Thoughts on Women In Engineering
Over the last few years, I've gotten a lot of requests to discuss what it's like being a "woman in engineering." I'm always a bit conflicted about this, since I don't think of myself as a "woman in...
View ArticleWhy Making Matters (from TED2010)
Below is a "transcript" of the short talk I gave at TED this year (short= 5minutes). Of course, given that I didn't use notes, I'm sure the actual speech I gave varied a bit from this one. If the...
View ArticleOK GO and SyynLabs: Complex Simplicity
It's not every day that you can justify watching a music video in a college engineering class. However, it's also not every day that you find as stunning an example of creative design as the new OK Go...
View ArticleThe challenge of "high tech" tools
I was once approached by a school that had purchased a lovely 3D printer, but didn't have anyone who knew how to use CAD (computer aided design) software to create the files to send to it. The machine...
View ArticleCampus Collaborations
Looking back on the past few years of teaching, one of the things that I am most proud of is the number of unusual collaborations that we have organized for our students. I strongly believe that...
View ArticleDesign vs. Engineering Design
As someone who teaches engineering design to college students and K-12 teachers, I spend a lot of time thinking about what makes a design project an "engineering design" project. This has been on my...
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Why are we afraid of math?
One of the things that I love about living in the Twin Cities is our community education program. You want to learn to swim? There are classes. You want to learn to speak a different language? Check....
View ArticleSquishy Circuits on facebook
One of my research lab's projects focuses on creating tools to allow children (and adults) to explore engineering in a fun, playful fashion. A few years ago we set out to see if we could develop a way...
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Mini Maker Monday #1: Kiddo's First Skirt
I'm currently working on a writing project looking at the changes, over the last century, in how kids are taught hands-on skills. It has made me more aware of my responsibility to teach my own...
View ArticleBuying Tools for My Daughter
Recently, I wrote a short article for Make: magazine about my experiences looking for "real" tools for my daughter. I thought I'd share what happened next... I put off the actual buying of the tools...
View Article"Making Makers" book
Since some of you have caught mentions of this on Twitter, I guess it's time to make an "official" announcement:I'm in the process of finishing up my first full length book. (A short school library...
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Hacking the Art of Tinkering (with a 3 year old and a 5 year old)
Karen Wilkinson and Mike Petrich of the Exploratorium's Tinkering Studio have produced the most beautiful book on Makers and their work that I have ever seen. The Art of Tinkering is filled with...
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Squishy Circuits At the White House
My oldest daughter, Sage, and I were incredibly honored to have been invited to the first White House Maker Faire, which was held as part of National Day of Making, on June 18. As one of the 30...
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Sage's Dress for the White House Maker Faire
Ever since my girls were old enough to ask to go to Maker Faire (about 3 years old), I set a rule: if you're going to travel with me to a faire, you need to do two things: (1) Make (or help make) your...
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Thoughts on gender, engineering, and parenting...
To celebrate National Women in Engineering Day, Make magazine launched a week of profiles on women makers . I'm really enjoying reading them. (Here are the ones posted so far: Lenore Edman, Jeri...
View Article3D Printing Help Needed this week!
Update: July 15, 2014: Thanks for all the replies friends! We found a printing solution for this week!One of the things that I am incredibly proud of at the University of St. Thomas is our STEPS camp....
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Gifting Books
I am the aunt who always gives her nieces and nephews books as gifts when they're small. However, this gift buying strategy isn't one I reserve just for the children in my life. As many of my friends...
View ArticleWant an intern with a PhD and tenure? limited time offer...
UPDATE 9/14/14: Thanks for all of the emails and ideas. I have settled on a plan for sabbatical and will share it soon.(Note that this is for work to be done next school year!)One of the really nice...
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Help Squishy Circuits!
When we started the Squishy Circuits project in 2009 my undergrad research students and I never dreamt that it would take off the way that it did. We're delighted to know that there are Squishy Circuit...
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World Maker Faire 2014 Presentations
World Maker Faire in Queens, NY, is 5 days a way and my daughters and I are looking forward to attending. The following are the talks/workshops that we're giving.FRIDAY, September 19Informal "wear...
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