Each winter term, Conway graduate students work on community-scale projects for public and nonprofit clients. Typically, projects are for a public agency or non-profit organization; the project scope necessitates study of natural systems within which the clients’ requests must be accommodated or revised; students work in teams of two or three; the information for the study may be derived from geographic information systems (GIS) and presented as computer graphics; and students produce a written report that summarizes the design and planning process and recommendations, and accompanying maps, charts, and other illustrations.
We schedule formal project presentations with weeks still to go in the term, so students have the opportunity to incorporate comments and suggestions from our guest critics and their clients before completing the work. The comments received help refine the final design plan, which students complete and present to their clients by the end of the term.
Here are some pictures from the 2015 winter term presentations – it was a wonderful day, shared with project clients, alums, family, and friends:
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- Jeff gives the thumbs-up.
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- Conway's director Paul Cawood Hellmund welcomes clients, friends, family, students, and alums to the winter term student project presentations.
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- Team Bernardston (Rachel, Hillary, and Kate) prepares to kick off the day with their presentation about a comprehensive Master Plan for the town.
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- Jordan, Russell, and Jillian present their work on a multimodal trail plan for Hopkinton, Massachusetts.
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- Our guest critics sit in the front row.
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- Chris and Jennie talk about stacking functions in Ayer, Massachusetts, as part of their presentation about an Open Space & Recreation Plan update for the town.
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- ....and here they are with their client from the Ayer Community Preservation Committee & Open Space Working Group.
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- We all enjoyed a delicious lunch, catered by Jeanne. (Those homemade cookies at the end of the table are a specialty.)
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- Ben, Alex, and Janice respond to the critics' questions following their presentation about a watershed study for nearby Easthampton, Massachusetts.
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- Here is Team Easthampton with one of their clients, Easthampton's City Engineer.
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- Jeff discusses strategies that his team recommends as part of their Open Space & Recreation Plan update for the town of Kingston, Massachusetts.
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- Teammates Aitan (in jacket) and Dave (just visible behind Aitan) discuss the project with the guest critics
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- Molly, Beth, and Cary share their work on a pollinator network plan for Portland, Maine, and the Wild Seed Project
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- Thank you to everyone who came to Conway to participate in the day! It was a full house.
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- Janice and Rachel with CJ (in the center), one of our wonderful guest critics for the day.
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- At the end of the day, we all enjoyed some time to reflect on what we learned, while we enjoyed some delicious snacks. (More of those famous cookies made their way to the table...)
