Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Welcome to planetseed.com!

Below is a list of frequently asked questions about our Web site. Please contact us at seed@planetseed.com if you have further questions or concerns.

1. What is PlanetSEED?

2. The move from the old SEED Web site (seed.slb.com) to the current Web site (planetseed.com) occurred in September 2011. How did the move to the new URL affect the volunteer account that I created on the previous version of the SEED Web site?
3. If I have bookmarked a page on the old Web site, how do I find it on planetseed.com?
4. Who can register as a SEED volunteer? How do I do it?
5. Who can register as a SEED teacher? How do I do it?
6. Who can register as a SEED student? How do I do it?
7. Who can register as a SEED friend? How do I do it?
8. Do all users (volunteer, teacher, student, and friend) share the same permissions on PlanetSEED?
9. What if I forget my password?
10. Are the features of planetseed.com available in languages other than English?
11. Where can users get help for problems with the Web site?
12. How will SEED use the personal information I disclose and ensure the safeguarding of my privacy?
13. There is a lot of user-posted commentary on the site. How do I report inappropriate or offensive content?
14. How does the SEED program accommodate people with special needs?
15. Can I connect with SEED on Facebook, Twitter, and other social sites?
16. How do I get started?

1. What is PlanetSEED?
   PlanetSEED is the official Web site for Schlumberger Excellence in Educational Development (SEED).  On PlanetSEED you will find thousands of pages of science content, including labs, articles, activities, journals, and more; all of it is free, and all of it is available in seven languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish).

   PlanetSEED also includes online communities where you can build a custom profile, share stories, find your friends, participate in forums, and register for events and opportunities.

   PlanetSEED provides a new way to be active with SEED, one that spreads our message beyond all borders. Watch our welcome video and then take a tour of our new communities. Refer your friends to one of our communities, too!

   1. What are your four communities?
      SEED has created four communities on PlanetSEED. Each one serves a specific interest group within our program. Anyone interested in science and education may request membership in the community that matches their qualifications:
      1. Volunteer: All members of the Schlumberger family, including employees, contractors, consultants, alumni and their spouses, parents, and children (18 years and older) may register as volunteers.
      2. Teacher: Any teacher, trainer, learning instructor, or administrator that is associated with a SEED school may register as a teacher. If you are a teacher from another institution, you will first need to register your school as an affiliated SEED school. Then, when you register as a teacher, SEED will ask you to select your school’s name from a list during your registration. 
      3. Student: Any student between the age of 10 and 18 that attends a SEED school can register upon invitation by his or her teacher (who is also a teacher at a SEED school). If you are a student from another institution, your teacher will first need to register your school as an affiliated SEED school. Your school’s name should then appear on a drop-down list when you register.
      4. Friend: SEED’s friend community is open to everyone, including teachers from schools not affiliated with SEED, education experts, SEED followers, and anyone else that has a passion for science and learning.

         There is no time requirement once you join any of our communities, and we will never request any donation or payment as contribution.

         As a member of SEED, you can learn more about science and education by connecting with other participants, sharing your stories, participating in forums on interesting topics, and collaborating in science projects with others from around the world. You can find out more by visiting our registration page at www.planetseed.com/register.

   2. Who are the members of the SEED staff?
      The SEED staff includes ten full-time staff members, several educational consultants, and a number of interns. The staff defines and creates the SEED programs on a global level; these programs are then implemented locally by our country coordinators. The SEED team is led by Simone Amber, Vice President of Schlumberger Limited, and Founder and Director for SEED. You can read more about the staff here.
   3. Who are the SEED country coordinators?
      SEED Coordinators are appointed to a specific country by individual GeoMarket Managers. They are the connection between the program itself and its most important assets: the volunteers, teachers, and students. They oversee all SEED programs on a local level, including finding, registering, and engaging local volunteers; identifying appropriate schools for connections to our School Network Program (SNP); maintaining a positive and communicative relationship with each SEED connected school; and spreading the SEED vision throughout their workplace and beyond.
2. The move from the old SEED Web site (seed.slb.com) to the current Web site (planetseed.com) occurred in September 2011.  How did the move to the new URL affect the volunteer account that I created on the previous version of the SEED Web site?
   All existing volunteer records have been migrated to our new Web site. Active volunteers will need to log into their planetseed.com accounts to update their passwords. While there, they are encouraged to add further details to their extended volunteer profiles, browse the site’s features, and connect with other volunteers, teachers, and friends. Volunteers can also begin searching for volunteering opportunities in their region and around the world.

   All volunteers should have received an account reactivation email with instructions on how to log into their planetseed.com accounts.

   1. What happens if I did not receive this email?
      Contact SEED at seed@planetseed.com to request a new account reactivation email.
   2. How long do I have to reactivate and update my account?
      There is no time limit.
   3. What happens if I want to close my volunteer account?
      Contact SEED at seed@planetseed.com to request the closing of your account.
   4. Can I re-open my account after closing it?
      Yes. Contact SEED at seed@planetseed.com to request the re-opening of your account
3. If I have bookmarked a page on the old Web site, how do I find it on planetseed.com?
   Many pages that were bookmarked on the old Web site will automatically redirect to the same page on the new Web site. Once you reach a page through the automatic redirect, we recommend that you update your bookmarks to reflect the new URL. Some pages will not automatically redirect to the same page on the new Web site, so you will be taken to the SEED home page instead. We apologize for this inconvenience.
4. Who can register as a SEED volunteer? How do I do it?
   All members of the Schlumberger family, including employees, contractors, consultants, alumni and their spouses, parents, and children (18 years and older) may register as volunteers. There is no volunteering time requirement once you join, and we will never request any donation or payment as contribution.

   Volunteers may request a new account by clicking on the Login/Join tab and submitting the required information to SEED. Your request for membership will be subject to approval by the SEED volunteer center administrator.

   1. What features are available to volunteers? Is there a user guide to help them get started?
      Once a volunteer is an approved member of the community, they can browse and register for events and opportunities, share volunteering stories on their own personal blog, meet and friend other volunteers and teachers, refer friends to the Web site, and more.

      There is a first day guide to being a volunteer that is available on the volunteer center home page.

      Volunteers and all other users may also utilize the many free resources available on the SEED online science center (under the Science tab). SEED provides thousands of pages of science labs, articles, journals, and activities in seven languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

   2. How often should volunteers log on to planetseed.com?
      There is no time requirement or limit to your participation. Volunteers are encouraged to log onto planetseed.com periodically in order to update profile information and utilize the many interactive resources available to registered users. If you are interested in participating in a SEED activity, you should log on more frequently to find opportunities that suit your interests.
5. Who can register as a SEED teacher? How do I do it?
   Any teacher, trainer, learning instructor, or administrator that is associated with a SEED school  may register as a teacher. If you are a teacher from another institution, you will first need to register your school as an affiliated SEED school. SEED will then ask you to select your school’s name from a list during registration.  There is no time requirement once you join, and we will never request any donation or payment as contribution.

   Teachers may request a new account by clicking on the Login/Join tab and submitting the required information to SEED. Your request for membership will be subject to approval by the SEED teacher center administrator.

   1. What features are available to teachers? Is there a user guide to help them get started?
      Once a teacher is an approved member of the community, they can browse events, share teaching stories on their own personal blog, meet and friend other teachers and volunteers, refer friends to the Web site, and more. You can access all of these resources and more from the teacher center home page.

      Teachers and all other users may also utilize the many free resources available on the SEED online science center (under the Science tab). SEED provides thousands of pages of science labs, articles, journals, and activities in seven languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

   2. How often should teachers log on?
      There is no time requirement or limit to your participation. Teachers are encouraged to log onto planetseed.com periodically in order to update profile information and utilize the many interactive resources available to registered users. If you are interested in participating in a SEED activity or collaborating with other teachers in the project space, you should log on more frequently to find activities that suit your interests.
6. Who can register as a SEED student? How do I do it?
   All students between the age of 10 and 18 that attend SEED schools can register upon invitation by his or her teacher (who is also a teacher at a SEED school). If you are a student from another institution, your teacher will first need to register your school as an affiliated SEED school. SEED will then ask you to select your school’s name from a list during registration. There is no time requirement once you join, and we will never request any donation or payment as contribution.

   Students may request a new account by clicking on the Login/Join tab and submitting the required information to SEED. During your registration, you will be asked to select a teacher to sponsor your registration. This should be someone who knows you and can verify who you are. Your registration request will need to be first validated by the teacher whom you selected, and then approved by the SEED administrator.

   1. What features are available to students? Is there a user guide to help them get started?
      Once a student is an approved member of the community, they can browse and register for events and opportunities, share stories on their own personal blog, meet and friend other members of the SEED community, refer classmates to the Web site, and more.

      Students and all other users may also utilize the many free resources available on the SEED online science center (under the Science tab). SEED provides thousands of pages of science labs, articles, journals, and activities in seven languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

   2. How often should students log on to planetseed.com?
      There is no time requirement or limit to your participation. Students are encouraged to log onto planetseed.com periodically in order to update profile information and utilize the many interactive resources available to registered users. If you are interested in participating in a SEED activity, you should log on more frequently to find opportunities that suit your interests.
   3. What safety features address the needs of students?
      SEED considers data protection and the safety of its members to be top priorities. We have taken a number of measures to ensure a safe and comfortable online environment for everyone, especially minors.

      No student registration will be approved without the validation from a registered teacher and the final approval from the site administrator. Every registration to the SEED Web site is verified and approved. Every user post on the SEED Web site is verified and approved.

      Upon registration, all students should review the SEED etiquette document that is posted on the Web site. This document advises students on appropriate behavior within the community, and also advises them on how to handle any inappropriate actions directed upon them.

      Should any student be concerned about his or her own data protection, please contact the SEED student administrator at students@planetseed.com.

7. Who can register as a SEED friend? How do I do it?
   SEED’s friend community is open to any teacher from schools not affiliated with SEED, education experts, SEED followers, and anyone else that has a passion for science and learning.

   Friends may request a new account by clicking on the Login/Join tab and submitting the required information to SEED. Your request for membership will be subject to approval by the SEED friend center administrator.

   1. What features are available to friends? Is there a user guide to help them get started?
      Once a friend is an approved member of the community, he or she can elect to receive SEED newsletters, share stories on their own personal blog, meet and friend teachers and volunteers, refer friends to the Web site, and more. You can access all of these resources and more from the teacher center home page.

      Friends and all other users may also utilize the many free resources available on the SEED online science center (under the Science tab). SEED provides thousands of pages of science labs, articles, journals, and activities in seven languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

   2. How often should friends log on to planetseed.com?
      There is no time requirement or limit to your participation. Friends are encouraged to log onto planetseed.com periodically in order to update profile information and utilize the many interactive resources available to registered users.
8. Do all users (volunteer, teacher, student, and friend) share the same permissions on PlanetSEED?
   Each community has different permissions on PlanetSEED in accordance with the functions and requirements of the corresponding role.  Please review the permissions matrix for further details.
9. What if I forget my password?
   Members of any SEED community (volunteer, teachers, student, or friend) may request a new password to be automatically sent to them by clicking on the Request new password link on the main login page.
10. Are the features of planetseed.com available in languages other than English?
    Our new Web site is designed to support resources in the seven languages of SEED: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

    Please note that SEED does not offer a translations function to support multi-lingual communications between users of different languages at this time. For correspondence and other communications, we encourage users to post statements in their own preferred language, or to use the Google Translations tool.

11. Where can users get help for problems with the Web site?
    Users may contact SEED at seed@planetseed.com at any time to request assistance. We will connect you with the right administrator to attend to your needs.
12. How will SEED use the personal information I disclose and ensure the safeguarding of my privacy?
    Protecting your privacy is important to SEED. The Schlumberger-SEED Data Privacy statement can help you understand how SEED collects, uses, and safeguards the personal information that you choose to disclose on our Web site.
13. There is a lot of user-posted commentary on the site. How do I report inappropriate or offensive content?
    All content submitted to planetseed.com forums, blogs, and project spaces is reviewed by a site moderator.

    Inappropriate content includes offensive language, hurtful comments, and any other offensive content found within our site etiquette guidelines. Should you find any inappropriate comments or images, or should you wish to discuss any concerns found on our Web site, please send an email to seed@planetseed.com.

14. How does the SEED program accommodate people with special needs?
    SEED is committed to bringing its programs to students and teachers everywhere, including those with special needs. Our hands-on programs can be customized on an individual basis to suit the special needs of students at SEED schools, as has been done in Ecuador.  SEEDKITS can turn any room –whether it is part of a house, a traditional school, a special learning facility, or a hospital—into a classroom to learn about science.  Our SmartWired tool allows children of varying backgrounds and needs to discover and track their unique learning strengths and talents, which enables them to excel in school, social settings, and beyond.  The Connected Wisdom book has been adapted and recorded on an audio CD, featuring lively versions of each folktale.  SEED is also ensuring that its Web site elements meet today’s standards for readability so that they may be accessed in the most efficient and helpful way.  To find out more, please contact SEED.

    Anyone can increase or decrease the size of the text on our Web pages by holding down the control key while at the same time pressing the + or – keys.  The + key will increase the font size, while the – key will decrease it

15. Can I connect with SEED on Facebook, Twitter, and other social sites?
    Yes, SEED is eager to make friends on all of its social pages. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.  You can also watch and share videos about SEED on YouTube.
16. How do I get started?
    Find your community (volunteer, teacher, student, or friend) and register. We have videos that can walk you through the process. These videos also explain what is available in your community.