Mid-term Projects
For the Midterm Projects you will choose one from the list of Midterm projects, available on the course web site. You should choose a project by January 20 for Optimization teams, by mid February for the Dynamical Systems Teams. Once you have chosen a project, please notify the professor. Two teams can not choose the same project.
Midterm Projects will include:
1. A 13-14 minute presentation in class. The presentation should be designed for an audience unfamiliar with the project.
2. A short written summary of the mathematical work, not more than 5 pages (not including figures), one per team.
3. Rating the other team projects.
4. Audience participation - practice listening and asking good questions. On the final project, good questions from the audience will earn project points.
Suggestions for the presentation
1. Each MIDTERM presentation will only be 13-14 minutes long + 2 minutes for questions.
No exceptions, I will cut you off after 13 minutes. So you should spend some effort organizing the presentation to fit within the allowed time.
The purpose of this is to simulate ”real-life” where you have to make your point efficiently and effectively in a short amount of time. It’s usually better to make a few solid points than many weak ones.
2. You want to convey to the audience the following: item a. What is the problem? (in words - not equations) b. What model did you use?
Justify assumptions and model
How does the problem translate into equations c. Mathematical methods used
Give enough detail to show that you know what you are doing, but not too much to put them to sleep or confuse them d. Interpretation of results, in terms of original problem
Show that you have answered the original question
Give some intuition as to why it is the right answer
Under what conditions are your results reliable?
approximate time
(2 minutes)
(3-4 minutes)
(4-5 minutes)
(3-4 minutes)
REMEMBER: A PICTURE (i.e. a graph, a schematic, etc.) IS WORTH A THOUSAND
WORDS (or about 50 equations)!

3. Only one person from each group will give the presentation, but all members of the group can give answers to questions.
4. You will use the overhead projector (transparencies) for your presentation.
Evaluation of the presentation
The presentations will be rated on the following criteria:
Statement of the Problem
Description of the Model
Justification of Assumptions
Explanation of Mathematics Used
Interpretation of Results
Overall Clarity of Presentation
Please let me know if you have any questions.