Assignment 2.3: Progress Report Memo

MEMORANDUM

To: Dr. Erika Paterson, ENGL301 99A Professor
From: Aleem Tariq, ENGL301 99A Student
Date: November 13, 2020
Subject: Progress Report on Formal Report Assignment

This is a formal report progress summary, as requested, which addresses the importance of pursuing additional computing background for students in the Life Sciences.

Audience

The primary audience of this report is UBC undergraduates in the Life Sciences. A case may be made that the departmental head of UBC Biology should also be notified of the findings (tentative).

Purpose

The purpose of my report is to:

• Explore the importance of Computer Science in the field of Biology; industry and research.
• Investigate the current offering of UBC courses at the intersection of Biology and Computer Science.
• Communicate with faculty in the Life Sciences, collecting data on the computational tools they both use in research, and demand from prospective researchers.
• Communicate with both current and prior students in the Life Sciences, collecting data on their experience with computational tools during their degree.
• Develop a strong case to sufficiently motivate the intended audience to acquire additional computational background

Significance

Obtaining a skillset in Computing is a significant return on investment for a student in the Life Sciences. It will be demonstrated that such skills are not only required at present in research labs but will be both increasingly in-demand and eventually largely encompass how one approaches problem domains in Biology.

Research Plan

Statement of Problem:

• Given the nature and complexity of the field, working in Biology research both currently requires and will increasingly demand computationally-intensive skillsets, in areas ranging from Neuroscience to Genomics to Immunology, as data-analysis has started to take precedence over data collection.
• These skillsets are not covered by the pre-requisite demands of the UBC Biology Department.

Primary Source:

• Surveys with research professors in the Life Sciences at UBC
• Surveys with a variety of researchers in Life Science fields (tentative)
• Interviews with research professors in the Life Sciences at UBC
• Surveys with both current and previous students in the Life Sciences

These surveys and interviews will provide the means to measure the problem from an informed and direct source, and necessary information for making graphics to sufficiently convey my argument to the intended audience.

Secondary Source:

• Online information regarding the impact of Computer Science on Biology
• Analysis of techniques involved in large numbers of cutting-edge Biological research papers

The secondary sources will provide a wealth of information on the cutting edge of Biology, and the degree to which change is anticipated. Such information is vital to students wishing to enter the field and will also be used in making graphics.

Writing Schedule

• Nov 13^th-15^th: Contact all professors and researchers, notifying them of research and requesting their input (no survey included)
• Nov 16^th – 20^th: Surveys sent to professors, researchers and students (tentative: according to feedback)
• Nov 23^rd: Analysis of survey results and secondary research
• Nov 27^th: Complete and summarize the research
• Dec 1^st: Complete Formal Report Draft and post on the team forum
• Dec 11^th: Revise formal report based on peer review
• Dec 13^th: Additional revisions, incorporation of data
• Dec 17^th: Formal report deadline and report posted on the team forum

I am completely open to suggestions so that improvements can be made, to both the progress report and the suggested schedule. One of the primary sources has been listed as tentative, as obtaining feedback from researches unaffiliated with UBC may be rather difficult. I look forward to continuing my research once I receive your approval for my scheduled writings.

Enclosure

Surveys for Professors and Researchers
Surveys for Students
Interview Questions