Management Teams
The management structure (Figure 1), which features several interconnected teams described below, is designed to effectively implement and assess the project goals, promote project-wide participation in leadership, and ensure effective communications among universities.
Fig. 1. LA-SiGMA Management Structure
The Project Execution Team (PET) will oversee the day-to-day activities of the project and provide direction and guidance to project participants in each of the science driver and computational teams. The eight-member PET, which is comprised of the science leads from each participating institution, includes two females and two African Americans. The PET members are all experienced scientists with the requisite management skills to lead large multidisciplinary projects. They will play vital roles in ensuring effective communications between and within institutions. The co-leads will assume leadership responsibilities to ensure a smooth succession of leadership, should it become necessary. The Project Director (PD) will meet with the PET every other month, at a minimum. Each member will be responsible for defined tasks as follows:
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Science & Cyberinfrastructure (lead: Mark Jarrell, LSU; co-lead: Lawrence Pratt, Tulane) will focus on evaluating and monitoring multi-institutional collaborative research projects and the statewide cyberinfrastructure plan. The science coordinator will assist this committee to coordinate statewide activities.
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External Engagement & Workforce Development (lead: Randall Hall, LSU; co-lead: Pedro Derosa, LA Tech/Grambling), will oversee the proposed external engagement, diversity, and workforce development activities.
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Evaluation & Assessment (lead: Bala Ramachandran, LA Tech; co-lead: Cheryl Stevens, Xavier) supported by one full-time staff and an internal evaluator, will assess all activities of the other two committees, and will also be responsible for providing assessment data to the External Review Board.
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The Diversity Advisory Council will be coordinated by Diola Bagayoko, SU and Randall Hall, LSU. Council members include nationally known experts in materials science as well as individuals with national reputations for promoting ethnic and gender diversity in STEM disciplines. The DAC will interact regularly with the PET by video conference and other means to assess progress towards achieving project diversity goals and to provide guidance and feedback on mecha-nisms to improve success. DAC members will also attend at least one of the biannual meetings to interact with the External Review Board as well as faculty, postdocs, and students in the Alliance.
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An Industrial Liaison Team (ILT) will be coordinated by Scott Whittenburg, UNO and Bala Ramachandran, LA Tech. The ILT will be composed of the intellectual property/industrial liaison officers from LSU, LA Tech, and Tulane. Jeff Lynn of the Louisiana Economic Development agency's FastStartTM program and Roy Keller of the LA Business and Technology Center will assist the PET in maximizing the economic impact from the project. The ILT will identify industry and government partners who can participate in the research projects and capitalize upon the tools and other research outcomes. The ILT will meet regularly and organize at least one workshop annually that brings together the research teams and industry partners to explore collaborative projects.