Frederick Bianchi: Students go through a lot of preparation. They bring everything to bear to start solving the problem they'll be working on. They take a prep course and complete a pre-qualifying project (PQP) during the term prior to traveling to the site. The ID2050 course focuses on some of the techniques of doing research, how to write the paper, and how to think more globally and long term about the project. During the PQP preparation, the students better understand what their role is going to be and they work specifically with their team on their project in an effort to hit the ground running when they arrive.