Meetings

[Scott Hamel]

(this is a repeat of the email that you should have received so that
it shows up in the group)

Next meeting will be Monday, Oct 6th at 8pm. Prior to that we will
begin moving in the digital realm (I am told there has been a digital
revolution and I had better get on board). We will likely meet only
once every couple weeks and as the subgroups get moving we may only
meet once a month with the whole group. You should have recieved an
invitation to the new google groups for the project. Hopefully each
subgroup can create a thread and exchange ideas there, this way I will
be able to stay on top of all that is going on too. I know sometimes
these things are set up and don't ever get used, but please try and
post there instead of sending an email. If you have never used google
groups, you can set it up to send you an email when there is a new
post (so you don't have to check it all the time).

At the meeting Monday there were essentially two parts:

-Introductions (there were 10 of 15 people there)
-Explanation of Project Tasks/subgroups

Here is a summary of the 2nd part....

The project will be broken up into several subgroups in order for
people to focus on a task. There are 5 subgroups and so each person
will be on more than one task. Below is an explanation of each
group.

Each attendee was asked to choose their top 3 groups in order of
preference. For those not present, please email me your responses.
Keep in mind that you will be in at least 2 groups and you may be
asked (or you can volunteer) to be the leader of your first choice. I
will try to get everyone into the groups that they want, but no
promises.

1) Fundraising - As discussed in the intro meeting, we need to raise
some money in order to travel, and hopefully some to help out with the
construction of the project. I personally would like to see us pitch
in to pay the Haitians for their labor, including surveying (and our
Haitian Civil Engineer). I think that North Carolina can probably
raise the money for the equipment. This group will be in charge of
finding and applying for grants that are appropriate as well as
possibly planning and holding a fundraiser. Ideas that I have had
include:
-An event at a creole restaurant, with proceeds toward the project
-foosball tournament (do any of the frats do this?)
-auctioning Haitian Art
-Impromptu Car Wash (just kidding)

2) Surveying Class - This is the project that we started last spring.
It involves planning the class (creating a syllabus) and translating
it into french. It also involves soliciting local (or not so local)
surveying companies for equipment donations and/or finding cheap old
equipment for us to buy (see fundraising for how we get the money).

3) Topography - This is the geographic planning phase of the project.
It involves using the survey that we did in June and combining with
satellite and other data to create a map/model of the valley. Later
on, it will incorporate the surveys done by the Haitians. Once we
have a model of the land, this subgroup will help to locate the best
location for the pipe, turbine and power lines. We hope to get some
help from the GIS/geography department.

4) Equipment - This group is primarily for research and expertise
purposes. We need to know what kind of pipes, wires, turbines,
generators, transformers, ect are available and how much they cost.
And what are the advantages and disadvantages of each. We need to
know if they are available in Haiti, can they be shipped or is there a
substitute? This task will likely involve both internet research,
phone calls and hopefully an interview with some people who have done
this before.

5) System Design - This is our final product. Once we have a good
portion of the information from the equipment and topo groups, we need
to determine exactly how much power we can generate, what parts will
go where, how much it will cost and ultimately how the system will
come together. Most of us will be on this team in some form or
another by the end of the project, but I want to get a group started
scheming. Electrical, power and system engineers will be helpful on
this task.

So those are the groups. Again, if you did not attend please reply
with your choices and indicate if you would be willing to lead your
top choice (and why you are quailfied if I don't know you yet). Kira
has volunteered to lead the Topo group and I have some thoughts on 1)
and 2). So mostly we are looking for 4) and 5). If you did attend,
check below to make sure I got it right (or let me know if you've
changed your mind)

Lastly, I have signed myself up for several tasks that do not appear
above, these are ongoing tasks that I need to work from my prior
involvement with the bridge and the roof systems. I will keep you
informed of their progress, but I don't think it would be time
efficient to bring anyone else in on them. If you know someone who is
a 4th or 5th year concentrating in Structural Engineering (I don't
think any of you are), then let me know as they may be of some help.

As always, please let me know if I screwed something up above or if
you have any concerns or questions.

~Scott

Task Choices:

Scott - Inspirational Leader, Bridge Repair, New Classrooms/Granary,
Topo
Kyle - Fundraising, System, Equipment
Eyleen - Survey, Fundraising, Topo
Corey -
Randy - Topo, Fundraising, System
JohnLee - Equipment, Design, Topo
Kira - Topo, Surveying, Fundraising
Jordan - Equipment, System, Fundraising
Brad - System, Fundraising, Equipment
Tyler - Survey...
Maria -
Joe -
Michael -
Philip -
Jessica -


--
Scott Hamel, P.E.
PhD Candidate
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Wisconsin, Madison

"If I give you a pfennig, you will be one pfennig richer and I'll be
one pfennig poorer. But if I give you an idea, you will have a new
idea, but I shall still have it, too."
~Albert Einstein

[Scott Hamel]

Hi All,

As you know, our next meeting is Oct 6th at 8pm. I will send an
agenda before the meeting. We will have it in the same location, E-
Hall 2255

Following that, we WILL have a regularly scheduled meeting on Oct
20th. As I mentioned, I will be out of town that day. Tom Zalewski,
a PE from EarthTech will come in to give a presentation on the
Hydroelectric project that he is the mentor for in Guatemala. It is a
3 kW system, still under construction, built by the Marquette chapter
of EWB. So you have 2 weeks to think of questions for Tom.

~Scott

[Scott Hamel]

Hey Everyone,

Before you all head out to root for the Brewers and Badgers...  I have posted two things on the "Pages" Section of the Google Group....

The agenda for Monday's Meeting:

http://groups.google.com/group/uw-haiti/web/meeting-agenda-10-06-2008

and the current list of Subgroups:

http://groups.google.com/group/uw-haiti/web/haiti-subgroups

Please take some time before the meeting to look through these so you know what we will be talking about and so you know what group you're in.

Thanks,
~Scott