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Meetings

Zoom is an application capable of real-time text chat, voice chat, video chat, and content sharing. The Toback Research Group uses Zoom to conduct weekly group meetings. Weekly group meets are held on Fridays at 3PM (CT). Zoom links are sent to the group via zoom. Contact David Toback (toback@tamu.edu) for access to the group skype/zoom meetings.

How To Join the Meeting

1. Create your Zoom Account

You need to create a Zoom account. Click here and create your account!

 

2. Download Zoom Client

You need to download Zoom Client. Joining Zoom via its website is possible, but it needs permission from the Host. Our group requires you to have the Zoom application in order to join our meetings.

If you are a Windows or Mac user click here to start download Zoom Client. If you are a Mac user, you may need to change your Security and Privacy settings to allow for apps downloaded from identified developers. If you have any trouble doing this, follow these instructions.

If you are a Linux user click here. If you have trouble with installation, follow these instructions.

 

3. Run Zoom & Join the meeting

Run Zoom Client and log in with your account in order to join meeting rooms. In order to join a room, you need a Meeting ID. You can ask our group meeting ID from group members. Our group doesn’t require you to have an active webcam! But you need an active microphone (most laptops have one built-in).
There is a general Zoom manual for Mac and Windows users which you can download by clicking here.

Group Meeting Structure

The group meeting is where we come together to discuss where we are going so we can be helpful to each other. Is it clear where you are headed? Can you say something that will help someone else? Can you see how your work fits in with the bigger plan? Are we all rowing in the same direction? While it may SEEM that way, it is NOT a time for you to tell me what you did last week.

Questions to ask yourself to prepare for the meeting:

  • Do I have my prioritized to-do list so I can make sure I cover/ask everything?
  • Do I know what Dave is going to ask me? Do I have an answer prepared? (“I’m working on that next week” is a fine answer. So is “that’s not at the top of my priority list”)
  • Is my path clear? If so, can I articulate is quickly? As if from memory?

 

The agenda of all meetings is the same. It is

  • News and announcements, for the good of the group
  • Discussion of the primary group tasks (e.g. electronics, big computing, simulations, analysis etc.)
  • Round table, by seniority of the group members (a time for everyone to talk about other issues on their plate that were not previously discussed).

Commonly Used Words in the Group Meeting