Making With Engineering Design At Rutgers CMSCE Maker Camp

As our summer of Maker Camp 2022 comes to a close, The Maker Camp team wants to highlight some of the amazing programs hosted by Campsites. Today, we’re celebrating the Rutgers Center for Mathematics, Science, and Computer Education (CMSCE) Maker Camps from New Brunswick, NJ. Here are some thoughts from Brielle Kociolek, Ed.D, iSTEM Coordinator.

One of the camps was hosted at the Rutgers Makerspace, an area that is usually only open to Rutgers students or staff. But during the first two weeks of August, 34 middle and high school students worked through the engineering design process to identify and solve a problem of their choosing. They then had to build a prototype of the design they created to solve their problem. Students used wood, metal, and plastic in 3D Printing, Laser Cutting, wood shop, and embroidery in combination with electronics to design their prototypes. Some of the prototypes created by the students included an electric powered fan, a self-clicking tool for gaming, an automated cat feeder, and removable cabinet lights. 

The students really enjoyed getting the chance to work with all the different Maker Camp supplies. They especially enjoyed learning how to solder by making Makey Robot Badges. 

We were also able to give K-12 students the opportunity to make over the month of July at several in-district school summer camps that CMSCE ran. Through these camps, students were also working with the engineering and design process. Some of the design challenges included cardboard engineering, building spotted lanternfly traps, making music with Makey Makey, and the study of flight.

Find more Rutgers CMSCE on their website, Twitter, or Facebook.