Project

Types

You are required to do a project. There are two types of projects that you may do (choose one):

• Review a research article published in the scholarly literature related to Monte Carlo methods or its applications. This must be done individually. Each student’s article must be different.
• Create a new feature for qmcpy. This can be done in a group of up to two.

Submission

• Everyone must submit your project topic by 10/1/25 using this form.
• After the deadline for project topic submissions, please go to this spreadsheet to make sure your proposed topic is accepted.
• Prepare a 15-minute (+5 minute question & answer) oral presentation with handouts (for the audience) describing either
  1. The main point of the article, illustrating it with some examples of your own, making any criticisms that are warranted, and describing future work, or
  2. Your qmcpy feature, along with a blog illustrating it. Teams of two will have 30-minute presentations (+10 minutes for question & answer).

Presentations and Observations

• The oral presentations will be scheduled on November 24–25, 2025, in person in the Galvin Tower 14th Floor West Side Conference Room. (Off-site students may participate through Zoom with prior permission.)
  • Go to this link to choose one timeslot to present before November 12.
  • You must bring your own laptop with an HDMI connectivity to present. An HDMI to USB-C adaptor will be available if needed. The screen has an HDMI cable.
  • If you provide handouts (strongly encouraged), bring at least three copies, a few more if you wish.
  • Let me recommend that you dress business casual.
• Each student will observe and assess TWO other presentations. Go to this link and choose two slots WHEN ANOTHER STUDENT IS PRESENTING.
• Here is the presentation schedule and here is the list of topics.
• Your presentation is likely to suffer if
  • You are not on time for your presentation or observation,
  • You are not prepared,
  • You do not observe at lest TWO presentations, and/or
  • Your observer feedback is not significant.

Important to keep in mind

Your presentation should be from the perspective that you are reporting to your colleagues why this article or QMCPy feature is or is not worth pursuing further.

• Your audience is smart, but ignorant. Provide some background, but expect that we will need to take your word for certain details.
• You should be critical, i.e., clear about the strengths and weakness.
• You have access to tools, like AI, that your classmates did not have a few years ago, so I will expect more.
• I am likely not an expert in what you are presenting, but I expect you to be and will ask you probing questions.
• Your grade will depend on both
  • How clearly you present, and
  • How well you answer questions from the audience.

Guidelines

• Article Reviews. These must cover topics not already covered in lecture. In general, articles must have been published no less than fifteen years ago.
• qmcpy Feature. Discuss possibilities with the instructor to ensure that what you plan is the right size.
• Keep your presentation focused on the big picture. Don’t get bogged down in details.
• Pick a simple example that illustrates the main point and helps us to understand better.
• Look at your audience while you are speaking. Do not read your notes.
• Motivate your talk by describing the background, previous work, and/or relevant application.
• Discuss the strengths and weaknesses or pros and cons of the article or feature.
• Make suggestions for further work or alternative approaches.
• Don’t use too many slides; about one per minute should be enough.
• Don’t put too much on a slide.
• Show pictures, plots, and tables to illustrate your points.
• Don’t use the whiteboard much; it takes too much time.
• Include key formulas and/or figures directly in your slides rather than making the audience look at the source.
• Use your own words on your slides. Do not plagiarize.
• Make the best use of your presentation time, and do not go overtime.
• Practice beforehand. Ask your classmates for feedback.
• Bring your own laptop or borrow a friend’s laptop. Try it with the video projector beforehand to ensure that it works satisfactorily. Make sure that you know how to work the projector, configure your laptop, and bring any necessary connector for your laptop.
• You will be assessed by your observers and myself using this Project Assessment Form. Look at this form beforehand.
• The presentations will be conducted like a colloquium talk or a conference talk.
  • Your audience will include
    • the students assigned to observe your presentation,
    • any other classmates that wish to come, and
    • me.
  • Come early for your presentation (or observation) so that you can set up. We must keep a strict schedule.
  • I will be the session chair and introduce you before your talk.
  • You will be given one or two warnings when your time is getting short.
  • Your presentation will be stopped when the time reaches 15 minutes.
  • At the end of your talk, say “Thank you,” or “That concludes what I would like to say.” Don’t ask for questions; that is my job.
  • The audience will clap in appreciation after you finish your talk.
  • As the chair, I will invite the audience to ask questions.
  • The audience will clap again to thank you for your talk.
  • The next speaker will set up quickly.