[Bioc-devel] Mentored Projects at Bioconductor

[Stephanie M. Gogarten]

This is great.  I already want to volunteer for one of the VCF projects.

Will there be a separate branch in svn specifically for mentored 
projects, so the apprentice and mentor can exchange code without 
modifying devel (until such a time as the mentor decides that the code 
is ready to be moved into devel)?

If this becomes sufficiently popular, it might be burdensome to be 
constantly updating a static web page with project listings, and it 
might be easier to keep track of projects on a wiki of some sort.  (But 
perhaps that is putting the cart before the horse.)

Stephanie

On 8/31/12 11:13 AM, bioc-devel-request at r-project.org wrote:
> Message: 5
> Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2012 11:13:40 -0700
> From: Michael Lawrence<lawrence.michael at gene.com>
> To: Nicolas Delhomme<delhomme at embl.de>
> Cc:bioc-devel at stat.math.ethz.ch, Paul Shannon<pshannon at fhcrc.org>
> Subject: Re: [Bioc-devel] Mentored Projects at Bioconductor
> Message-ID:
> 	<CAOQ5NyeA6iPTwWyFEnpm18yPQXwZhZ4HOREW89xjyRM6gYji-Q at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain
>
> Along these lines, it's important for a project to have a set of
> deliverables that are specific, well-defined, achievable and timelined and
> measurable in terms of progress. Otherwise, projects will have trouble
> progressing, and it will be difficult to identify projects that need a
> little "encouragement".
>
> So for example for the writeVcf project, perhaps by working with the
> student/apprentice, a list of specific milestones would be laid out:
>
> 1) Implement, test and document writeVcf,GRanges [1 month]
> 2) Implement, test and document writeVcf,DataFrame [2 weeks]
>
> Something like that.
>
> Michael
>
> On Fri, Aug 31, 2012 at 9:04 AM, Nicolas Delhomme<delhomme at embl.de>  wrote:
>
>> >Dear Paul,
>> >
>> >This is a great idea. I've got a number of ideas for package that I've not
>> >got the time to implement yet and I suppose some of those could be eligible
>> >for that page.
>> >
>> >The web page is nice. I think that there should be some guidelines on what
>> >is expected from a) the person taking up the project, b) the mentor
>> >(duties, required competencies, etc.) listed on that page. If it is
>> >successful - which I hope - there might  be a large number of projects on
>> >that page and it might become difficult to track them. Maybe, instead, a
>> >series of pages listing the different kind of projects, e.g. "accepted
>> >undergoing projects", "new projects",... would be good. I really think that
>> >accepted projects should not be hidden from the webpage until they are
>> >completed to make sure that we avoid re-inventing the wheel too much.
>> >Another point that should figure in the project description is the mentor
>> >geo-localization. Being located in Europe, it might be difficult to monitor
>> >someone on the west cost.
>> >
>> >I really like this idea, although one concern I have is that it will
>> >de-facto create a binding between the mentor and the applicant(s). Is there
>> >a need for that to be formalized; some kind of mutual agreement or so?
>> >
>> >Cheers,
>> >
>> >Nico
>> >
>> >---------------------------------------------------------------
>> >Nicolas Delhomme
>> >
>> >Genome Biology Computational Support
>> >
>> >European Molecular Biology Laboratory
>> >
>> >Tel: +49 6221 387 8310
>> >Email:nicolas.delhomme at embl.de
>> >Meyerhofstrasse 1 - Postfach 10.2209
>> >69102 Heidelberg, Germany
>> >---------------------------------------------------------------
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >On Aug 31, 2012, at 3:20 PM, Paul Shannon wrote:
>> >
>>> > >Dear Bioc-devel,
>>> > >
>>> > >We announce a new feature of the Bioconductor web site, "Mentored
>> >Projects".  The web page is
>>> > >
>>> > >  http://www.bioconductor.org/developers/mentored-projects
>>> > >
>>> > >with this overview:
>>> > >
>>> > >  Developers new to Bioconductor may find mentored projects a useful way
>> >to apply,
>>> > >  refine and extend their skills. Projects are identified by experienced
>>> > >  Bioconductor developers. The projects involve important but manageable
>> >programming
>>> > >  tasks. Experienced developers act as mentors, providing guidance and
>> >oversight.
>>> > >  Successful mentored projects will be incorporated into relevant
>> >packages to benefit
>>> > >  contributors users, and the Bioconductor project as a whole.
>>> > >
>>> > >We welcome your comments on this plan, and on the web page, before we
>> >announce to the full Bioconductor list.  We especially welcome additional
>> >project proposals, and suggestions on how to make these projects successful
>> >for all concerned.
>>> > >
>>> > >- Paul
>>> > >
>>> > >_______________________________________________
>>> > >Bioc-devel at r-project.org  mailing list
>>> > >https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/bioc-devel
>> >
>> >_______________________________________________
>> >Bioc-devel at r-project.org  mailing list
>> >https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/bioc-devel
>> >