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CASFER Annual Site Visit

April 29-May 1, 2024

Lubbock, Texas

CASFER's Site Visit serves a showcase of all of the incredible things that we have done as a Center over the past year. We will be visited by a team from the National Science Foundation to show them our progress and to get valuable feedback on ways the Center can improve.

 

The site visitacts as a time and a place for the entire CASFER community to congregate and collaborate. We want to join together to enjoy some amazing presentations, speakers, and food, while inspiring collaboration throughout the entire CASFER community. 

Travel and Accommodations

Members from other partner universities (Professors, Students, student members of the Student Leadership Council (SLC). Postdocs, EWD, DCI, IE leaders and Deans), Advisory Board Members, Special invitees, Leadership team members, such as the institution lead Co-PIs and Deans should plan to attend in person.  

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Project PIs may bring one student/postdoc per task on each project they are participating in. Students/Postdocs will need to present a poster of their research (details will be sent before each event regarding this). 

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Travel costs will be reimbursed by Texas Tech University.  

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Hotel reservations: Accommodations will be paid directly by TTU, please email Autum (autward@ttu.edu) and Tracie (tracie.mcclaran@ttu.edu) a list of people that will be traveling with you. In that email, please copy the people attending so we will have their email addresses too. 

Airfare: Flights will be reimbursed for economy class and one bag will be reimbursed. 

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After the site visit, we will reimburse you for your airfare, baggage, airport parking, Uber/Lyft, and per diem meals on your travel days via GSA guidelines . All other meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) are provided on the day of the site visit.  

 

Please email your receipts in one single email in PDF format, with totalized costs by category to Autum and Tracie, which will be adjusted, if needed, according to TTU policy. In addition to the receipts, please attach the Procurement Guest Travel Expenses (linked here) as an excel file, with all your travel expenses filled out. Your receipts and travel expenses need to be submitted within 15 business days after travel has been completed. 

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If you have previously attended events at TTU, your information is already established in our payment system. For new people, you will receive an email from the TTU Procurement department with a link to set up your vendor profile in the payment system, after you submit your receipts to us. Please check your junk email box in case the email goes there instead of your Inbox. You will need to submit your information to this link before your account is set up. 

Pre-Site Visit Events

Date: April 29, 2024

Location: The Overton Hotel & Conference Center, 2322 Mac Davis Lane, Lubbock TX 79401

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Please note that the agenda is subject to change. 

 

April 29, 2024 (1st Floor Conference Area Foyer)

1st Floor Conference Area Foyer

12:00-4:00     Poster Setup

4:00-5:00       Poster Judging

5:00-8:00       Poster Session and Testbed Session, Reception

 

 

2nd Floor Canyon Ballroom

1:30-2:00       Students and Judges Arrive/Prepare for Pitches

2:00-3:30       Perfect Pitch Competition

Site Visit Agenda

Date: April 29, 30 and May 1, 2024

Location: The Overton Hotel & Conference Center, 2322 Mac Davis Lane, Lubbock TX 79401

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Please note that the agenda is subject to change. 

 

Overview

 

DAY 1, April 29, 2024 (1st Floor Conference Area Foyer)

5:00-8:00       Poster Session and Testbed Session, Reception

 

DAY 2, April 30, 2024 (1st Floor Conference Area Sunset B and C)

7:30-8:00         Breakfast and registration

8:00-8:10         Welcome and Introductions, Botte, CASFER Director

8:10-8:40         CASFER Overview

  • Botte, CASFER Director, Texas Tech University

8:40-8:50         Overview Q & A

8:50-9:00         BREAK

9:00-9:50         Meeting with CASFER IPAB – 2nd Floor Horizon Ballroom AB /Zoom (CLOSED SESSION)

9:50-10:00       BREAK

10:00-10:10    Convergent Research Updates

  • Botte, CASFER Director, Texas Tech University

10:10-10:35    Thrust 1:

  •  French, Thrust 1 Lead, Case Western Reserve University

10:35-11:00    Thrust 2:

  • Hatzell, Thrust 2 Lead, Georgia Institute of Technology

11:00-11:25    Thrust 3:

  • Botte, Thrust 3 Lead, Texas Tech University

11:25-11:50    Testbeds

  • Mbuya, Testbed Co-Lead, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University

  • Alvarez-Pugliese, Research Team Science Coordinator, Texas Tech University

  • Gecgel, Testbed Research Engineer, Texas Tech University

  • Matt Siebecker, Testbed Researcher, Texas Tech University

11:50-12:05    Our Approach to Convergence and Project Management

  • Botte, CASFER Director, Texas Tech University

  • Alvarez-Pugliese, Research Team Science Coordinator, Texas Tech University

12:05-12:30    Convergent Research and Testbeds Q & A

12:30-1:30       NSF Site Visit Team – Executive Session – Horizon Ballroom AB (CLOSED SESSION)

12:30-1:30       Lunch

1:30-1:50         CASFER Infrastructure

  • Kohl, CASFER Deputy Director, Georgia Institute of Technology

  • McClaran, CASFER Executive Administrative Director, Texas Tech University

1:50-2:00         Infrastructure Q & A

2:00-2:30         Engineering Workforce Development

  • Gracia, Senior Director for Inclusive Workforce Development & Education, Texas Tech University

2:30-2:40         Engineering Workforce Development Q & A

2:40-3:10         Diversity and Culture of Inclusion

  • Gracia, Senior Director for Inclusive Workforce Development & Education, Texas Tech University

3:10-3:20         Diversity and Culture of Inclusion Q & A

3:20-3:50         Innovation Ecosystem

  • Riojas, Director/Industrial Liaison Officer, Texas Tech University

  • Smith, Assistant Vice President, Research Commercialization, Texas Tech University

  • Kuhr, Associate Vice President, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Texas Tech University

3:50-4:00         Innovation Ecosystem Q & A

4:00-4:10         BREAK

4:10-5:00         Meeting with CASFER SLC – 2nd Floor Horizon Ballroom AB /Zoom (CLOSED SESSION)

5:00-6:00         Dinner

5:00-6:00         NSF Site Visit Team – Executive Session – 2nd Floor Horizon Ballroom AB (CLOSED

                        SESSION)

6:00-7:00         NSF Site Visit Team & CASFER Leadership Team Q & A Session – 2nd Floor Horizon

                         Ballroom AB (CLOSED SESSION)

 

DAY 3, May 1, 2024 (2nd Floor Horizon Ballroom ABC)

7:30-7:55         Breakfast – 2nd Floor Horizon Ballroom C

7:55-8:00         BREAK

8:00-8:45         NSF Site Visit Team & CASFER Council of Deans Meeting – 2nd Floor Horizon Ballroom AB

                        (CLOSED SESSION)

8:45-10:00       NSF Site Visit Team & CASFER Leadership Team Final Q & A Session – 2nd Floor Horizon

                        Ballroom AB (CLOSED SESSION)

10:00-5:00       NSF Site Visit Team – Executive Session – 2nd Floor Horizon Ballroom AB (CLOSED

                        SESSION) - Box Lunches at Noon

10:00-5:00       TTU Staff – Remain on Site – CH Boardroom – Box Lunches at Noon

Perfect Pitch and Poster Competition

Pitch and Poster Competition.jpg

Event Highlights

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