Preparing for your Capstone Project

The project is a degree requirement and is completed during the last three quarters of their program.
Put into practice the knowledge and skills you have learned during your coursework.
Opportunity for you to develop and implement an emergency management solution.

Students will start their capstone projects in the Autumn quarter of their second year.
Registration for the Autumn 2022 quarter opens one week before the Autumn 2022 quarter.
Capstone Proposal is the first course in the three-course capstone sequence.
Capstone Proposal is only offered in Autumn.

Two Options:

Mutual Assistance Agreements in the Electric Utility Industry
- Sponsor: ComEd
An Analysis of the Considerations and Resources that Support theYouth Before, During, and After an Emergencies
- Sponsor: UNICEF
Cannabis Seed-to-Sale Data Risks and Management
- Sponsor: State of Illinois
Developing Climate Risk Adaptation Strategies for CriticalInfrastructure and Community Resilience
- Sponsor: Argonne National Laboratory

Students are matched to projects based on a few factors:

Project interest.
Required skillset.
Sponsor sign off.
Catalog projects will be matched to two students, based on the above factors, who will work as a team.
Students will be surveyed about their preferences and matched to their project before the Autumn quarter starts.
The program will make a formal introduction between the matched sponsor and students.
Projects are then matched to Scientific Advisors based on Advisor expertise. Advisors may be MScTRM adjunct lecturers and other experts affiliated with the program.

Once all introductions are made, students become primarily responsible for all aspects of project going forward:

Project management
Communication and meeting schedule
- Team members
- Project sponsors
- Scientific Advisors
- Capstone Instructors

Each capstone project will be assigned two Scientific Advisors, a primary advisor and a secondary advisor.
Projects are matched to Scientific Advisors based on Advisor expertise.
Primary Scientific Advisor
- Main source of subject matter related guidance, along with your sponsor.
- Meets with student teams at least three times per quarter.
- Grades Final Paper and Capstone Showcase Presentation.
Secondary Scientific Advisor
- Will provide additional subject matter guidance, as needed.
- Meets with student teams once per quarter.
- Grades Final Paper and Capstone Showcase Presentation.

Resumes will be shared with capstone partners

Start thinking about whether you want to propose your own project or will select one from the catalog
If proposing your own project, write up your proposal
Check your school email regularly over the Summer
If needed, respond to inquiries in a timely manner
Update your resume
Attend capstone related information sessions
Fill out capstone project preference survey
Prepare for IRB

You will be engaging in research. The process is:
- Creative
- Ambiguous
- Iterative
- Messy
You must ultimately decide what your project will be about regardless of which type of project you choose.
You must prepare what you can in advance to leave more time to develop, research and write up the project. To do so:
- Check your school email regularly over the Summer
- If needed, respond to inquiries in a timely manner
- Update your resume ASAP
- Attend capstone related information sessions
- Prepare for IRB; set up your IRB access and requirements ASAP
You will be maintaining your relationship with a partner and balancing the workload.
You must maintain contact with advisors even when you don't think you need to.

Master of Science in Threat and Response Management