Technology and music merge in this summer’s Explore Engineering program
Posted on August 03, 2021 by Dana Poleski
This summer’s immersive Explore Engineering program merged technology, science and music as high school girls teamed up to create their own computer-controlled musical instrument.
Throughout the week-long program, participating students met Sweet Briar engineering and arts faculty, got a taste of their college courses, toured a local manufacturing company and interacted with successful women engineers and Sweet Briar alumnae. They also explored campus on nature hikes, bonded over game and movie nights and enjoyed a cookout at the Boathouse, swimming in the lake and stargazing.
The high schoolers experienced courses on design, music, mechatronics and Arduino programming. They dove into hands-on activities like using shop tools to make a Ukulele, learning how to shape memory alloy, creating in Inventor and using a 3D printer and laser cutter. The week culminated with the students presenting their computer-controlled musical instruments to their families and Sweet Briar faculty.
Two of the instruments involved circuits that triggered either ball bearings or a mechanized lever to hit various lengths of metal pipes to achieve different notes. The third instrument used circuits to synchronize a light display and 3D-printed maracas to music.
Learn more about engineering at Sweet Briar.
