Outreachy

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Hello, and welcome to MDAnalysis!

If you just found out about the MDAnalysis Python package from the Outreachy website, you can have a look at the MDAnalysis 2021 Trailer (YouTube) to get an overview of the scope of the MDAnalysis package.

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MDAnalysis is participating in Outreachy for the May 2024 cohort.

For applicants who have passed the initial application period, we have two available projects for the May 2024 round. Please read below for guidelines on how to get involved if you’re interested in working with us. We also have a page for Frequently Asked Questions that we’ll update as we encounter them.

The final application deadline is April 2, 2024 at 4pm UTC. See the full timeline here.

Feel free to ask any questions on the Outreachy with MDAnalysis discussion forum. We are also happy to chat on our MDAnalysis Discord server in the #outreachy channel (join with the public invitation link).

Who are we?

The MDAnalysis development team is friendly, cooperative and informal. We consist of people from a wide range of backgrounds, including students, PhD-candidates, postdocs, professors and researchers actively using this software. We will take your work with respect and appreciate the time that you will spend on MDAnalysis since it will help us in both our own and our community's research projects.

The MDAnalysis community values diversity and is committed to providing a productive, harassment-free environment to every member. Our Code of Conduct explains the values that we as a community uphold. Every member (and every Outreachy Contributor) agrees to follow the Code of Conduct.

Available mentors

The following developers have expressed interest in mentoring for Outreachy in 2024:

• Jenna @jennaswa
• Micaela @micaela-matta

Our Expectations from Outreachy Interns

We expect you to be an engaged member of the MDAnalysis community. In particular, by being an Outreachy Intern for MDAnalysis you agree to obey and uphold our Code of Conduct.

Communication

• Write a short report for us at least every 2 weeks (a short blog post every week is ideal!).
• Commit early and commit often! Push to GitHub or share documents/other products you're working on so that we can see and review your work.
• Actively work on our project timeline and communicate with us prior to the start of your internship period.
• Communicate every working day with your mentor. Just say "Hello" if you like. It can be via Discord, email, Skype, Zoom, GitHub comments, etc.
• If there is a reason why you can't work or can't contact us on a regular basis, please make us aware of this.

Onboarding

For details regarding expectations for participating with MDAnalysis through GSoC, see the Contributor and Mentor Onboarding Guide page.

How to Write a Great Application

Firstly, think about your choice of project carefully. You're going to be doing it for a couple of months, so it's important that you choose something you're going to enjoy. Once you've made your mind up:

1. Make sure you've thought about the project and understand what it entails
2. Don't be afraid to come up with original solutions to the problem
3. Don't be afraid to give us lots of detail about how you would approach the project
4. Think about the time you need to complete the work and show us your plan
5. Complete preliminary requirements for your application early! The earlier you complete these requirements, the earlier you will be able to get feedback from us to improve your application.

Overall, your application should make us believe that you are capable of completing the project and delivering the functionality to our users. If you aren't sure about anything, get in touch with us on the Outreachy with MDAnalysis discussion forum; we're happy to advise you.

Requirements for an Application

The contribution period runs from March 4th to April 2nd. In order for us to accept an applicant as an intern, you must record at least one contribution.

In short, interested applicants should complete the following steps to contribute:

1. Agree to be bound by our Code of Conduct
2. Watch the MDAnalysis trailer; install the MDAnalysis package; and work through the Quick Start Guide to understand how MDAnalysis is being used.
3. Additional resources relevant to each Outreachy project are listed under the "Familiarize yourself with MDAnalysis" section of the Project Contribution Information sections on the MDAnalysis community landing page; read carefully and make sure to interact with these resources.
4. Submit a pre-proposal before March 22, 2024.

Submitting a pre-proposal

We ask you to submit a short pre-proposal so that we can evaluate your understanding of the proposed project. In this pre-proposal you tell us what project you’d like to work on, what you consider the major challenges, and how you plan to solve the problem. MDAnalysis developers will review your proposal and then either invite you to continue with your application or tell you that we will not consider your application. Please note that this decision is final, and applicants should only submit one pre-proposal. A rejection is not a judgment on you or your abilities but an assessment of how well you fit the specific requirements of MDAnalysis as a scientific software package — we much rather you spend your energies on contributing to another exciting Outreachy project than being rejected later by MDAnalysis.

We require Outreachy applicants to submit a pre-proposal that will determine who is then invited to ultimately submit a full application. The pre-proposal will help you gather some of the information you will need to include.

Submit your pre-proposal for the project you are interested in via the following submission forms no later than March 22, 2024:

• Develop a communications strategy for a growing MDAnalysis user and contributor base
• Enhance installation and training materials to support accessible MDAnalysis workshops