Capstone Projects (Fish 494-495)

Intent

The capstone, or senior research project, should be the culmination of the undergraduate experience in Aquatic & Fishery Sciences. The project should offer the student the opportunity to put class learning into practice.

If, after reading the following information, you have any questions about the Capstone program, please contact the Capstone Faculty Coordinator, Greg Jensen, gjensen@u.washington.edu.

Capstone Opportunities

All SAFS majors must complete a Capstone Project to graduate (minimum of 6 credits, typically over 2 quarters). Students should sign up for Fish 494 (3-9 credits) and Fish 495 (3 credits), which are numerically graded. Any SAFS undergraduate conducting independent research (FISH 499) or internship/experiential learning (FISH 498) may transition these experiences into the capstone project with faculty sponsorship, if appropriate, in subsequent quarters.

Students may choose from a variety of opportunities, including but not limited to:

• Independent research designed by the student
• Group research project, conducted by several students, typically no more than three
• Research opportunities provided by a faculty member
• Research opportunities provided by a field site program (e.g., Alaska field camp, FHL)
• Research opportunities provided by an internship program (e.g., National Marine Fisheries Service)
• Another project as deemed appropriate by the faculty sponsor

As a starting point, SAFS maintains a webpage where each SAFS faculty member is profiled. The School also posts ongoing research opportunities there: Faculty Profiles.

Students may also contact the SAFS Faculty Capstone Coordinator—Greg Jensen, gjensen@u.washington.edu—to learn about opportunities that may be available in the School.

Students Are Ultimately Responsible for the Capstone Process and Completion. Students are required to:

• Meet with a faculty member to agree upon a project; sign a Fish 494–Capstone Contract.*
• Complete the Capstone Proposal and get approval by the fourth Friday of the first quarter of Fish 494.
• Meet with faculty near end of Fish 494 to assess progress; sign a Fish 495 form.
• Design and carry out an experiment, or collect relevant data, or both.
• Conduct appropriate analysis of those data (e.g. statistical).
• Present the analysis in appropriate form (e.g. graphs, diagrams, images).
• Write up the project as a final paper in the style of a well-known peer-reviewed scientific journal in the relevant field (choice is up to student and faculty advisor). An alternative written assignment, negotiated with faculty sponsor and supervisor, may be appropriate for non-research projects.
• Give an oral presentation on the project at the Undergraduate Research Symposium (which occurs each May) or a similar, approved venue.
• Set up meetings with faculty sponsor (once per quarter minimum) and worksite supervisor (3 times per quarter minimum)
• Meet all milestones in timeline described below.
• Communicate any difficulties as soon as possible to sponsor or supervisor or both.

*This PDF form can be filled out either online, or printed first and filled out manually.

Exceptional students may also have the opportunity to:

• Receive SAFS or other UW research funding to conduct the project.
• Submit the final paper for publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
• Present the results at a regional, national, or international scientific meeting.

Faculty Sponsors

All students must select a faculty sponsor, who is required to sign the Capstone Contract. The faculty sponsor is responsible for the grading and granting of credit. At a minimum, faculty sponsors must:

• Review and sign the Capstone Contract.
• Review and approve the Capstone Proposal.
• Supervise the research project, including meeting with the student at least once per quarter.
• Communicate with the worksite supervisor, if applicable.
• Meet with student to assess progress and sign Fish 495 form before student can attain entry code.
• Provide substantive editorial comments on a draft of the final paper/project.
• Sign the final paper.
• Complete the grade sheets in a timely manner.

Faculty sponsors may be drawn from the SAFS faculty (including postdoctoral fellows), and SAFS affiliate faculty holding major appointments in other departments.

Worksite Supervisors

Many times, students are working directly under the supervision of someone other than their faculty sponsor. In these cases, students will have a worksite supervisor who will work more closely with the students in the specific area of focus. Worksite supervisors must agree to:

• Review and sign the Capstone Contract.
• Review and approve the Capstone Proposal.
• Supervise the project, including meeting with the student at least three times per quarter.
• Provide feedback to the Faculty Sponsor about student’s progress.
• Provide substantive editorial comments on a draft of the final paper/project.

In addition to SAFS faculty, worksite supervisors may be agency personnel (e.g., NMFS, WDFW), or SAFS staff scientists or postdoctoral fellows willing to abide by the terms of the contract.

Faculty Capstone Coordinator

Dr. Greg Jensen serves as the Faculty Capstone Coordinator for the School. He keeps apprised of research opportunities in the school, helps students set up projects, collects the paperwork, gives out entry codes, reviews research proposals and budgets, serves as a resource for students and faculty throughout the process, and coordinates the quarterly SAFS Capstone Symposium.

Greg Jensen can be reached by email, gjensen@u.washington, or phone, 206-543-6132.

Overall Timeline for Capstone Process

Most capstone research begins during an undergraduate student's junior year, with data analysis, graphic production, and writing the following year. Many professors, internships, and other academic programs offer research/data collection opportunities during the summer (especially field-oriented programs). However, research can also be conducted during the regular academic year. Students are encouraged to develop research ideas and talk with prospective sponsors by the winter quarter of their junior year. Students must meet with faculty sponsors at least once per quarter and with worksite supervisors at least three times per quarter. Students may take Fish 494 more than one quarter while working on data collection. Students should not be allowed to register for Fish 495 until their sponsor is quite certain their paper will be completed and their oral presentation made that quarter.

This timeline includes minimum requirements. Students will often negotiate additional benchmarks.

Wk 8 of quarter before starting project	Signed Capstone Contract to Greg Jensen's mailbox in FSH 115. Entry code will be eamiled to you.
Wk 3 of 494 quarter	Attend meeting with Capstone Faculty Coordinator, Greg Jensen; bring draft of Capstone Proposal
Fourth Friday of Fish 494 Quarter	Capstone Proposal to faculty sponsor/worksite supervisor
Fourth Friday of Fish 494 Quarter	Final Capstone Proposal to Greg Jensen
Wk 8 of Fish 494 Quarter	Meet with Faculty Sponsor (and worksite supervisor) to get signatures for Fish 495 form if student has made adequate progress. If not, student may fill out another fish 494 form (up to 9 credits).
Wk 3 of Fish 495 quarter	Attend meeting with Capstone Faculty Coordinator, Greg Jensen
Wk 7 of Fish 495 Quarter	Draft of paper to faculty sponsor/worksite supervisor
Wk 7-8	Oral presentation of project at approved venue
Wk 9 of Fish 495 Quarter	Final Paper to faculty sponsor Electronic version of abstract to gjensen@u.washington.edu.

Checklist and Additional Resources

Components of Capstone Project

Registering for Subsequent Quarters

Oral Presentation

All students are required to do an oral presentation. Most students will present at the SAFS quarterly undergraduate symposium, which general occurs during the eighth week of the quarter. Students may present at other forums instead (Alaska Symposium, FHL Symposium, UW Undergraduate Research Symposium, etc.) with permission. The oral component must be completed before student may be granted credit.

Optimizing Powerpoint Presentations

We have assembled a number of tips and webpage links to help you minimize the file size of your Powerpoint presentations while maintaining image quality.

Written Paper

All students must complete a written document (usually a scientific paper), which must be completed by the end of Fish 495 quarter, before being granted credit.

Honors Students

SAFS students enrolled in the COFS Honors Program must additionally do the following to receive credit for their Capstone Project for Honors:

1. Honors students must have their papers reviewed by two additional professionals in the field and incorporate that feedback into their final papers.
2. Honors students must also present a poster of their projects at the SAFS Quarterly Undergraduate Symposium. Funding will be provided for poster printing. Please send email to Greg Jensen, gjensen@u.washington.edu, for details prior to printing.

Capstone Funding for SAFS Students

Capstone Examples from SAFS Undergraduates

Degree and Research Programs