Curiosity Machine Design Challenges
I create curriculum for Curiosity Machine, which is a hands-on STEAM program for children, families and educators.
Design Challenges
The main feature of Curiosity Machine is its design challenges, which are hands-on STEAM activities that are developed based on the work of scientists and engineers. All design challenges are designed to use use simple household materials, scale up or down for students K-12, be open ended, and connect to real applications of science and engineering. Some of the topics I’ve developed these hands-on challenges around include:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Nanoscience
- Genetics
- Aerospace
- Biomimicry
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
In addition to developing challenges, I also develop many supporting materials to accompany them such as, videos, lesson plans, teacher guides, and more.
Artificial Intelligence
During the Spring of 2017, my team and I developed three hands-on challenges to teach children and their families about artificial intelligence. The three challenges are listed below:
| Parallel Processing Machine | Neural Network | Self Driving Car Game |
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The three challenges were tested out with a group of high schoolers at conference by NVIDIA. Afterwards they were incorporated in outreach events by NVIDIA and into the AI Family Challenge curriculum.
Nanoscience
In the Fall of 2017, I created two videos to accompany design challenges developed with the help of undergraduate students at RPI (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute). These videos will explain important concepts in nanoscience and help students get starting building the design challenges.
| Quantum Dots | Nanopipe |
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Genetics
In the fall of 2015, I worked with Elliot Meyerowitz, a scientist at California Institute of Technology, and the Iridescent video team to develop two videos and a hands on building project that teaches children about plant genetics. I developed the design for the project, several different prototypes, and two videos that all work together to deliver the concepts to a young audience.
| Design a Set of Mechanical Genes |
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Aerospace
In a partnership with Boeing, I worked with engineers to develop hands on projects around what they work on at Boeing. In total, my team developed 21 design challenges and three videos to accompany each one. Below are three of challenges that I worked to develop.
| Safe Stopping Robot | Fuel Level Detector | SLS Inspired Rocket |
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More
In addition to these challenges, I’ve also developed and contributed to many others. Some notable examples are listed below.
| Planting Machine | Blooming Flower | Root System |
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| Water Collection System | Light Dispersal System | Wind Powered Turbine |
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