Assignments
This section will be updated during the course.
This is a compensatory exercise for the second feedback sessions so if you did not attend your major's Feedback Session in April, 2020, please answer this questionnaire. You are also welcome to answer this even if you attended the feedback session!
Thesis Review Assignment
Master’s thesis (30 cr) is an important part of master’s studies (120 cr). Besides specialization on certain research question, the master’s thesis has several general learning objectives:
• Ability to apply the principles of science in solving research problems
– Building on existing knowledge
– Using scientifically relevant methodology
– Logical argumentation based on facts
• Improved skills for exact technical and scientific communication in writing and orally
• To get experience in conducting an independent technical or scientific research project
The aim of this assignment is to prepare students for carrying out their own thesis works efficiently. Please find the detailed instructions for the Master's thesis from this link. The submission deadline for the reports is February 23rd.
Quiz on Session 8 (January 20th, 2020)
Feedback Session 1, compensatory assignment Questionnaire
If you did not participate your major's feedback session in January 2020, you have to answer this questionnaire. The deadline for this assignment is Sunday, January 26th, 2020.
Critical incident case: Your own story
Write down a critical incident you experienced; it can be short or long, something minor, or a major misunderstanding.
Watch the following video, reflect on at least 2 items mentioned that raised some thoughts. (300 400 words, due 15.12)
https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?language=en
This quiz is mandatory for all students, besides doing the 2 assignments. Those who were not present at the lectures can go through the slides before answering the questions in the quiz.
If you cannot make it to CHEM Career Forum on Mon, Dec. 16th, 2019, write an essay with a topic: "Employment plan: How will I get to know the companies in my field?". In your essay, explain how you will reach the CHEM Career Forum objectives without visiting the event. For your guidelines, the Career Forum's objectives are presented below:
- Students start looking for employment options and planning the career path from the very start of their studies: CHEM Career Forum offers an opportunity for acquiring information and networking.
- Opening doors to summer jobs and internships: at the event you can talk to employers’ representatives, introduce yourself, talk about the things that interest you and ask about the company.
- Giving an opportunity to attend workshops provided by employers: CV guidance, mock job interviews.
- Helping to figure out how future working-life will be.
The essays should be 300-500 words in length (approximately one A4 page). The deadline for the essays is Friday, December 20th, 2019.
The students are grouped according to their majors. This helps directing the major-specific exercises and information to the correct student groups. Please note that you will not be able to complete execises or quizzes before choosing your major!
Assignment consist of creating your own circular economy or sustainability business idea and having a peer-analysis on your ideas.
Background
Familiarize your self with "Design for Sustainability". You can find introduction here: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-70223-0_5
Create your business idea
There is a wonderful course about fundamentals of entrepreneurship, Starting Up. https://starting-up.org/
Go through chapters 1-5 in the course. Completing the quizzes is voluntary.
You will build your own business idea by completing the "not-a-business-plan" exercises. The exercises are at the end of chapters 2.4, 3.1, 3.3, 4.1., 4.2., 4.3. and 5.1. Focus on a business idea related to circular economy or sustainability.
After completing the "not-a-business-plan" from the chapters 1-5, you can find the full report in your personal menu. Save the PDF, and upload it to here under this Assignment. Share your report with another student in the course and analyze each other report. Look for how interesting the business opportunity is and is it realistic to try it out. Comment each section of the report. Share your comments with person whose report you analyzed. Upload to this Assignment also the business plan you analyzed and you comments of it.
Please, find by yourself a peer student whom the to share with your business plan and analyze it. If for some reason you are not able to find anyone in the course to do this with you, contact me sami.tuomi@aalto.fi, and I will put you in contact with other student.
To pass this part of the course
1. Create your own "not-a-business-plan" at https://starting-up.org/
2. Upload your report to this Assignment
3. Share your report with a peer student and analyze their business plan.
4. Upload the peer students business plan with your comments to this Assignment.
Deadline
Deadline for both submissions are 6th of April.
Ps. By completing the whole Starting Up course you can earn 2 ECTS from it: TU-C2090 Starting Up