Construct3D 2020

Speaker: Sowmya Anjur and David Lundgren
Title: June's Learning Laboratory - Students Lend a Helping Hand
Abstract: The creation of the nonprofit June's Learning Laboratory (JLL) and its subsequent progress is discussed. JLL advocates for a more culturally accepting society and our innovative curriculum is designed to encourage cultural competency in high schools. Our service project is intended to promote an equitable society by producing 3-D printed prosthetics for anybody in need. JLL is a student-run organization with guidance from a science and wellness faculty. Several presentations and workshops have been conducted to make others aware of the importance of being culturally competent. Further research focusing on identifying anxiety, depression, sleep patterns and stress levels of school-going children is currently underway


Speaker: Duke eNable
Title: Duke eNable: 3D Printing Adaptive Devices
Abstract: Duke eNable 3D Prints adaptive devices for amputees. Our work is niche and custom-made for each recipients' needs, whether a four-year-old's desire to be spiderman or an adult seeks to complete his job as a plumber. Not only do we use the open-source files from the general community e-Nable, we have a research and development team custom-designing arm files from scratch that utilizes motors and myoelectric work to move fingers and the wrist simply based on muscle detection. Additionally, we have done research with several different types of other devices, such as shoulder powered, and we are currently working with a dog recipient. We truly hope to make an impact on the individual lives we work with and expand the research in 3D Printed devices for the future.

Speaker: Vicente Gasco
Title: The Tactile Museum: 3D Printing Inclusion into Sight Exclusive Experiences
Abstract: The presentation looks into 3 projects developed in the past two years with art institutions and museums in Puerto Rico. The project developed 3D printed replicas of paintings and sculptures to promote inclusion in the exhibitions. Special guided tours were offered to both blind or visually-impaired individuals and their families were for the first time they were not limited to only hear descriptions of the art but were invited to touch tactile interpretations of the artworks. The presentation includes lessons learned and what we called in the design process 'tactile storytelling'. Tactile storytelling is a design strategy to translate design or visual elements to textures and create a hierarchy that leads the hands around the different details of the art piece. The projects were co-developed with the consultancy of Adriana Mattei-Sosa, an expert in special needs education curriculum design specialized in visual impairments.

Speaker: Leo McElroy
Title: Chronicles (and Lesson) of a Maker Nomad
Abstract: I spent a year from 2018-2019 on a Watson Fellowship traveling Europe and Asia visiting people and organizations who embodied the roles makerspaces can play in various sectors of society. This included rural community centers in Northern Norway, citizen science communities in Japan, hardware incubators in Shenzhen China, and constructionist schools in Northern India. Along the way, I observed how digital fabrication delivers (and occasionally fails to deliver) on its promises.

Speaker: Vanessa Miller
Title: Empowering Girls in the Digital Fabrication Process
Abstract: Makerspaces in K-12 education have been designed around giving our students a voice and autonomy in their learning journey. Even with the freedom allotted in makerspaces, female students aren't always driven to work outside their comfort zones and take risks in the design process. Additionally, as we enter 2020, the definition of gender is evolving and we need to be inclusive when bringing it into the conversation. This talk will delve into how we can create a bridge from crafting into digital fabrication, especially with 1st - 8th graders. We live in a world where we are lifting girls up through graphic tees and slogans but what we really need to be doing is giving them the design tools to express themselves and discover who they are through using technology and design. In this talk, I will share the projects, applications, tools, and concepts sparking student curiosity to dig deeper and experiment with new technologies allowing for deeper connections to digital fabrication.dge from crafting into digital fabrication, especially with 1st - 8th graders. We live in a world where we are lifting girls up through graphic tees and slogans but what we really need to be doing is giving them the design tools to express themselves and discover who they are through using technology and design. In this talk, I will share the projects, applications, tools, and concepts sparking student curiosity to dig deeper and experiment with new technologies allowing for deeper connections to digital fabrication.



Speaker: Amber Wakem
Title: 3D Printing + Entrepreneurship for Today's Youth
Abstract: With 65% of tomorrow's job having yet to be created, our future lies heavily on the innovative thinking of today's youth, but due to the confines on modern education, many students leave the classrooms both unprepared and unexcited. We need a change...fast! Thanks to the advancements and accessibility of 3D printing, innovation, and creative thinking are closer than they have ever been, and together, with an entrepreneurial approach, we can present today's youth with a skill-based education necessary to take on the future. By presenting students with the understanding that 3D printing can be used to create business, innovate business, or reduce the cost for an existing business, we can begin to expose students to higher-level thinking that can transform our future.


Speaker: Carter Warren
Title: Coded Design: Low-Risk Opportunities for Improving Girls' Confidence in Math
Abstract: Research indicates that girls' confidence in math decreases as they move into Middle School and beyond. It is also documented that confidence in math can predict a students' participation in STEM, a field where women are significantly underrepresented. As a girls' school educator, I explore how providing my students opportunities to create coded design allows them to practice their math skills in a low-risk way. The girls' witness their code produce designs, which provides instant feedback about mathematical and geometrical concepts. These design challenges allow them to incorporate abstract concepts into real practice with a physical result.