Graduate Seminar Leadership (CEVE 521)

Assignment
Published

Monday, January 12, 2026

Overview

In addition to the standard coursework, CEVE 521 students will lead one Wednesday Paper Discussion session in small groups.

You will not simply present a paper; you will design an active learning experience that helps your classmates engage deeply with the material.

Schedule

Groups are assigned by the instructor. Each group leads one of the following Wednesday sessions (3 groups, 3 sessions):

Week Date Topic Area
10 Mar 25 Exploratory Modeling & Scenario Discovery
11 Apr 1 Sequential Decision Making
12 Apr 8 Multi-Objective Optimization

The instructor leads discussion on all other weeks.

Requirements

1. Curate a Paper

Select a peer-reviewed paper or government report that:

  • Connects to that week’s lecture topic (see Topic Area above)
  • Is accessible to advanced undergraduates (not too specialized)
  • Has clear methods or frameworks that can be discussed critically
  • Ideally includes a case study or application

Acceptable sources include journal articles, government reports (e.g., IPCC chapters, NCA sections, agency guidelines), and published technical reports.

Submit your paper choice for approval at least 2 weeks before your session (see Timeline below).

2. Design a Lesson Plan

Create a 50-minute session that includes:

  • Opening hook (5 min): Why does this paper matter? Connect to course themes.
  • Key concepts (10 min): What must everyone understand? Use visuals, not just slides.
  • Interactive element (20 min): At least one structured activity such as:
    • Think-Pair-Share on a critical question
    • Small group analysis of a figure or table
    • Concept mapping of the paper’s framework
    • Debate on methodological choices
    For ideas on designing effective activities, see Harvard’s ABLConnect and Chapter 1 of Lang (2016), Small Teaching (available from Fondren Library).
  • Synthesis (10 min): What are the takeaways? How does this connect to the final project?
  • Buffer (5 min): Questions, discussion overflow

3. Prepare Your Classmates

Post to Canvas 1 week before your session:

  • The paper (PDF or link)
  • 2-3 pre-reading questions to focus their reading
  • Any background material needed (optional)

4. Lead the Discussion

Facilitate the 50-minute session with your group. You are not lecturing—you are guiding discussion and activities. Divide responsibilities clearly (e.g., one person leads the opening and key concepts, another leads the interactive element and synthesis). The instructor will be present but will not intervene unless necessary.

NoteWeekly Quiz Policy

The weekly reading quiz will still occur during student-led sessions. Presenting group members are exempt from that week’s quiz.

Timeline

Group Session Date Paper Approval By Materials Posted By
Group 1 Wed, Mar 25 Wed, Mar 11 Fri, Mar 13
Group 2 Wed, Apr 1 Fri, Mar 13 Wed, Mar 25
Group 3 Wed, Apr 8 Wed, Mar 25 Wed, Apr 1

Grading

Your seminar leadership counts for 20% of your final grade (see syllabus). All group members receive the same grade.

You will be evaluated on:

  • Paper selection (25%): Relevance, accessibility, discussion potential
  • Lesson plan (25%): Clear structure, realistic timing, thoughtful activities
  • Facilitation (35%): Engagement, time management, handling questions
  • Preparation materials (15%): Clear pre-reading questions, posted on time