UROP Project

Mapping and Improving the CAPS Project Lifecycle

Process Improvement, Systems Engineering, Project Management, Knowledge Management, Research Operations

Research Mentor: Mr. Matthew Bosworth,
Department, College, Affiliation: Center for Advanced Power Systems, N/A
Contact Email: matt@caps.fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Mr. Naqash Ali
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: na22j@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors, particularly students interested in engineering, project management, business processes, information systems, technical communication, or organizational improvement.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Not participating in the roundtable

Project Description

This project examines how research and testing work moves through the Center for Advanced Power Systems (CAPS), from an initial stakeholder request through project planning, technical execution, and delivery of results. The student will study how CAPS defines the scope of work, develops budgets and statements of work, matches projects with faculty expertise and laboratory capabilities, assigns responsibilities, and transfers information between administrative and technical personnel.
The project will also examine common steps used to perform and document technical work at CAPS, including modeling and simulation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, verification and validation activities, data management, and technical reporting. Using selected projects as examples, the student will create maps of the current process, identify unclear responsibilities, missing information, repeated work, and difficult handoffs, and recommend practical improvements. Potential outputs include improved process maps, responsibility matrices, intake checklists, decision guides, and standard handoff or reporting templates.


Research Tasks: • Learn about CAPS laboratories, technical capabilities, personnel, and common project types.
• Review existing project documents such as stakeholder requests, budgets, statements of work, test plans, data records, and reports.
• Work with the research team to select representative projects for study.
• Conduct structured discussions with faculty, engineers, laboratory staff, project managers, and administrative personnel.
• Map how a project moves from the initial request through planning, execution, reporting, and closeout.
• Document the people involved, their responsibilities, major decisions, required information, and handoffs between groups.
• Examine how modeling and simulation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, verification and validation, data analysis, and reporting fit within the larger project process.
• Identify delays, repeated work, unclear responsibilities, communication gaps, and places where project knowledge may be lost.
• Compare current CAPS practices with methods from systems engineering, project management, and process improvement.
• Develop practical recommendations and help test selected improvements.
• Create process diagrams, summary tables, presentation materials, and sections of the final report.


Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required
• Interest in how technical projects are planned, managed, and completed.
• Good organization and attention to detail.
• Clear written and verbal communication.
• Ability to listen, ask questions, and summarize how people perform their work.
• Basic experience with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint or similar software.
• Ability to handle project information carefully and follow confidentiality requirements.
• Willingness to learn process mapping, systems engineering, and research methods.
• Ability to work independently and reliably with a research team.
Recommended, but not required
• Coursework or interest in engineering, business, project management, information technology, communication, or operations.
• Experience creating flowcharts or diagrams using Visio, Lucidchart, PowerPoint, or similar tools.
• Familiarity with research laboratories, technical projects, data organization, or process improvement.
• Experience using spreadsheets to organize and compare information.
No previous experience with CAPS processes or process-improvement methods is required; training and guidance will be provided.