Driving Question: How can I engineer the strongest bridge with the most efficient use of the specified material?
Module Overview: Bridges are perhaps the most challenging and fascinating feats of engineering.
In this module, students became civil and structural engineers by working at the Manchego Fromage Consultancy, where they wereresponsible for coming up with the most efficient bridge design.
Students strived to creatively meet their imaginary client’s needs within budget and material constraints. The clients were the City of Rodentia, working in partnership with the Rodent Migration Travel Group.
In learning about bridge types, students explored the effect of tension and compressive forces, differentiated between brittle and ductile material properties, and investigated the calculations that go into designing bridges.
Marily M.
I enjoyed the module so much. I love creating and building things, so I had lots of fun building some testing bridges and the final one. I faced some challenges I didn’t think would happen, but I found a way to deal with them.
For this module, we designed and built a spaghetti bridge basing ourselves on our client’s needs from the “City of Rodentia”. I learned about bridge types, the effect of tension and compression, and the calculations that need to be considered to design a bridge. This knowledge helped me design a strong and effective bridge.
My final product is an Open Tender, which is the proposal for our “clients.” It includes the price, design, 2D and 3D model, calculations, and other information pieces.
Diego M.
I learned how much I like to design things and make them physically. It was enjoyable and challenging to build a bridge with pasta because you need to consider many factors and develop techniques to build the strongest bridge.
This project allowed me to learn about the different types of bridges and the engineering process and what it includes (different studies from the area, forces of members, strength to weight ratio, etc.)
Based on our investigations, we had to experiment with building pasta trusses to see what works, what doesn’t work, and which type of bridge truss was stronger than the others.
We created and proposed an open tender to the fictitious Rodent Migration Travel Group after running our experiments.
What were your goals for this module? How did you achieve them?
Initially, my plan for this module was to produce both a song and an accompanying animation. The first thing that shattered this initial goal is the fact that I cannot sing. There is no way around it. Secondly, my laptop was not powerful enough for animations. My goal then morphed into being able to produce “paintings” on a digital medium at the standard I usually do with physical paint and a canvas.
What did you learn about yourself or about your creative process or about your medium?
For one, I never thought I would ever make art from a laptop. Often when I am using my laptop, if I am not on Youtube or Reddit, I am definitely tinkering on a program or programming one thing or the other. As such, I have always labeled my laptop as a tool for me to express only the more “analytical” tenet of my creativity that solely produces output like programs, algorithms, and 3D designs. As such, I have only ever expressed the equally potent “visual” tennet of my creativity in my extensive painting and drawing. I never thought of using a laptop to produce art of the same standard I do with physical paintings. Not only that, but I never thought that painting on my laptop could put me in the transcendental flow state that physical painting always does for me. Boy, was I wrong!
What were your goals for this module? How did you achieve them?
I wanted to reflect people’s thoughts on Covid-19 by including various world events, situations, and feelings I’ve heard of or experienced myself. Whenever I feel a strong emotion, I like listening to songs with the same vibe, and I hope others feel the same way. My second goal was to grow my creative confidence. I achieved both of my goals by writing a song – and presenting it on this website.
What did you learn about yourself or about your creative process or about your medium?
I learned that it’s effortless for me to start the creative process, but difficult to finish. I also like to write many songs at a time, and that slowed the process of “perfecting” one song. That’s why I’m open to any feedback on the song – to me, it still sounds unfinished. From the resources we were provided by the educators, I learned that judging someone’s skills vs. them is an entirely different thing – a person whose skills are being judged shouldn’t take it personally. And although it’s crucial to receive some type of feedback in songwriting (as it should be creative, but not too alienated), one should still be comfortable showing their artistic style and not make every little change people are telling them to. It’s good to finish a song with a similar tune you used in the song, as it will make people come back again and again. For example, The Weekend’s “Can’t Feel My Face.” I still have a lot to learn about songwriting, producing, singing – all of that. I’m definitely going to continue writing songs and receiving feedback. If I do write some release-worthy songs in the future, I’ll let all of you know!
The Lyrics
Verse:
Yeah, sometimes I don’t talk to people for a reason
It’s never a good place to begin with
When I’m laying on the bed with my headphones on
And imagining every possible scenario
Of people coming and going, leaving and staying
And when the only thing we thought about was playing
And praying for the people we have lost in the chaos
of the world bringing hatred towards different people
Yeah, looking at the news, I guess that’s what I’m best at
During those times of social distancing acts
On the front page, furious (yeah), they think I am hilarious (yeah)
“Let’s get you a bible”, the situation seems precarious
And honestly, I must say that they’re making me mad
Before you didn’t even care, but now all you do is so fad
“Can we go outside?” I hear a voice while keeping distance
“Sure, my love”, and I hope what she says I didn’t just listen
I still can’t hold my head down, oh no,
I just want to let the truth out and scare them with all
The things happening in front of their noses
I’m straightforward, but sweet and you
Want to hear me whisper all this nothingness I see
Chorus:
Everything’s gonna be okay
We’re gonna see a brighter day
And it goes ay, ay, ay
Thank you to the doctors and the nurses
Thank you for being so diverse, yeah
Now all we gotta do is observe
Let’s not hope for the worse
Verse:
You can do what you want or whatever you’re best at
Obeying the rules isn’t the best, huh?
For achieving herd immunity please stay at home
A vaccine will come out, “at least let’s all hope so”
And if not, then what will going outside give you?
Covid-19, so please maintain some hygiene
Flattening the curve might take some time
But washing those hands might help achieve it faster
“I will do it all for the people, not for the fame”
Well, finally, someone’s got some common sense
All those celebrities go viral singing Lennon’s “Imagine”
As if we’re all dreaming of winning and survival
They’re kind of right though, aren’t they?
Because “hey dude, real people are dying!”
“Okay-okay, I’mma head outside for some fresh air”
Look ahead, man, there’s nothing to flair
The economy is failing from the left to the right
They wouldn’t care much, would they?
Unless they couldn’t take another flight
And fight because “there’s no food at sight”
“I guess that’s not a problem for us, eh?”
Chorus:
Everything’s gonna be okay
We’re gonna see a brighter day
And it goes ay, ay, ay
Thank you to the doctors and the nurses
Thank you for being so diverse, yeah
Now all we gotta do is observe
Let’s not hope for the worse
Verse:
I promise I won’t leave, I won’t leave you behind
I will fight every time for our human rights
But if we’d all die, (laugh) no, not just once or twice
Wouldn’t it be nice to say that at least we tried?
If you’re told what you’re doing is wrong,
Why keep doing it?
You only have one body and mind, one life to live
Keep living it, and hope for the best
Oh, you’re stressed and not impressed
By the words I’m rapping as you cannot digest
So you just guess and participate in a protest?
That’s weird, man…
But in 1920, things worked like that…
Yeah, we can learn from it, but let’s not forget the fact
That tomorrow’s not yesterday, we can’t dive that deep
Today’s medicine, techonology aren’t the same
We should all reflect on what the experts say
I know you have a brain, and you seem pretty smart (small voice: intelligent)
What were your goals for this module? How did you achieve them?
In this module, I wanted to delve into the old East Asian Buddhist tradition of using art as a form of meditation, freeing the mind of its rational constraints and leading to samadhi or meditative awareness. I did this by both developing skills in calligraphy itself as well as attempting a form of meditation while practicing those skills and making the pieces above. The result, I hope, is some appearance of spontaneity and creativity, the two terms that anyone would use to describe the works of calligraphy that Buddhist monks in China, Japan, and Korea made while immersed in their happy, cheerful meditation.
What did you learn about yourself or about your creative process or about your medium?
The most interesting thing that I learned while painting the Chinese characters was how challenging it is to attain any sort of balance or beauty with them. A simple downward brushstroke takes many months or perhaps years of practice to look even half-decent to a person who knows calligraphy. I did not get to this stage over the course of the project; what I did do was get a very brief look into the complexity of this medium – how the characters that you paint with the brush are not so much those that you paint but those that are left behind by the brush itself. Any stroke, whether it be a horizontal line or a dot, can very candidly suggest the calligrapher’s state of mind when painting it, meaning that any frustration or hesitance is immediately visible in the forms of the characters. This is perhaps the harshest aspect of calligraphy – each stroke is permanent and irrevocable, and cannot be embellished afterward. Not only does each brushstroke reveal your skill with the ink, but it will also reveal your ability to leave distracting thoughts behind and pool all of your mental energies into a single movement of the hand.
Poem Translation
The pieces above are renditions, in various styles of calligraphy, of three poems that I composed in a kind of bad Classical Chinese; the English translations are here:
Regular Style Poem
In the snore of my dog and the sound of my Mother cooking dinner, I hear Buddha’s joyful laugh; Just as there are many drops of water but only one Pond, So are there many Buddhas but only one Dharma.
Semi-Cursive Poem
Alone I walk to the pond, Looking for solitary ducks to feed with my Brown paper bag.
Cursive Poem
The perpetual sound of hail on the window – Instead of my friends’ happy chatter, Every day I hear only this.
What were your goals for this module? How did you achieve them?
My goals for the module were to increase my confidence in my creative abilities and be secure in my creative process. I achieved this by trying a variety of creative tools, like brainstorming and making mood boards. Through the process of being creative and learning how to weave, I slowly became confident in myself and in my final product.
What did you learn about yourself or about your creative process or about your medium?
I learned that there is no one “correct” way to be creative. I also learned that it’s great to try new things and learn skills from a beginner standpoint, which is what I did with weaving. Through this, I let go of some of my fears about not being creative enough and just let myself learn, change, and grow without judgment of the process.
My Artist Statement
For my module summative, I chose to weave an abstract tapestry inspired by nature. As Covid-19 has placed almost everybody in the world in a quarantine situation, I noticed that in the news and on social media images of places around the world thriving with the lack of human interaction. Although the piece is abstract and open for interpretation, I wove it with the intention of conveying the natural beauty of the earth. I wanted to imitate the idea of a sunsetting, with the notion being that all of the mess with the coronavirus will eventually end, as every day eventually does. Additionally, I drew inspiration from two French artists and combined my module summative with my language project.
What were your goals for this module? How did you achieve them?
My goals were a mixture of self-discovery and creative growth. I wanted to learn how to trust my creative instincts while also trying to understand them. I let my creativity flow with this project and managed to map that out in some mind maps and drafts. I spent the term slowly building on this artwork, which was initially going to be a much softer floral piece, and I am super happy with what it has become. You can see my process/growth below.
What did you learn about yourself or about your creative process or about your medium?
I learned a lot about the watercolor paints I was using. I practiced with them a lot and tried different techniques. I also learned that I come up with my best ideas when I’m not trying to come up with ideas, so I took breaks and made lunch or something when trying to come up with an idea. This is called ‘incubation time.’ My biggest takeaway is that I enjoy being creative, and I will continue to build on my artistic skills.
What were your goals for this module? How did you achieve them?
I wanted to create an epic song with the help of my friend, who is a singer. I achieved them by collaborating with my friend and his dad and learning how to use GarageBand. I made three different songs, but the last one is the actual song, the first 2 were practices. Currently, the song is still a work in progress, so I will aim to showcase it in the future.
What did you learn about yourself or about your creative process or about your medium?
I learned that I could be creative with music and work well on a small team. Before, I thought I was not good at music production, but with this term, I became good at it. Also, my collaboration skills increased as well. I managed to get in contact with my friend and his dad and created a plan to record the song without me being there in person.
Driving Question: How might I grow my creativity during the COVID-19 crisis through exploring the science of creativity and innovation and experimenting with art?
What were your goals for this module? How did you achieve them?
My goal for this module was to draw more of these circular ornaments, but as time passed, it changed to learning and working comfortably with Photoshop. I did achieve that goal by watching YouTube videos and learning some aspects of Photoshop and applying them to solve different issues that I faced over the course of six weeks.
What did you learn about yourself or about your creative process or about your medium?
As mentioned, I learned Adobe Photoshop from scratch, but for my process, I learned that I often get attached to my ideas, and that tends to limit my creativity. But with this creation, I challenged myself and tried switching my process up. I came up with a list of ideas before I started working on any of them, and that was a very different experience for me.
Driving Question: How might I grow my creativity during the COVID-19 crisis through exploring the science of creativity and innovation and experimenting with art?
What were your goals for this module? How did you achieve them?
Learning about something my parents are passionate about and learning the basics about photography and applied geometry in nature was my objective of the module. I also wanted to grow my creative confidence and challenge myself to try something new. I did this by taking lessons from my dad, getting ideas, and researching. I think my final products and process portfolio reflect such.
What did you learn about yourself or about your creative process or about your medium?
I learned I have a hard time going with the flow and not planning photos. I thrive when I plan and trust myself. I challenged myself by trying something new and showing my work to others, when it’s not my strength and by mixing two areas of improvement in one summative and module. I met my expectations and went above them by taking photos that I am proud of and clearly show my progress. I’m impressed with what I achieved in some of my photos, the math and geometry in others, and how I saw the world finding more shapes. Photography is a great form to capture life and emotions, and it’s quite a complicated art form for me.
Driving Question: How might I grow my creativity during the COVID-19 crisis through exploring the science of creativity and innovation and experimenting with art?
What were your goals for this module? How did you achieve them?
The main goal for me was: By the end of this module, I will be paying a lot more attention to the creative process itself, instead of the final product. I have experimented with the creative process. I have successfully implemented the incubation period in my creative process. When I first thought of the script, I had several scenes I wanted to do. I distanced myself from my ideas, which increased my productivity. After a walk, I listed all of the thoughts I had and I was impressed by how my list increased beforehand and after the incubation. With the evaluation stage, I am feeling much more eager to share and discuss my ideas with peers, family, and others, and I accept critique as constructive feedback. I think this term was a breakthrough for me in terms of understanding creativity. I am now paying a lot more attention to the process itself rather than focusing on the final product. After experimenting with all stages of the creative process, I enjoyed doing it, and I feel I am much more productive.
What did you learn about yourself or about your creative process or about your medium?
I feel that I have really grown in creativity and especially in the creative process. Before the module, I didn’t know that the usual things that I do when creating something have a scientific base behind them. This module helped to focus more on the process of creativity rather than on the final product. As for animation, I took a course on animation (Minecraft Animation), which helped to develop the main techniques such as lighting (Omni lights), animating (3D animating using Blender), interacting with the world (adding items, texture mapping), and rendering. I have successfully experimented with lighting, which looks great (according to feedback) and created a walk cycle, which is essential, and it can be used in future animations. I set up the characters, added skin, changed eye color, and so on.
