clear picture of the level of support for the Reform program. It is hoped that if this proposal passes at a local level, then it might be expanded to New York State, and possibly adopted at the Federal level. I have attached a few documents below: the N-point program document, a spreadsheet with contact information, and some research into legislation performed by the previous group. Finally, I am pleased to be able to say, we are working in conjunction with Jeffrey Deskovic, an exonerated prisoner who founded The Deskovic Foundation, dedicated to exonerating the wrongfully convicted. Jeffrey has recently received his JD, and has committed to working with us until the Advocacy Document is complete. I have included links to Jeffrey's Foundation webpage and Facebook page below.

Build a Website for The Visionaries

We would like a new website for our organization.We would like to work with students to develop a new website for us. Students should be prepared to:Create a design proposal including wireframes or low-fidelity mockups for our company's review.Build a fully functioning website, with our assistance in providing content and copy.Provide training on updating and maintaining the site.

Advocate for Police Reform

The Black Lives Matter movement has made clear that many elements of policing are in dire need of reform, especially in situations where police employ excessive or lethal force. There are a number of common-sense proposals, from community policing to diversity training and psychological testing. I have attached a document (13-Point Program for Police Reform) that enumerates these proposals.In discussion with a candidate for the Albany County District Attorney's office, it was expressed that many of these reforms are being adopted in different jurisdictions, with varying levels of success. Perhaps the most important of these ideas, however, is obvious, but as yet has occasioned no discussion in the press or among the public. Despite widespread coverage of police shootings of black citizens (and occasional investigations into those shootings), the police involved are never tested for drug and alcohol use immediately following these incidents. Frequently, the use of excessive force is written off as a consequence of an adrenaline “high.” While this may be a factor, in many instances, there are powerful reasons to believe that police involved in incidents of excessive or lethal force were under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.In order to implement the proposed reforms, I am taking a multi-pronged approach.To support the advancement of the 13-point program, I will need a team of students to perform literature research into each of the proposed reforms. This team will be researching legislation that supports the proposed reforms; looking at communities that have implemented any of these reforms and searching for follow-up studies done in those communities to assess their relative success.One team of students will be tasked with outreach to stakeholders. This would entail developing contact information for representatives of activist groups and other organizations seeking police reform. We will also need contact information for elected representatives; in particular, those who have supported police reform bills in their own districts. We are also seeking contact information for police unions, police officers, and community groups that interact with police. Ideally, this group would set up meetings between elected officials and police officials with the reforming group, for discussion on passing the reform legislation.One team will be tasked with outreach to law enforcement personnel themselves. We wish to avoid the impression of imposing these reforms on police officers, without taking into account their own training and experience. As the body most impacted by the proposed reforms, their own input will be invaluable, and will perhaps allow modification of the language of the reforms to be more acceptable to the police themselves.One team of students will be tasked with grassroots activism. This group will be doing outreach to fellow students (as many as possible), collecting signatures from students and other constituents in support of the reforms. I propose that signers to these petitions also commit to calling their elected representatives on a once or twice daily basis, for 30 to 90 days, to express their desire to see the reforms adopted.I am looking for politically aware and motivated student interns (or a team), to help with advocating for these reforms. I am overjoyed to have this project accepted by the student coordinators at UAlbany. It is hoped that if this proposal passes at a local or state level, then it might be expanded and possibly adopted at the Federal level.

StreetCard: Information Technology to Improve Services for Homeless Persons.

INTRODUCTIONI originally formulated the StreetCard program for implementation in the city of New York. New York City, despite being one of the wealthiest cities in the world, has a large population of homeless persons living on the streets. Every year, in February, the city sponsors an overnight HOPE (Homeless Outreach Project Estimate) count; even on the coldest nights of the year, the HOPE count records approximately 3,700 persons sleeping on the streets. If you ask a Homeless persons why it is they prefer not to go to a shelter, you will get a lot of different answers. First, the shelters are difficult to get into, and admission involves a lengthy bureaucratic process which is difficult to navigate, even for persons with above average organizational skills. Second, the shelters are dangerous, and residents frequently report being attacked or stolen from. Third, a street person will tell you that the shelters are a business," and corrupt supervisors get "paid by the head," which leads to a misrepresentation of the number of residents on any given night. Although NYC does offer a number of services for Homeless persons, a thorough examination of the system reveals defined points at which taxpayer money is profligately wasted. The StreetCard program is a is carefully reasoned and comprehensive program that promises to leverage Information Technology to eliminate the "cracks in the system" through which public funds are lost. ORGANIZATIONThe StreetCard is a photo-ID card with a QR code that will connect the bearers of the card to service providers participating in the StreetCard program. The StreetCard program is a web-based database that holds Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) data and Electronic Health Records (EHRs). The StreetCard is intended to be implemented in segments, representing three levels of services. The first level will connect StreetCard clients to Basic Needs Providers (BNPs). The second level is a programming interface (API) to access medical, psychiatric, and rehabilitative electronic health records on an immediate basis, diminishing time spent in hospitals and institutions waiting for those records to be laboriously faxed. The third level of services will allow a comprehensive application for all the benefits a Homeless person might be entitled to from local Departments of Social Services (DSS), in a single visit, from any of several service providers under the "No Wrong Door" approach.CURRENT PROGRESS - First tierAt this time, the first tier of services (for BNPs) is completed. CURRENT PROGRESS - Second tierA previous student group has begun work on the second tier of services, designing an API for the Homeless clients' EHRs. They have defined the roles of healthcare personnel who interact with the system, and started work on formatting the fields that will hold the EHR data. The students have created a github account that holds the codes for the StreetCard so far, and also contains comprehensive documentation the students have compiled to assist future groups with the project development. The second tier of services will enable networking of hospital systems to speed the collection of medical records for StreetCard clients, and minimize the amount of time they spend in hospitals and institutions. It is expected that implementation of this level of services will require the development of security solutions to ensure protection of Personal Identifying Information (PII) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Additionally, the EHR data will be classed according to HIPAA regulations allowing segregation of data into categories appropriate for the level of access of the health care provider.

PoliSIM

Introduction:PoliSIM is a Role-Playing Game-based (RPG) Educational Program for teaching principles of Law and Government. I first conceptualized the game while watching the Netflix show “House of Cards” when I realized there was a rift between the academic study of Political Science, and the actual practice of politics.Players of PoliSIM begin their experience as a lowly staffing assistant to a lobbyist, congressional aide, or press correspondent. They make their way up the ranks of public service, navigating the political system through means legal, illegal, or illicit; demonstrating mastery of the principles of government as they work their way up, to become President, Supreme Court Justice, or Congressional leader. In the course of the game, players will participate in government affairs, passing legislation, running for public office, or dealing with domestic or international crises. Game would be classroom-based or online; players work to accomplish tasks such as: passing an article of legislation; holding confirmation hearings for appointees to the Cabinet or the Supreme Court; writing a speech; adding an amendment to the Constitution; or some other function commonly performed by the US Government. Game outcomes ranges from post-nuclear apocalyptic dystopia to enlightened golden age.The CurriculumFor curriculum development, I would like Political Science students to network with Political Science professors to come up with the game’s syllabus and testing materials. Additionally, I want the students to develop relationships with elected officials, and other political leaders, to learn what qualities go into the making of a successful politician. To help with this, I’ve formulated a survey for professors and politicians to get at the ‘difficult’ questions, such as: how would you instill good ethics in your students? What would you consider the most valuable character asset for a person aspiring to public office?Status of Game Development:Last year, a group of Suffolk University students did extensive market research on the game’s viability, and examined sources of funding.The numbers are incredible. In 2018, the gaming industry captured nearly $140bn. The CAGR for educational games is projected to reach 32% by 2023. They also found that including gaming into the curriculum of law programs significantly increased the first-time success rate at passing the bar exam.Also last year, a group of students at Humber College created a demo version of the PoliSIM game, for marketing purposes. Although not fully developed, the demo will serve as an MVP – a ‘bare-bones’ version of the game to entice game developers into building on the existing framework.I Can Offer:I have worked with more than 250 students on various projects over the last three years though Riipen. I have considerable experience supervising the students; keeping them on track, offering constructive feedback, and making sure that they aren’t overloaded. I offer all the student groups that I have worked with the same pledge: I will keep track of the students’ efforts, so that when the finished product is marketable, they earn a percentage that is commensurate with their efforts. And in the near term, I offer glowing job references for excellent work.Additionally, the students will gain experience networking and developing relationships with actual politicians; an opportunity that will no doubt go on producing rewards long after they have left the classroom. And finally, the group that takes on the challenge of developing the PoliSIM curriculum has an unprecedented opportunity to leave an imprint on the future of RPG-based learning in the field of Political Science.

A Replication-Competent, Conditionally Auto-Inhibiting Vector for Delivery of HIV Cure Genetics

The students are tasked with implementing a Research Strategy designed by a group of students at Concordia University to develop the VectorGen vector. They will perform the necessary benchwork to develop the vector's unique genetic mechanism, giving them an opportunity to practice techniques of Molecular Genetics that will ultimately be used to validate this groundbreaking technology for delivery of HIV cure genetics.

Rate-Limiting Nutrient-Cycling GMO Green Manure

Some years ago, I visited Ecuador with the Ceiba Foundation for Tropical Conservation. I learned about the challenges posed by using land for cattle farms; a practice which reduces the lifetime of the arable land to about three years. I also learned about multi-crop plantations, which extends the lifetime of arable land to about seven years. The idea I came up with is to plant a series of crops that change from year to year to minimize the depletion of the essential nutrients for each crop. My innovation is to genetically modify the crops so that each crop sequesters the rate-limiting nutrient for the crop that will be planted the following year. At the end of the growing season, the first crop would be plowed under to function as green manure for the next years' crop. I think this idea will diminish food insecurity at a global level. This project will require an understanding of techniques of genetic engineering. It will also require students to research the rate-limiting nutrients of food crops, and also to genetically engineer molecules that can sequester those nutrients.

StreetCard: Information Technology to Improve Services for Homeless Persons.

I am looking for a student intern who can network with providers of Homeless Services in the Albany New York area to enlist their participation in the StreetCard program.The StreetCard is a carefully reasoned program that leverages Information Technology to streamline the process of providing benefits to Homeless persons. We strive to eliminate waste, and ensure that disbursement of public funding for Homeless services is optimized for maximal effectiveness.At this time, we are beginning phase II of the development of this web-based application. Students from Arizona State University have written the code for the StreetCard program, including a database that records Universal HMIS data, and HMIS data for two special programs: Veterans Affairs, and Continuum of Care. I have another team of students who will complete the database for the remaining special programs: Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA), Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness(PATH).Upon successful completion of this project, we will have an application that connects a card-reader to software that performs the following functions:1. Registers the name and information of the client served. Populaties a spreadsheet for recording Homeless Management Information Services (HMIS) data. Including Universal HMIS elements as well as special programs2. Makes a record of the time and duration of services provided.3. Brings up a calendar function that can be used to alert the client of time and location of upcoming service appointments including task reminders (e.g. documents necessary for service appointments).4. Connects StreetCard to database containing addresses and contact information for service providers local to the card bearer, that might be accessed by means of smartphone, allowing more effective assistance by police and other public servants. Shelter directory might be accessed and updated by local shelters, so they can list number of vacancies.5. Records services provided, and connects data on clients served to accounting software; facilitating budgeting and cost proposals for funding applications.We anticipate that significant amounts of taxpayer dollars will be saved. This money might then be re-deployed to improve shelters and other facilities that provide services. Money saved might also be used to raise pay and benefits, and improve conditions for social service workers.

StreetCard: Information Technology to Improve Services for Homeless Persons.

The StreetCard is intended to be implemented in segments, representing three levels of services. The first level will connect StreetCard clients to Basic Needs Providers (BNPs), and will perform the functions listed below.Upon successful completion of this project, we will have an application that connects a card-reader to software that performs the following functions:1) Registers the name and information of the client served, including pre-populating a spreadsheet for recording Homeless Management Information Services (HMIS) data. 2) Records services provided, and connects data on clients served to accounting software; facilitating budgeting and funding applications for service providers.3) Makes a record of the time and duration of services provided.4) Brings up a calendar function that can be used to alert the client of time and location of upcoming service appointments including task reminders (e.g. documents necessary for service appointments).5) Connects StreetCard to database containing addresses of service providers that might be accessed by means of smartphone, allowing more effective assistance by police and other public servants. Shelter directory might be accessed and updated by local shelters, so they can list number of vacancies. The second tier of services will enable networking of hospital systems to speed the collection of medical records for StreetCard clients, and minimize the amount of time they spend in hospitals and institutions. It is expected that implementation of this level of services will require the development of security solutions to ensure protection of Personal Identifying Information (PII) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

StreetCard: Information Technology to Improve Services for Homeless Persons.

Upon successful completion of this project, we will have an application that connects a card-reader to software that performs the following functions:1) Registers the name and information of the client served, including pre-populating a spreadsheet for recording Homeless Management Information Services (HMIS) data. 2) Records services provided, and connects data on clients served to accounting software; facilitating budgeting and funding applications for service providers.3) Makes a record of the time and duration of services provided.4) Brings up a calendar function that can be used to alert the client of time and location of upcoming service appointments including task reminders (e.g. documents necessary for service appointments).5) Connects StreetCard to database containing addresses of service providers that might be accessed by means of smartphone, allowing more effective assistance by police and other public servants. Shelter directory might be accessed and updated by local shelters, so they can list number of vacancies.

StreetCard: Information Technology to Improve Services for Homeless Persons.

Upon successful completion of this project, we will have an application that connects a card-reader to software that performs the following functions:1) Registers the name and information of the client served, including pre-populating a spreadsheet for recording Homeless Management Information Services (HMIS) data. 2) Records services provided, and connects data on clients served to accounting software; facilitating budgeting and funding applications for service providers.3) Makes a record of the time and duration of services provided.4) Brings up a calendar function that can be used to alert the client of time and location of upcoming service appointments including task reminders (e.g. documents necessary for service appointments).5) Connects StreetCard to database containing addresses of service providers that might be accessed by means of smartphone, allowing more effective assistance by police and other public servants. Shelter directory might be accessed and updated by local shelters, so they can list number of vacancies.

StreetCard: Information Technology to Improve Services for Homeless Persons.

Upon successful completion of this project, we will have an application that connects a card-reader to software that performs the following functions:1) Registers the name and information of the client served, including pre-populating a spreadsheet for recording Homeless Management Information Services (HMIS) data. 2) Records services provided, and connects data on clients served to accounting software; facilitating budgeting and funding applications for service providers.3) Makes a record of the time and duration of services provided.4) Brings up a calendar function that can be used to alert the client of time and location of upcoming service appointments including task reminders (e.g. documents necessary for service appointments).5) Connects StreetCard to database containing addresses of service providers that might be accessed by means of smartphone, allowing more effective assistance by police and other public servants. Shelter directory might be accessed and updated by local shelters, so they can list number of vacancies.

A Replication-Competent, Conditionally Auto-Inhibiting Vector for Delivery of HIV Cure Genetics

From speaking with Orly Weinberg, my understanding is that she is facilitating a course in Synthetic Biology. The students are tasked with designing a Research Strategy for the development of the VectorGen vector. They will set forth the elements of the experimental program to validate its unique genetic mechanism, enabling them to learn about the science underpinning the techniques of Molecular Genetics that will ultimately be used to manufacture the vector in vitro

StreetCard: Information Technology to Improve Services for Homeless Persons.

Upon successful completion of this project, we will have an application that connects a card-reader to software that performs the following functions:1) Registers the name and information of the client served, including pre-populating a spreadsheet for recording Homeless Management Information Services (HMIS) data. 2) Records services provided, and connects data on clients served to accounting software; facilitating budgeting and funding applications for service providers.3) Makes a record of the time and duration of services provided.4) Brings up a calendar function that can be used to alert the client of time and location of upcoming service appointments including task reminders (e.g. documents necessary for service appointments).5) Connects StreetCard to database containing addresses of service providers that might be accessed by means of smartphone, allowing more effective assistance by police and other public servants. Shelter directory might be accessed and updated by local shelters, so they can list number of vacancies.

PoliSIM

PoliSIM is a Role-Playing Game-based (RPG) Educational Program for teaching principles of Law and Government. The game is intended to be built up in stages with increasing levels of complexity, which will be tailored to students at corresponding stages of their education in policy and government. I originally conceived of the game while watching the Netflix series House of Cards. It had occurred to me that there existed a vast divide between the academic study of Political Science and the actual practice of politics. I coupled this notion with the observation that kids today cannot be pried away from video games for long enough to do their homework, and the idea to teach Political Science in a digital format was born.PoliSIM begin their experience as a lowly staffing assistant to a lobbyist, congressional aide, or press correspondent. They will make their way up the ranks of public service, navigating the political system through means legal, illegal, or illicit; and demonstrating mastery of the principles of government as they work their way toward the top, to become President, Supreme Court Justice, or Congressional leader. In the course of the game, players will participate in government affairs, passing legislation, running for public office, or dealing with domestic or international crises. PoliSIM might be played in different forums; either classroom-based, or in a Massive Multi-player Online (MMO) format. For undergraduates in Political Science programs, the game would be classroom-based. Players at this level would interact with their classmates, working together (or against one another) to accomplish specific tasks, set for them by the classroom instructor. Such tasks might include: passing an article of legislation; holding confirmation hearings for appointees to the Cabinet or the Supreme Court; writing a speech; adding an amendment to the Constitution; or some other function commonly performed by the US Government. Outcomes of the game range from post-nuclear apocalyptic dystopia to enlightened golden age.Last year, a group of Business students at Suffolk University did extensive market research and analysis to get a sense of the project’s viability; to refine the project's parameters; and looking at sources of funding. Last semester, a group of students at Florida Southern College put together a Business Plan for the purpose of marketing the project to game developers. Additionally, a group of students at Humber College have been developing a demo version of the game, to serve as a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to present to game developers.For the purposes of further development, I will need another team to formulate the curriculum of the game. Ideally, the team will be drawn from students in Political Science programs. The team will review selected Political Science programs at reputable Universities and network with Political Science professors to develop the game’s syllabus and testing materials. Ideally, the curriculum should specifically include questions that will show up on the LSAT. I would also like the group to form relationships with elected officials, and other people currently working in politics, to learn what qualities (beyond an academic understanding of Political Science) go into the making of a successful politician. By way of making a start I’ve formulated a survey for professors and politicians to get at this question in more depth. The survey addresses questions that are harder to define, such as: how would you instill good ethics in your students? What would you consider the most valuable character asset for a person aspiring to public office?

Democracy! The Business Plan

Last semester, students from Suffolk University in Boston performed comprehensive research to identify customer segments, and evaluate the market for Democracy!, a role-playing game-based program for learning principles of law and government. I am interested in utilizing the results of the students' research to formulate a comprehensive Business Plan. I want to present the research, along with the Business plan, to game developers, to foster a working relationship with a developer who can take the project to the next level.

Democracy! Game Development

Democracy! is a Role-Playing Game-based (RPG) Educational Program for teaching principles of Law and Government. The game is intended to be built up in stages with increasing levels of complexity, which will be tailored to students at corresponding stages of their education in policy and government. I originally conceived of the game while watching the Netflix series House of Cards. It had occurred to me that there existed a vast divide between the academic study of Political Science and the actual practice of politics. I coupled this notion with the observation that kids today cannot be pried away from video games for long enough to do their homework, and the idea to teach Political Science in a digital format was born.Players of Democracy! begin their experience as a lowly staffing assistant to a lobbyist, congressional aide, or press correspondent. They will make their way up the ranks of public service, navigating the political system through means legal, illegal, or illicit; and demonstrating mastery of the principles of government as they work their way toward the top, to become President, Supreme Court Justice, or Congressional leader. In the course of the game, players will participate in government affairs, passing legislation, running for public office, or dealing with domestic or international crises. Democracy! might be played in a number of different formats, depending on the educational level of the students. For K-12 students, the game would be played by single-players; advancement in the game would be dependent on passing “challenges” to test the player’s understanding of political topics. At higher levels – i.e. for undergraduates – the game might be classroom-based. Players at this level would interact with their classmates, working together (or against one another) to accomplish specific tasks, set for them by the classroom instructor. Such tasks might include: passing an article of legislation; holding confirmation hearings for appointees to the Cabinet or the Supreme Court; writing a speech; adding an amendment to the Constitution; or some other function commonly performed by the US Government. Outcomes of the game range from post-nuclear apocalyptic dystopia to enlightened golden age.I submitted this concept on the Riipen website last semester, and it was picked up by a group of business students at Suffolk University. The Suffolk University group did extensive market research and analysis to get a sense of the project’s viability; to refine the project's parameters; and looking at sources of funding. In the course of developing the materials for the game, the project took on an added dimension or two, and spontaneously blossomed into something much bigger than I’d originally envisioned. I realized that I was going to have to recruit a considerable amount of help to fully develop the game. Consequently, I will need two teams: one for Curriculum Development, and the other for Coding. Since these are two very different aspects of the project, I will be submitting them to two different groups of students. For curriculum development, students will review selected Political Science programs at reputable Universities. Ideally, I would like some of the students from one group to network with Political Science professors to develop the game’s syllabus and testing materials. Another group of students will form relationships with elected officials, and other people currently working in politics, to learn what qualities (beyond an academic understanding of Political Science) go into the making of a successful politician. By way of making a start I’ve formulated a survey for professors and politicians to get at this question in more depth. The survey addresses questions that are harder to define, such as: how would you instill good ethics in your students? What would you consider the most valuable character asset for a person aspiring to public office? The coding group will be putting together the action of the game. The game is designed around the geography of Washington DC. 3D digital models of buildings such as The House of Congress, and the White House that would be suitable for the VE of the game are available on the internet. Virtual environments such as Second Life are quite suitable for high resolution, interactive game design, and there are numerous avatar generators available on the web. The coding group will be challenged to create an interesting and user-friendly interaction between players and the game elements.

VectorGen.com website

My company, VectorGen, is in need of a website. We need a web presence that will give us maximum visibility to researchers and entrepreneurs, as well as students and HIV-positive persons. I'd like the website to include detailed information on the following: Currently available approaches to combating HIV: pharmaceutical, genetic and immunologic. The economic aspects of HIV treatments, including statistics on the HIV pandemic, market share of the HIV medications, and economic impact on countri. A webpage devoted to general information about HIV infection for the public; number of persons living with HIV worldwide, available treatments, vaccine and clinical trialsA team page with contact informationOur research strategy, and grant funding informationA monthly newsletter with updates for the companyWe already have the domain name vectorgen.com. I also have a logo, designed by my former Chief Operating Officer. I'm excited by the prospect of working with a group of talented students who want to help advance a cure for the HIV virus. Putting together our website is a great way of lending support. I'm happy to answer any questions.

Democracy!

Democracy! is a RPG-based learning program, intended to be built up in stages with increasing levels of complexity, which will be tailored to students at corresponding stages of their education in policy and government. Players of Democracy! begin their experience as a lowly staffing assistant to a lobbyist, congressional aide, or press correspondent. They will make their way up the ranks of public service, navigating the political system through means legal, illegal, or illicit; and demonstrating mastery of the principles of government as they work their way toward the top, to become President, Supreme Court Justice, or Congressional leader. In the course of the game, players will participate in government affairs, passing legislation, running for public office, or dealing with domestic or international crises. Players choose their Congresspersons and Supreme Court Justices from historical characters, or by 'rolling up' their congresspersons with character attributes like: ethics, morals, political leanings, vision, effectiveness, and charisma. Outcomes of the game range from apocalyptic dystopia to enlightened society. For the purposes of this project, I would like the students to begin with a brief survey of the currently available RPGs for teaching principles of American government to avoid redundancy. Development of this game will require outreach to educators in public policy programs, to compose and refine the milestones in the learning process. The students will need skills in game development, story-boarding, and coding; experience with playing RPGs will be helpful.

StreetCard

The StreetCard is a carefully reasoned, comprehensive social program that seeks to connect Homeless Persons with Information Technology to bring the process of providing benefits and housing into the Third Millennium. Services accessed by bearers of the StreetCard are divided into three tiers, to be installed in stages: 1) Basic Necessities; 2) Medical, Psychiatric, Rehabilitative, and Social Service Facilities; and 3) Legal Services. In essence, the benefits to which Homeless Persons are entitled will not change, although enacting this program will undoubtedly enable expansion of distributable resources. StreetCard will streamline the process of providing care and services to the Homeless and centralize available information regarding their care and treatment. It is anticipated that access to centralized medical records will save hospitals and medical personnel several hours per patient served by eliminating the need to collect clinical histories. Most Homeless Persons have extensive medical or psychiatric histories, and only a fragmentary recollection of what may be numerous facilities where they were treated. Access to records of previous treatments will spare clinicians from having to experimentally reconstruct medication regimens, thereby saving weeks of expensive hospital time per patient, not to mention the inconvenience of trying medications that are already known not to work. By reducing waste, StreetCard will make money available for improvements to shelters, soup kitchens, drop-in centers, and other service providers, and raise salaries for workers in social service agencies. Money saved might also be redirected towards treatment for drug/alcohol abuse. StreetCard will finally enable a complete census of homeless persons who are deriving benefits from the system. Correspondingly, StreetCard will enable a centralized accounting of funds spent on providing care to Homeless Persons, thereby greatly facilitating preparation of budgets and allowing more accurate allocation of funds to care providers. Perhaps most critically, possession of a StreetCard might someday entitle the bearer to participate in elections, giving homeless persons a much-needed voice in the political process. Upon successful completion of this project, we will have an application that connects a card-reader to software that performs the following functions:1) Registers the name of the client served2) Records the services provided3) Makes a record of the time and duration of services provided4) Connects data on clients served to accounting software; facilitating budgeting and funding applications for service providers4) Brings up a calendar function that can be used to alert the client of time and location of upcoming service appointments including task reminders (e.g. documents necessary for service appointments).5) Connects StreetCard to database containing addresses of service providers that might be accessed by means of smartphone, allowing more effective assistance by police and other public servants.

StreetCard – IT to Improve Services for the Homeless

The students should be focused on two things:First, they will need research the benefits and services that are already available through the various service providers.Second, they will need to learn what databases and operating systems are in use by providers and how to centralized, integrate, and access that information as efficiently as possible while preserving and protecting privacy of sensitive client data. Analysis and simulationsDemonstrationDocumentation following the related industrial standards20 min presentation in December20 min presentation in May

Democracy! Curriculum Development

Democracy! is a Role-Playing Game-based (RPG) Educational Program for teaching principles of Law and Government. The game is intended to be built up in stages with increasing levels of complexity, which will be tailored to students at corresponding stages of their education in policy and government. I originally conceived of the game while watching the Netflix series House of Cards. It had occurred to me that there existed a vast divide between the academic study of Political Science and the actual practice of politics. I coupled this notion with the observation that kids today cannot be pried away from video games for long enough to do their homework, and the idea to teach Political Science in a digital format was born.Players of Democracy! begin their experience as a lowly staffing assistant to a lobbyist, congressional aide, or press correspondent. They will make their way up the ranks of public service, navigating the political system through means legal, illegal, or illicit; and demonstrating mastery of the principles of government as they work their way toward the top, to become President, Supreme Court Justice, or Congressional leader. In the course of the game, players will participate in government affairs, passing legislation, running for public office, or dealing with domestic or international crises. Democracy! might be played in a number of different formats, depending on the educational level of the students. For K-12 students, the game would be played by single-players; advancement in the game would be dependent on passing “challenges” to test the player’s understanding of political topics. At higher levels – i.e. for undergraduates – the game might be classroom-based. Players at this level would interact with their classmates, working together (or against one another) to accomplish specific tasks, set for them by the classroom instructor. Such tasks might include: passing an article of legislation; holding confirmation hearings for appointees to the Cabinet or the Supreme Court; writing a speech; adding an amendment to the Constitution; or some other function commonly performed by the US Government. Outcomes of the game range from post-nuclear apocalyptic dystopia to enlightened golden age.I submitted this concept on the Riipen website last semester, and it was picked up by a group of business students at Suffolk University. The Suffolk University group did extensive market research and analysis to get a sense of the project’s viability; to refine the project's parameters; and looking at sources of funding. In the course of developing the materials for the game, the project took on an added dimension or two, and spontaneously blossomed into something much bigger than I’d originally envisioned. I realized that I was going to have to recruit a considerable amount of help to fully develop the game. Consequently, I will need two teams: one for Curriculum Development, and the other for Coding. Since these are two very different aspects of the project, I will be submitting them to two different groups of students. For curriculum development, students will review selected Political Science programs at reputable Universities. Ideally, I would like some of the students from one group to network with Political Science professors to develop the game’s syllabus and testing materials. Another group of students will form relationships with elected officials, and other people currently working in politics, to learn what qualities (beyond an academic understanding of Political Science) go into the making of a successful politician. By way of making a start I’ve formulated a survey for professors and politicians to get at this question in more depth. The survey addresses questions that are harder to define, such as: how would you instill good ethics in your students? What would you consider the most valuable character asset for a person aspiring to public office? The coding group will be putting together the action of the game. The game is designed around the geography of Washington DC. 3D digital models of buildings such as The House of Congress, and the White House that would be suitable for the VE of the game are available on the internet. Virtual environments such as Second Life are quite suitable for high resolution, interactive game design, and there are numerous avatar generators available on the web. The coding group will be challenged to create an interesting and user-friendly interaction between players and the game elements.