Professor Thomas gives Design Lectures at Johnson High School

On Friday, October 10, Professor AnnMarie Thomas lectured to the Physics I, AP Physics, Drafting, Biotechnology, and Engineering classes at Johnson High School.  Her talk, on the Engineering Design Process, highlighted the “creative side” of engineering, while also illustrating the benefits of a structured design process. Students learned about topics such as concept assessment charts, why documentation is important, and the role prototyping plays in the product design process.  The classes then enjoyed playing with some of the “idea starters” that Dr. Thomas brought with her.  Groups of students tried to come up with interesting uses for things such as “see-through concrete,” “squishy magnets,” and “electronic ink.” 

(These items, part of the UST Design Lab’s materials library, were given to UST in exchange for the work that Dr. Thomas and a group of students did as “Technology Hunters", for the Chicago based company Inventables.)

As part of Dr. Thomas’ research program focuses on K-12 engineering education, she regularly does projects with, and for, teachers. She has given lectures similar to the Johnson one to teachers and administrators from Saint Paul Public Schools and the Science Museum of Minnesota.  In November, she and Dr. Jan Hansen, UST School of Education. will be running a design workshop for teachers from Farnsworth/Cleveland Aerospace School.  Additionally, she serves on the advisory board for the SPPS/SMM Invention, Design, Engineering and Art (IDEA) Cooperative.

Contact Dr. Thomas at apthomas@stthomas.edu