Hsuan-Tien Lin, 2022/05/10

In 2014, CLLab experimented with the open-source track that aims to recruit students to build open-source machine learning packages. With the help of the members in the open-source track, we successfully built the first version of libact, which as of now is still a core tool of the lab's research. While the track did not grow because of various constraints, the experiment successfully proved the possibility of having a non-research track in CLLab.

In 2022, I decide to re-visit the idea of the open-source track and experiment with the development track of CLLab. The development track would be in several ways significantly different from the usual research track in CLLab:

• The research track is typically assumed to continue indefinitely as long as there is a sufficient match between the member and the lab; the development track would be designed on a project-based basis and will generally end in 3-6 months. Renewing is possible but there are absolutely no guarantees.
• The research track welcomes undergraduate, MS, and PhD students, as well as full-time research assistants; the development track welcomes undergraduate students, as well as selected part-time research assistants, who typically do not have a very strong publication pressure.
• The research track is paid with a monthly salary; the development track is paid with an hourly or daily salary.
• The research track members usually have direct 1-1 meetings with me; the development track members usually have direct 1-1 meetings with designated mentor(s), as shown below.
• The research track members usually participate in weekly group meetings; the development track members can choose to (but are not obligated to) participate in the group meetings.

• An undergraduate student who joins the development track can get credits for her/his “special project” course if she/he performs as expected.
• Strong performance in the development track can boost the chance of joining the research track if one chooses to apply to the research track later.
• Every development track member would be assigned one or more mentors (me or a mature student in the lab) that supervise how the project progresses.
• Generally, the number of hours that are spent on the development track is negotiable and depends on the project. But usually, 6 hours per week would be absolutely needed to make any progress on the project.
• Development track members will be provided with lab computing accounts and resources to facilitate their programming needs; they will not be assigned a fixed seat in the lab (though they are welcome to visit the lab and enjoy the sofa and other resources).
• Should the project call for software release or publication opportunities, members of the development track would be treated fairly in terms of authorship and order, just like any participating members of the project.

• If you believe that you are mature enough to serve as a mentor, you can propose any project that could use the help of development track forces. I will review the project before deciding whether to approve the proposal or not.
• If you want, you can choose to join any project on the development track. But generally, we will not pay you additionally—we will just balance your workloads between research and development.
• If you are an MS student in the research track, it is possible to discuss with me if you want to graduate with your efforts on the development track. We can set up development plans that could lead to a decent MS thesis. We can discuss how the logistics (payment, workload, etc.) on a case-by-case basis.

• developement_track_practical_cll
• development_track_score_based