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Engineering, technology professor researches impact of AI on students’ creativity, problem-solving

goersab — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 16:41:28 +0000

Engineering, technology professor researches impact of AI on students’ creativity, problem-solvinggoersab October 15, 2026

Future engineers use Meshy software for AI rapid prototyping of kindergartens’ ideal toys

Abbey Goers

The Alternative Uses Task, designed by psychologist J.P. Guilford in 1967, is a psychometric test used to measure divergent thinking, a core element of human creativity. It evaluates an individual ��. ability to brainstorm unique solutions to an open-ended problem.

With this method of measuring creativity in mind, �� Polytechnic engineering and technology Assistant Professor Kevin Dietsche is researching the impact of AI on undergraduate students’ creativity and problem-solving growth during a pilot study in his Design for Industry course.

“AI and emerging technology become tools that we use to foster creativity. But the question is, will AI aid in or harm the students’ creative process?” Dietsche said. “It ��. part of the experiential learning process – to show if a new method can work. There ��. no failure, but it ��. a test to see what works best; of finding a different approach. We’re looking for continuous improvement and to showcase our university ��. polytechnic advantage through research.”

The Design for Industry students used Meshy, an online AI software, for mid- and high-level fidelity rapid prototyping. Recently, 11 kindergartners from St. Paul ��. School in Menomonie visited the future engineers in the university ��. Woods Lab. They paired up to draw and build low-fidelity prototypes of their ideal toys, using arts and craft supplies.

The students then used Meshy to turn the sketches and photos of the initial toy prototypes into printable 3D models. Soon, they will meet with the kindergarteners again to see if the models accurately capture their young clients’ visions.

“The printed prototypes are part of the larger goal in the product development cycle to move students towards a manufacturable wooden toy, as the wood is the end product material that consumers are looking for. Meshy and AI are there to help them work through and flex their problem-solving muscles and work through iterations more efficiently,” Dietsche said.

The final prototypes will be manufactured out of ash wood donated by the City of Menomonie ��. Urban Forestry Board.

Benefits or setbacks of using AI for rapid prototyping on student creativity

Dietsche ��. research is part of a three-year, cross-disciplinary project supported by the G.A. Taft Manufacturing Engineering Endowed Professorship. Meshy was purchased through the professorship.

During next spring semester ��. course, one group of students will use AI, and one will not. Technology education seniors Annika Schlueter, of Oconto, and Miranda Johnstone, of Milwaukee, will serve as Dietsche ��. co-principal investigators. They predict each group will experience pros and cons and that the use of AI will have multiple effects.

Schlueter and Johnstone see the benefits of using AI for rapid prototyping. They think it can make the ideation and design process faster and allow users to focus more on other aspects of engineering design and development. However, while Schlueter supports finding ways to positively embrace AI in the classroom, Johnstone contends that it can hinder some learning experiences critical for students.

Schlueter, a teaching assistant in the Woods Lab in Jarvis Hall Tech Wing, thinks that platforms specifically designed for prototyping such as Meshy, are going to be career-changing in the future, especially for engineers. “I believe AI will be used more for rapid prototyping in large companies to help get ideas to customers as quickly as possible. I think the implementation of programs like Meshy in future classes could be a great asset because it would allow fast prototypes to be created, with the use of digital manufacturing to bring those ideas to life right away,” she said.

Johnstone believes that using AI can negatively impact how creative problem solving takes place and in turn effect how students learn. “Understanding how AI impacts people in their critical and creative thinking is important to know how it can/should/should not be used to advance society. There is something important about cultivating a learning environment where students learn through trial and error, failure, experimentation, and discovery; a learning space that doesn’t necessarily exist when AI is used,” she said.

In past iterations of this project, Schlueter has often seen students wanting to create toys that already exist to some extent, like monster trucks or dolls. “I think the use of generative AI software can really broaden their ideas and help them create things that don’t already exist. AI could take common interests of the kindergartners and combine them into something completely different, which may create something very interesting to see and research,” she said.

Johnstone thinks that AI may yield more ideas for toy generation, but they will not be any more creatively successful than those created by people without using AI. “I predict that students who go through the creative thinking process to generate a toy idea on their own will, afterward, have a more well-rounded and creative mindset than those who used the AI to generate solutions for them, simply because they went through that generation phase on their own,” she said.

They will present their preliminary findings at the Wisconsin Technology Education Association conference next spring.

Kids’ and their college friends’ toy designs

Encouraged by Dietsche to be as creative as they wanted to be, the kindergarten and college student pairs made toys with paper straws, Play-Doh, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, markers and craft foam.

Here are some of their designs:

Jace and Tristan formed a T-rex head out of green and brown Play-Doh and mounted it on the top of a cardboard race car that will eat bugs. Because Jace likes dinosaurs but doesn’t like bugs, of course.
Murdock and Michael constructed a brown truck. The kindergartner and college friend made a good team, helping each other pick up Play-Doh bits that rolled off the table.
Karis, Silu and Brendan made a magical purple and pink glitter-spraying wand, topped with a heart.
Raegan and Trenton crafted a red unicorn on cardboard wheels. Even the kids noticed that cars and animals are popular themes.
Josie and Dio created a brown and black bunny, inspired by Josie ��. own bunny, Shyly.
Madelyn and Mackenzie rolled out strips of Play-Doh and made a rainbow desk for Barbie and a chair with a seat in the shape of a sun – a very cheerful spot to study for the world ��. most famous doll.
Everett, Nolan and Caleb crafted blue and green ancient Greek-style helmets with red visors made of Play-Doh for miniature warriors.
Zyla and Andrea built Bob the Turtle. He ��. purple and pink with googly eyes and looks like a good animal friend to talk to.

�� Polytechnic ��. Robert F. Cervenka School of Engineering is home to five ABET-accredited programs that also include computer and electrical engineering, engineering technology and plastics engineering, as well as a sixth bachelor ��. program in packaging. A master ��. in manufacturing engineering is available on campus or online.

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Future engineers use Meshy software for AI rapid prototyping of kindergartens’ ideal toys Engineering Technology, Kevin Dietsche GA Taft, fall 2026

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Kevin Dietsche

Teaching Interests: Joining, Foundry, Fluid Power, Mechatronics

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Fulbright teaching experience at Turkish university leads to new research for professor

giffeyt — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Fulbright teaching experience at Turkish university leads to new research for professorgiffeyt October 7, 2026

Marriage & family therapy faculty member strengthens international connections through prestigious program

Tom Giffey

University of Wisconsin-Stout Polytechnic Associate Professor Candice Maier says a semester spent teaching marriage and family therapy courses in Türkiye as part of the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program will impact her teaching and research now that she ��. returned to Wisconsin.

In fact, Maier is already drawing on her experience this fall in a graduate-level course she is teaching that focuses on trauma and recovery. With her students, Maier plans to replicate research conducted by a Turkish colleague to examine how strength and resilience in the face of adversity are transmitted across generations. Students will interview their parents and grandparents, if applicable, to gather information on differences in how people identify their strengths.

Ultimately, Maier hopes the work leads to published research in conjunction with Associate Professor Yudum Söylemez, who leads the marriage and family therapy program at Istanbul Bilgi University, where Maier taught last spring.

Maier, associate professor in the M.S. marriage and family therapy program, was one of about 800 American academics chosen to teach or conduct research overseas this year as part of Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, which is funded by the U.S. State Department and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

“It was hands down the best experience of my life,” said Maier, who explained her time in Türkiye – sometimes spelled “Turkey” in English – profoundly influenced her both professionally and personally.

Between February and June, Maier lived and worked in Istanbul, the largest city in Türkiye. The metropolis of 15 million provided a sharp contrast to western Wisconsin, although despite the culture differences Maier and her family found the people incredibly kind and welcoming.

“I really loved my family therapy students,” Maier said. “They reminded me of my students from Stout.”

Maier herself is a Blue Devil alum: She graduated in 2009 with a B.S. in human development and family studies from �� Polytechnic, and she also holds a master ��. degree from North Dakota State University and a doctorate from the University of Iowa.

Marriage and family therapy students at Istanbul Bilgi University in Istanbul, Turkey, take part in classroom role-playing. / Submitted photo

Experience offers lessons in cultural context

Maier taught an undergraduate psychology course as well as a graduate course in children and family therapy. Working with the Turkish students gave her plenty of opportunity to reflect on how cultural context impacts the realm of therapy.

“Often I would say, ‘This is what the research shows and this research was done by Europeans or Americans. How would you say things are similar or different in a Turkish context?’” Maier recalled. “And a lot of times students would say, ‘There are some similarities, but here's how it would be different.’ ”

Associate Professor Candice Maier on the campus of Istanbul Bilgi University. / Submitted photo

For example, she noted, Turkish families are frequently more hierarchical than their American counterparts. In addition, multigenerational households are more common, which means some clinical concepts, such as enmeshment – in which personal and emotionally boundaries are blurred, leading to a loss of individuality – are perceived differently across borders. Turkish families have traditionally emphasized strong intergenerational relationships and family connectedness while the influence of Westernization has changed family life to include more emphasis on individual independence.

Overall, the experience of recognizing familial differences inspired Maier to be more patient and reflective – something she hopes she can instill in future marriage and family therapists.

“I think this experience helped me to learn that it ��. OK to step back and model that for students,” she said. “In our field, it is really important to slow down and to help clients, students, and supervisees sit with the unknown and the gray.”

When she wasn’t teaching family therapy, Maier was experiencing Türkiye with her own family: her husband, Joshua Sanderson, assistant coach of �� . women ��. soccer team, and the couple ��. two young children. The family traveled by bus and walked around Istanbul, bringing their children to a playgroup where they met other families, attending sporting events, and otherwise making memories in the historic metropolis.

Candice Maier and her family pose in front of the Sea Gate at Dolmabahçe Palace, Istanbul, overlooking the Bosphorus Strait. / Submitted photo

Maier, students will pursue research

Beyond these fond personal memories, Fulbright experience has had other lasting impacts as well. Maier is beginning to replicate research by Söylemez, her Turkish colleague, whose work on resiliency and trauma has focused on the impact of the February 2023 earthquake that killed an estimated 60,000 people in Türkiye and nearby Syria.

It was Maier ��. previous collaboration with Söylemez – the two had co-authored an academic paper published in 2022 – that she believes helped her Fulbright application stand out.

Shortly after returning to Wisconsin in June, Maier taught an online capstone course that included both American and Turkish students, which featured Zoom discussions about topics such as collectivist versus individualistic families.

“I hope to continue those connections with their students and our students through class if possible,” Maier said.

�� Polytechnic ��. counseling, rehabilitation and human services department offers three bachelor ��. degrees and five master ��. programs – including M.S. marriage and family therapy, M.S. clinical mental health counseling, M.S. rehabilitation counseling, M.S. school counseling, and an M.S.Ed. and Ed.S. in school psychology. The university also offers school counseling licensure programs for both educators and mental health professionals.

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Engineering, technology professor researches impact of AI on students’ creativity, problem-solving

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Marriage & family therapy faculty member strengthens international connections through teaching as part of prestigious program Candice Maier in Ortakoy, Istanbul

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Marriage and family therapy professor selected for prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program

Maier will teach next year at university in Istanbul, Turkey

Search Keywords: Fulbright U.S. Scholar ProgramMarriage and family therapy

Hero Caption: Associate Professor Candice Maier, front, with her marriage and family therapy students at Istanbul Bilgi University. / Submitted photo

Candice Maier

Dr. Maier is a faculty member in Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) and Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT). She is a licensed clinical therapist and is an active member of the Affiliate Council Board and Family Therapy sections of the National Council on Family Relations. Dr. Maier is a clinical fellow and approved supervisor in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).

Full Name: Candice Maier

Job Title: Associate Professor / Clinical Director

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Area of Expertise: Couple and Family Processes & Contributions to Mental and Physical Health Gender Equity in Therapy Feminist Theories

College: College of Arts & Human Sciences

Department: Counseling, Rehabilitation & Human Services Department

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Curriculum Vitae: Candice Maier CV (264.12 KB)

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Degree: Ph.D. Couple and Family Therapy

University: University of Iowa

Degree: M.S. Human Development and Family Science

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Degree: B.S. Human Development and Family Studies

University: University of Wisconsin-Stout

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AI reshaping industry: Using artificial intelligence to help students understand a human-centered profession

goersab — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 16:32:00 +0000

AI reshaping industry: Using artificial intelligence to help students understand a human-centered professiongoersab September 1, 2026

Professor Hessel develops training for future clinicians to gain ‘clarity about AI as a tool versus a replacement for human connection’

For the last several years, M.S. marriage and family therapy Associate Professor Heather Hessel has been examining how artificial intelligence is impacting the mental health field – particularly the ethical dimensions – and how best to prepare students and clinicians for a future that integrates AI with a profession fundamentally about human connection.

“Almost invariably, the first ethical concern most clinicians raise is client confidentiality. That's a real issue, but it's also one we can solve with sensible policies, secure technology and training,” Hessel said.

More challenging issues raised by both students and clients include the biases perpetuated by AI tools and the environmental cost of running AI systems, she added.

“And there's a deeper ethical question at stake – one about what therapy fundamentally is. Clients know that a therapist can offer perspectives and interventions, but a chatbot can do that too. What clients sometimes don’t understand is that therapy works because those things come from a real, embodied human in a unique relationship with you – someone with a life, a history, their own interpersonal relationships and imperfections,” Hessel said.

These questions have moved from theoretical to urgent: Clients are already using AI tools, and therapists need training to navigate that reality.

Recently, a client who had not disclosed using AI before mentioned using a parenting chatbot trained on a specific therapeutic approach. “The casualness with which she mentioned it surprised me. Clients are experimenting with AI tools, finding them helpful for certain tasks, such as quick advice offered ‘just-in-time.’ How do I work with clients to understand what a chatbot can and cannot do in their lives? How do we work together to see both the opportunities and the risks without influencing them too much based on my own opinions about AI?” Hessel said.

These conversations require therapists who understand AI ��. strengths, but also its emotional and relational limitations – and who can work with clients to gain clarity about AI as a tool versus a replacement for human connection.

Hessel ��. thinking on these questions has been developing through multiple channels. Last fall, with her colleague Assistant Professor Somi Hynes, program director of marriage and family therapy, Hessel published “A Framework for Ethical Considerations in the Integration of AI and Systemic Therapy” in the International Journal of Systemic Therapy. This spring, she presented at the Midwestern American Psychological Association conference in Chicago, and she recently delivered a webinar for the Minnesota Association for Marriage & Family Therapy.

Across these venues, a consistent theme emerged: clinicians are looking for frameworks to help them think through AI, with the goal of integrating it responsibly and ethically into their practices.

A master's student conversing with a SimCare AI-simulated client.

This year, Hessel and her colleagues are translating these insights into graduate training through SimCare, a clinical simulation platform launching this fall with students. The pilot creates a space where students can practice therapeutic skills with more than 500 counselor-designed AI avatars, providing a low-stakes environment to develop competence before working with real clients. SimCare gives access to AI-simulated individuals, couples, and families with a variety of presenting issues, such as substance use, family conflict and mental health diagnoses. Students can also use this space to practice talking about AI with an AI-simulated client, building competence in conversations they’ll increasingly have with real clients.

“The goal isn’t to reject AI or embrace it uncritically, of course,” Hessel said. “It ��. to help future practitioners think through the ethics of how to integrate AI tools into their future work – should they choose to do that – gain experience having these conversations with clients, and learn how to work with clients who are already navigating their own AI use.”

Hessel is the recipient of a Carl Whitaker Award from the Wisconsin Association for Marriage and Family Therapy for her creative and innovative contributions in advancing AI integration with therapy.

Marriage and family therapy professor awarded for advancing AI integration with therapy

Hessel receives Carl Whitaker Award from state professional association

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Professor Hessel develops training for future clinicians to gain ‘clarity about AI as a tool versus a replacement for human connection’ SimCare counselor, AI-simulated patient

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Heather Hessel

Dr. Hessel is a faculty member in Counseling, Rehabilitation, and Human Services, teaching in the Marriage & Family Therapy (MFT) and Human Development & Family Studies (HDFS) programs. Her research interests include the young adult life stage, extended family relationships, and the role of technology in family relationships and in clinical practice. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Approved Supervisor for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). Dr. Hessel's clinical interests include the use of technology in clinical practice, mindfulness, and Buddhist psychology.

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Degree: Ph.D. Family Social Science, Specialization Couple and Family Therapy

University: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

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Board of Regents approves promotions, tenure for 18 �� Polytechnic faculty members

giffeyt — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Board of Regents approves promotions, tenure for 18 �� Polytechnic faculty members giffeyt August 26, 2026

Changes in status take effect as 2026-27 academic year begins

Tom Giffey

The Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents has approved promotions and tenure recommendations for 18 �� Polytechnic faculty members effective for the 2026-27 academic year.

The professors and their departments are:

Professor Min DeGruson, left, works with a student in the Packaging Materials Lab.

Promoted to professor

Daniel Atyim, visual and performing arts

Julie Beston, biology

Min DeGruson, engineering and technology

Rickie-Ann Legleitner, English, philosophy and communication studies

Kimberly Loken, design

Cody Reimer, English, philosophy and communication studies

Tyler Skorczewski, mathematics, statistics and computer science

Tami Weiss, teaching, learning and leadership

Assistant Professor Keif Oss, right, with cinematographer Shana Hagan, who visited �� Polytechnic as part of Canon ��. Explorers of Light program.

Promoted to assistant professor with tenure

Ahmed El-Magrous, mathematics, statistics and computer science

Somi Hynes, counseling, rehabilitation and human services

Keif Oss, design

Afroza Polin, mathematics, statistics and computer science

Associate Professor Nicole Hayes works with high school students to test the water at Gilbert Creek.

Promoted to associate professor with tenure

Kelly Droege, operations and management

Nicole Hayes, biology

Courtney Juelich, social science

Derek Sturgill, mathematics, statistics and computer science

Yuan Xing, engineering and technology

Tenure

Latha Ramakrishnan, chemistry and physics

The 2026-27 academic year began Aug. 17. August Opening activities, including campuswide Engagement Sessions for faculty and staff, will run through Aug. 27. Classes begin Wednesday, Sept. 2.

As of the beginning of the academic year, �� Polytechnic had 233 faculty members and 182 instructional academic staff.

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Students, staff turn community into a canvas during Murals in Menomonie

giffeyt — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 16:30:00 +0000

Students, staff turn community into a canvas during Murals in Menomoniegiffeyt June 30, 2026

Muralists from around the U.S. and world join university artists and volunteers for public art event

Tom Giffey

From an artistic portrayal of the journey of Hmong refugees from Laos to Menomonie to an eye-catching image that captures the past, present and future of Wisconsin ��. ��, students and staff members from �� Polytechnic had key roles in a just-completed effort to create 15 pieces of public art in and around Menomonie.

Murals in Menomonie drew hundreds of artists from across the United States and beyond for a five-day mural-making festival. Since 1993, members of The Walldogs – an international collective of muralists, artists and designers – have gathered annually in a new city to demonstrate their talents. From June 24-28, Walldogs from 30 states and four countries worked alongside local artists to create enduring images honoring the history and culture of the community as curious bystanders watched the process.

Among the murals was a vibrant image created in Wilson Park and designed by two �� Polytechnic students, graphic design and interactive media major Angelina Yang of Plover and interior design major Gao (Pretti) Zhong Thao of St. Paul.

Fifteen murals were painted during Murals in Menomonie, including this one devoted to the city's history.

The 8-foot-by-12-foot mural takes the form of a Hmong story cloth – a traditional style of embroidery that tells a story through images of everyday life, historic events and the natural world. Against a vivid blue background bordered by a triangular motif, the artwork details the journey of Hmong refugees from war-torn Laos across the Mekong River and ultimately to western Wisconsin, represented by a red barn, rolling fields, a farmers’ market and the familiar Bowman Hall Clock Tower.

Yang and Thao learned about Murals in Menomonie from Wade Lambrigtsen, a �� Polytechnic alumnus and lecturer who also owns Vintage Sign Shop in Menomonie. Lambrigtsen, who served as mural coordinator for Murals in Menomonie, reached out to the Hmong Stout Student Association last spring to see if any members were interested in submitting a design for the project. A mural honoring Hmong heritage had been one of the most popular options voted on by members of the public during the planning stages of Murals in Menomonie.

Volunteers paint a mural resembling a traditional Hmong story cloth.

Student gains experience in art, life

Though neither had experience making murals, Thao said she and Yang were eager to take part in the project. “This opportunity doesn’t come very often,” Thao said while taking a break from painting alongside a half dozen volunteers. “It was very exciting, and we wanted to do something to represent the community.”

Thao and Yang brainstormed the elements of the mural – which range from the mountains of Laos to the bandshell in Wilson Park – and then Yang created a digital image using Adobe Illustrator. Next, working with Lambrigtsen in his shop, they made a full-sized printout of the design, whose contours were then carefully transferred to a sheet metal surface with an electric pen.

For three days, muralists worked diligently to bring the artwork to life. While traditional story clothes are meticulous works of embroidery, this one was created with painstaking dabs of paint to create tiny figures and scenes.

Yang and Thao were joined by more than 20 volunteers in downtown Menomonie ��. Wilson Park, where the mural took shape. The completed mural is expected to find a home – at least temporarily – at the Dunn County Historical Society ��. Rassbach Museum.

�� Polytechnic Student Pretti Thao, left, co-designer of the Hmong story cloth mural, poses with Chancellor Katherine Frank.

“I feel ecstatic. I feel great having the whole community here,” Thao said. “I hope this inspires other people to take part in learning our history.”

In addition to the artistic skills she ��. developed, the project required Thao to communicate a great deal with other artists, something she expects will help her in professional life as an interior designer.

“I feel like it ��. more than an experience on my resume,” she concluded. “It ��. a life lesson.”

Camilla Estes, a veteran Walldog who operates a mural business in Paducah, Kentucky, said she was privileged to help the �� Polytechnic students with their mural.

“The best thing about Walldogs is that so many strangers can come together and create so much love and beauty,” Estes said.

Among the �� Polytechnic students and staff members who helped with the story cloth mural were Evangeline Thao, a graphic design and interactive media major from Hudson; Maiyer Xiong, a graphic communication major from Eau Claire; Ghiatight Xiong, an information and communication technology major from Eau Claire; Addison Vang, an applied math and computer science major from Rosemount, Minnesota; and university employees Michael Moua, TRIO Student Support Services, and Heidi Smith, Office of Research & Sponsored Programs. Chancellor Katherine Frank even grabbed a paintbrush to help while visiting the mural sites spread throughout downtown Menomonie.

Chancellor Katherine Frank joins other volunteers to paint a mural portraying �� Polytechnic's past, present and future.

Campus mural embodies polytechnic tenets

Murals in Menomonie involved the creation of 15 murals, 13 in Menomonie and one each for the nearby communities of Boyceville and Ridgeland. Many immortalized historic individuals, events or institutions, including Swiss Miss hot cocoa (invented by Charles Sanna of Menomonie), the Menomonie Blue Caps Base Ball Club, and the Knapp, Stout & Co. lumber business, co-owned by the father of university founder James Huff Stout.

Stout ��. most enduring legacy – the educational institution he founded – is now depicted in a mural on the east side of the Administration Building, facing Clock Tower Plaza. Painted just weeks after the word “Polytechnic” was officially added to the university ��. name, the mural encompasses elements from the institution ��. 135-year history: bold block letters reading “STOUT,” the logos of both the Stout Institute (1908-55) and Stout State University (1955-64), the contemporary triple-banded “S” logo and the official designation as “Wisconsin ��. ��,” and pillars bearing the institution ��. enduring values – Honor, Industry, Learning and Skill. Painted archways bearing the phrases “Forward from our founding” and “Forever to our future” frame a panoramic depiction of campus landmarks.

The artwork was designed by muralist Tom Seibert of California, who has taken part in about a dozen Walldogs events over the years. Seibert ��. business, Murals for Schools, specializes in institutional murals like this one. Seibert said the mural was created in trompe l’oeil style (French for “deceive the eye”) and will likely become a popular selfie spot.

�� Polytechnic alum Billie Walleen prepares to add her handprint to a mural dedicated to her family's longtime Menomonie business, Bolo Country Inn.

Frank lent a hand to the campus mural as well, praising Seibert ��. design. “When we saw Tom ��. expertise at creating pride through his murals, we knew we didn’t have to speak to a single point in �� Polytechnic ��. 135-year history,” Frank said. “Tom has given us a mural that celebrates the legacy of our graduates and employees in a campus location that deeply resonates with our alumni and many others, while also inspiring future innovation in Menomonie, Wisconsin, and beyond through Wisconsin ��. ��.”

Lambrigtsen said three years of planning went into bringing the Walldogs to Menomonie. Numerous community sponsors, including �� Polytechnic, supported the Murals in Menomonie effort, as did hundreds of volunteers. Among them were at least 10 former �� Polytechnic students and dozens of others connected to the university.

“I think the best part was seeing the community come together, seeing how people stepped up to help,” said Lambrigtsen, who added that the newly created artwork will attract admirers for years to come.

An art auction held June 27 at the Memorial Student Center to celebrate the conclusion of Murals in Menomonie raised nearly $34,000, one of the highest fundraising figures in Walldogs history. The funds will be held in an endowment to support mural upkeep.

The new mural on Clock Tower Plaza joins several others painted by students on campus in recent years. Students in the Graffiti and Street Art summer class have designed and created four large-scale murals on the east side of the Applied Arts Building, including one painted in early June under the leadership of Assistant Professor Mary Climes.

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From Norway to Wisconsin, children want to be social media influencers when they grow up

hugginsm — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 20:36:24 +0000

From Norway to Wisconsin, children want to be social media influencers when they grow uphugginsm June 22, 2026

Professor Matt Simoneau investigates kids' global fascination with careers in social media

Matthew Simoneau

This article appeared in Fortune, NewsBreak, and others, and originated from The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.

A second grader in Norway drew a YouTube logo when my colleagues and I asked what they wanted to be when they grow up. When we asked why, the child explained that YouTubers are famous and make lots of money.

When we asked second graders in Wisconsin this same question, we were surprised to often receive similar answers: Kids there also wanted to be YouTube influencers when they grow up.

I am a scholar of career and technical education. Since 2021, colleagues and I have spoken with a range of elementary, middle and high school students as young as 7 years old in the U.S. and Norway in 2024 to understand how children imagine their careers.

Our forthcoming research shows that social media has emerged as one of the biggest influences for young people ��. career choice, second only to family, friends or teachers.

Over 60% of middle and high school students we surveyed from 2021-2024 said they wanted to be social media influencers or picked their future careers based on what they saw online. Other popular choices were professional soccer player, musician and actor.

Most young people will not go on to become successful social media influencers. Artur Debat/iStock Photos

Our process

In a separate January 2018 international study by the organization Education and Employers, 20,000 children, ages 7 to 11, were asked about their possible future careers and then explained how they learned about that job.

We decided to use a similar approach to understand children ��. career dreams and influences.

In Wisconsin, we surveyed more than 80 different children, ages 7 to 11. We also conducted focus groups with more than 140 middle and high school students about their academic and career plans and what influenced their ideas.

We then conducted interviews in Norway with over 60 children in the same age range.

In both places, we gave kids simple prompts that included “When I grow up I would like to be … .” We also asked them, “How do you know about this job?”

We found that there is a disconnect between how schools are helping kids think about their possible future careers and what factors are actually influencing young people as they imagine their futures.

Influencer dreams

In some instances, students as young as 7 in Wisconsin and Norway simply drew the YouTube or TikTok logo, or wrote that they aspired to be an “influencer” without any idea of who or what they would influence.

They shared that YouTubers and influencers “gets lots of money” and that “they want to be famous.”

Students also drew pictures of footballers, musicians, actors and princesses. Some students shared career goals like becoming a wildlife biologist, pilot, engineer or filmmaker.

Older students were more likely to mention careers like nurse, electrician, engineer, teacher, welder, police officer and small-business owner – although becoming an influencer and content creator remained a common aspiration for teenagers and children.

We found that social media also had a positive influence on some students.

One student in a rural town said that online posts and videos encouraged them to want to become a marine biologist, even though the closest ocean is over 1,300 miles – or 2.09 million meters – away.

The limited role of schools

It ��. common for middle and high school students to take online career interest surveys to help understand which jobs could be a good fit. Many schools also offer career fairs and job shadowing opportunities.

Most students, though, receive very limited individualized guidance on career paths from a school counselor.

But they generally do receive some kind of prompts to help them think about what sort of career they want.

Within roughly the past decade, 27 states began requiring personalized, multiyear educational plans that helps students as young as 11 years old develop their own education and career goals.

In 2015, for example, Wisconsin passed a new law that required school districts to provide academic and career planning services to students in grades 6 through 12. Students take an online career survey each year.

The students answer questions about their interests, and the online program then names a recommended career. The list typically includes traditional jobs like electrician or accountant, rather than something more modern, like content creator.

One potential reason is that many of the online career-planning programs schools use were created before social media became a central part of young people ��. daily lives.

Some schools also have classes where high school students learn about different educational pathways and jobs. Yet these classes often meet only periodically, while high school students typically use social media every day. As a result, formal career education increasingly competes with a constant stream of online messages about work, success and the future.

Our focus groups with middle and high school students in Wisconsin revealed that few students find these online career planning programs at school helpful.

Students said they found career planning activities “redundant” and described them as “the same thing we did in middle school.”

One 17-year-old student in Wisconsin said the career survey was a “waste of time. The test told me I should be a truck driver.” This student took the survey when she had already been accepted into nursing school.

Students consistently said they learned more from conversations with teachers, counselors, family members and professionals than from online questionnaires.

While students are heavily influenced by social media, school career assessments typically don’t reflect this tendency. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

When dreams don’t match reality

Many young people now learn about careers through TikTok videos, YouTube channels, social media personalities and online communities. These influences can play a larger role in shaping career aspirations than formal school career-planning activities.

While many people aspire to make money online as influencers or content creators, nearly half of all online content creators earn less than US$15,000 a year.

I think that educators and families should recognize that young people are thinking about their possible careers – they are just more likely to rely on social media, rather than online surveys at school, to imagine their futures.

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Cybersecurity faculty win Pentagon-sponsored competition to build workforce preparedness

giffeyt — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 20:45:00 +0000

Cybersecurity faculty win Pentagon-sponsored competition to build workforce preparedness giffeyt June 9, 2026

Department of War selects platform to inspire national cyber defense education models

Tom Giffey

A cybersecurity training platform developed by University of Wisconsin-Stout Polytechnic faculty has won a high-stakes, Pentagon-sponsored competition and will now serve as a blueprint for scalable cybersecurity learning nationwide.

The Department of War ��. Aligned Skills Curriculum and Experiential Network Design (ASCEND) Challenge received innovative entries from a pool of more than 60 applicants, all of them designated by the National Security Agency as Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (CAE).

From among these entries, five finalists – including �� Polytechnic – were invited to make presentations in a “Shark Tank”-style event at the CAE Cybersecurity Community Symposium in Pittsburgh last month.

“Our goal was to show how AI and cloud technologies can help learners build skills faster, respond to cyberattacks more effectively, and prepare for the reality that AI-powered attacks now operate at machine speed,” said �� Polytechnic Professor Holly Yuan, who made the pitch alongside Instructor Brandon Cross.

The victory underscores �� Polytechnic ��. role as a nationwide leader in applied cybersecurity education: The cybersecurity program was recently ranked at No. 14 in the United States by Programs.com, and �� Polytechnic student teams continue to excel in state, regional and national cyber defense competitions.

Professor Holly Yuan receives a ceremonial prize check after the competition from Scott Nelson, acting principal director of the Department of War Cyber Academic Engagement Office. / Submitted photo

Model teaches cyber defense skills

The ASCEND Challenge wasn’t just looking for ideas, but for scalable solutions that could train the next generation of the cybersecurity workforce, explained Yuan, director of the university ��. B.S. cybersecurity program as well as the B.S. computer networking and infrastructure engineering program. The �� Polytechnic presentation, “ASCEND-AI: Cyber-AI Launchpad,” is an AI-powered digital twin cyber range training environment that combines hands-on learning with machine-speed attack simulations. As a “digital twin,” the environment emulates a real-world computer network, creating authentic simulations.

“The platform is designed to help learners build cybersecurity skills through realistic AI-enabled attack and defense scenarios,” Yuan added. “It includes AI-powered red teaming, allowing learners to practice defending against realistic, machine-speed attacks in a safe cyber range environment.”

�� Polytechnic presented alongside teams from four other universities – San Jose State, North Carolina A&T, University of Maine at Augusta and Anderson University – before a panel of cybersecurity experts from the Department of War and other federal offices.

Yuan said she thinks the judges favored the �� Polytechnic presentation because it was a working platform, not just a concept, which offered AI-powered scaffolding for learners as well as real-time operational metrics – allowing learners to be judged not only on whether they completed an activity but how quickly they acted under pressure.

“The combination of academic rigor, AI-enabled training, workforce alignment, hands-on learning and immediate workforce impact resonated with the panel,” said Yuan, who is also founding director of the �� Polytechnic ��. Cybersecurity Research & Outreach Center (CyROC).

In addition to winning a $1,000 cash prize, �� Polytechnic will receive strategic grant mentorship through Tony Coulson, executive director of the Centers of Academic Excellence Community, which includes nearly 500 educational institutions nationwide. The top three winning designs are also expected to inform a future Department of War solicitation aimed at building scalable cyber learning frameworks across the nation.

“This gives us an opportunity to help shape future cybersecurity education models beyond ��,” said Yuan, who was also honored at the symposium with an Outstanding Mentor Award from the CAE Community.

�� Polytechnic cybersecurity students pose at the Wisconsin Governor ��. Cybersecurity Summit. / Submitted photo

Student competitors rack up wins

The ASCEND Challenge victory wasn’t an isolated success for �� Polytechnic ��. cybersecurity program.

Recently, �� Polytechnic students placed first and second in the “Hack the Box” competition at the Wisconsin Governor ��. Cybersecurity Summit in Appleton. Participating students included Hannah Meyers of Altoona; Daisy Hardwick of Roscoe, Illinois; Chloe Kaneski of Minneapolis; Kaonou Lor of Durand; and AuGust Ringelstetter of Cameron. Yuan also participated in the summit ��. closing general session panel, titled “Where Wisconsin Cyber Goes Next.”

Earlier in the semester, the �� Polytechnic Collegiate Cyber Defense Team won the Wisconsin state cyber defense championship for the sixth consecutive year. In February, the team took part in the Midwest regional competition with the No. 1 schools from 11 other states. Among this elite group, �� Polytechnic finished in a three-way tie for fourth place and was recognized by the Midwest Regional Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition director as a “top-tier cybersecurity team.”

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Hero Caption: �� Polytechnic Professor Holly Yuan and Instructor Brandon Cross make their pitch during the Department of War ��. Aligned Skills Curriculum and Experiential Network Design (ASCEND) Challenge in Pittsburgh in May. / Submitted photo

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Engineering seniors design portable toy tractor manufacturing machine to engage kids in making process

goersab — Tue, 05 May 2026 13:45:00 +0000

Engineering seniors design portable toy tractor manufacturing machine to engage kids in making processgoersab May 5, 2026

Capstone concludes three-year professorship, collaboration with Urban Forestry Board

Abbey Goers

While Wisconsin farmers are out in their tractors preparing their fields, engineering students at �� have designed a portable manufacturing cell – a semi-automated assembly machine – to produce wooden toy tractors for area children.

The cross-disciplinary Taft Wooden Toy Assembly System group is made of five mechanical engineering and manufacturing engineering seniors: Owen Coon, of Appleton; Ben Gurka, of Beloit; Kierce Hemauer, of Menomonie; Ryan Kahl, of Menomonie; Aili Klein, of Lakeville, Minnesota; and Dominick Widi, of Stillwater, Minnesota.

Owen Coon, Kierce Hemauer, Ben Gurka, Aili Klein, Ryan Kahl and Dominick Widi

The two-semester-long project concluded their Engineering Technology Capstone 2 course, under the guidance of Assistant Professor Kevin Dietsche. The manufacturing cell is 40 inches wide, 38 inches long and 36 inches tall. Its height makes it accessible to elementary children, as Dietsche plans to transport the machine to area schools to demonstrate the toy manufacturing process. He can also show the cell on campus tours and at industry conferences. The machine is fully enclosed with safety features, allowing Dietsche to pause assembly and talk about the process.

Constructed to be able to fit in the back of Dietsche ��. minivan, the two-part portable cell can be easily assembled and disassembled by one person, and its lightweight aluminum extrusion and plexiglass frame meets OSHA ��. standards for a two-person lift. It can produce 20 tractors in an hour, including the main body, front and back wheels, and two dowel axles.

On May 1, the group showcased their system to engineering and technology faculty, as well as retired faculty members John Schultz and Professor Emeritus Jerome Johnson and City of Menomonie representative Megan Hines, environmental program coordinator with the Urban Forestry Board.

They presented again on May 4 to faculty, peers, industry partners, family and community members as part of the Senior Design Experience, which blends the university ��. polytechnic tenets of applied learning and research, business and industry collaboration, and career-focused experiences.

The wooden toys, ducks and tractors are constructed from ash tree lumber provided by the City of Menomonie ��. Urban Forestry Board.

An interactive toy manufacturing experience for kids

Challenges for the Taft Wooden Toy Assembly System group began on day one, as they essentially needed to redesign the previous group ��. manufacturing cell from scratch. The previous design had broken and was not usable for testing.

However, this also gave them the opportunity to revamp the design in their own way. Their concept ideas in CAD included updating the sheet metal frame to a stronger aluminum extrusion and plexiglass frame. This was also a durability and safety consideration. The original sheet metal frame had sharp corners and was not as solid – features the group deemed unsafe, since the machine is meant to be accessible to children.

With Dietsche as their project sponsor, the group ��. lead capstone instructors were Assistant Professor Nathan Spike and Senior Lecturer Glenn Bushendorf, to whom they presented their initial research and design concept for critique. The group was aided by Instrumentation Coordinator-Instructor Paul Craig and Lecturer Brandon Dick for coding and controls and Lecturer Mike Miller with sensors.

“The build phase brings a spark to see the fully functional machine. Our overall design has changed a lot. It ��. two inches bigger and wider than our initial concept. The cell originally had seven doors, but after talking with Paul, we changed it to have one plated door on top. This cut down on the number of safety latches that we needed,” Hemauer said. “The machine also has an emergency stop button, and if the door is opened during production, the machine will stop.”

The wooden tractor components are fed by Dietsche through the top door into 3D-printed gravity-fed chutes. Then, like a mini-Henry Ford assembly line, five actuators – one for the body and one for each wheel – feed the components through the machine.

At first, the group designed the machine to be automated. “But we switched to have the dowels be manually inserted through the wheels, so kids can engage in the making process,” Klein said. “We also included a human-machine interface (HMI) touch screen for kids to give them an industrial feel. The screen shows images to guide kids through the steps of making the tractor.”

It was Hemauer ��. idea of a Pez dispenser that evolved into the bolt-action idea of the manual insertion of the dowels, similar to how a ball is launched in a pinball machine. The insertion of the dowels is a press-fit operation, with no glue involved.

In their research, the group found that the pull force of a 6- to 10-year-old child is 22 pounds. They made the pull factor of the wheels 60 pounds for added safety and durability, knowing children would try to remove the wheels. They also imagined children would attempt to sit on and ride the tractor, although it is only 6 inches long and 3 inches high. With extra-strong dowels, made of oak, and chamfered wheels for structural integrity, the tractor can support up to 200 pounds.

A controls box mounted on the front of the machine houses the circuit board. They also added a plaque commemorating the professorship project, as well as ash wood brackets to cover the metal brackets on the exterior casing, giving the machine a warmer appearance.

The group enjoyed the cross-disciplinary project and understands the importance of the experience as they prepare to graduate and enter the workforce. “Working across majors helps you see other people ��. point of view and their strengths,” Gurka said. “We’re building communication skills and the confidence to ask each other questions. It ��. being able to admit when you don’t know something and being able to fall back on each other for knowledge.”

A collaboration connecting people to people

The project concludes Dietsche ��. three-year G.A. Taft Manufacturing Engineering Endowed Professorship, in which various groups of students designed toys with first-graders, created AI rapid prototypes of toys with kindergartners and built a two-wheel toy assembly system to produce a wooden duck, including its body, wings, wheels and dowel axle.

Professor Emeritus Jerome Johnson gives a brief history of the collaboration during the capstone presentation.

The collaboration between the engineering and technology department and the city ��. Urban Forestry Board began nearly a decade ago with the support of a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources grant. As the city ��. ash trees were dying and trees were being cut down, the grant funded the cutting, acquiring, milling, and kiln-drying of the ash wood. The repurposed wood was then used in student projects, creating benches for the City of Menomonie parks.

The projects were fostered under the guidance of Johnson and Nancy Schofield, a former �� professor and member of the Urban Forestry Board, who has since passed.

“Students wanted to see something that they built be used out in the city. Students became leaders and produced projects I never imagined possible,” said Johnson, who was honored as Citizen of the Year by the Menomonie Urban Forestry Board in 2021.

Professor Kevin Dietsche presents Environmental Program Coordinator Megan Hines with a toy wooden tractor and duck.

Students produced more than 20 city benches from the repurposed ash wood between 2018 and 2021, when Johnson retired and Dietsche stepped in to take his place. “This project has impacted how I teach. It follows a high-impact practices model (HIPS), which reinforces the importance of partnerships and hands-on activities, creating a whole team of student leaders,” Dietsche said.

“This project is something special. We’re able to take something dead and dying and give back to the city, with an end goal of showing kids the engineering process – from mechanical and technical to packaging. The real key is connecting people to people,” he added.

Dietsche plans to continue similar projects with the addition of artificial intelligence and circular design practices in the research and development, as well as construction and repair processes.

Graduates from �� . mechanical and manufacturing engineering programs reported 99.5% employment rate within six months of graduation and an average starting salary of more than $70,000, according to the latest university First Destination Report.

�� . Robert F. Cervenka School of Engineering is home to five ABET-accredited programs that also include computer and electrical engineering, engineering technology and plastics engineering, as well as a sixth bachelor ��. program in packaging. A master ��. in manufacturing engineering is available on campus or online.

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Professors reimagine philosophy, psychology classrooms to amplify intentional student engagement

goersab — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Professors reimagine philosophy, psychology classrooms to amplify intentional student engagementgoersab April 20, 2026

Bozzo, Zhao named Universities of Wisconsin Teaching Fellows & Scholars

Abbey Goers

Two �� professors will have a unique opportunity this year to collaborate with other exceptional Universities of Wisconsin educators, representing various disciplines of study.

Selected as Universities of Wisconsin 2026-27 Wisconsin Teaching Fellows & Scholars, Alexander Bozzo, Center for Applied Ethics director and assistant professor of philosophy; and Yuxuan Zhao, assistant professor of psychology, are among 23 faculty and instructors from 12 Universities of Wisconsin, nominated by provosts for their excellence in teaching and learning.

UW Teaching Fellows Assistant Professor of philosophy Alexander Bozzo and Assistant Professor of psychology Yuxuan Zhao.

During the fellowship, Bozzo plans to reimagine the philosophy classroom experience, drawing structure from a community forum he organizes. Zhao will create opportunities for students to engage in experiential learning within the psychology field, while encouraging critical reflection. Fellows and scholars each receive a $4,000 stipend from their university.

“Ongoing professional development is critical to our commitment as polytechnic educators. Each year, I am inspired by the student-focused projects put forward by �� faculty, and remain grateful for the Wisconsin Teaching Fellows & Scholars program,” said Provost Glendalí Rodríguez.

In addition to discussing effective evidence-based teaching and learning approaches, UW Teaching Fellows will be guided through systematic research focused on improving student learning through a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning project. The yearlong program begins in May and will culminate with a research presentation in spring 2027.

Transforming the formal model of a philosophy classroom

Bozzo has seen the university classroom change quickly and dramatically with a new generation of students and the emergence of new transformative technologies. As a UW Teaching Fellow, he ��. looking forward to collaborating with other professors and experts on the scholarship of teaching and learning to further evolve his pedagogical practices.

“My ultimate teaching goals are to have students intentionally and rigorously engage with the material, to find it interesting and relevant to their lives, to clearly and critically communicate their ideas to others, and to come away with a richer understanding and excitement about it,” he said. “The formula for accomplishing these ends is changing, and I plan to use this opportunity to rethink and restructure my courses and methods.”

For instance, on top of class discussion, Bozzo would like to find additional ways to make students’ expression of their views, and the critical assessment of them, front-and-center, rather than the mere regurgitation of terminology and information. Bozzo plans to base this model on a program he organizes as the director of the Center for Applied Ethics – The Philosophers’ Café.

“In class, I would like to place greater emphasis on the conversation and the exchange of ideas. To this end, my project is to see how I can transform the formal model of the classroom to be more akin to The Philosophers’ Café. Students are interested in the ideas covered in class, and I want to teach to that interest and maximize engagement,” Bozzo said.

The Philosophers’ Café is a public forum series, where community members engage in open, friendly and respectful dialogue in an informal setting. Meetings are led by faculty, with topics ranging from traditional philosophical problems to pressing contemporary ethical issues.

Intentionally incorporating student feedback in the psychology classroom

As a new member of the �� community, Zhao has been deeply impressed by the creativity and energy that shapes teaching here. “Many of our undergraduate students engage in hands-on learning experiences that are often part of graduate-level study. In my teaching, I aim to build on this strength by advancing psychology education in ways that prepare students to apply their knowledge in real-world contexts,” they said.

Zhao strives to create opportunities for students to engage in experiential learning, while encouraging critical reflection on how these concepts operate within diverse social, cultural and political environments. As a UW Teaching Fellow, they hope to further develop inclusive and responsive teaching practices by actively listening to students’ experiences of belonging and representation in classrooms and lab settings.

“Understanding the influence of sociocultural context is essential when applying social science beyond the classroom, and as teachers, we do not always have full insight into the realities of our students,” Zhao said. “Through this opportunity, I plan to advance my approach of hands-on teaching by integrating student feedback more intentionally and continuing to learn alongside my students about their realities.”

They hope to foster a learning environment that is both experiential and reflective, preparing students to think critically and apply psychology in ways that are socially and culturally informed.

Wisconsin Teaching Fellows & Scholars is offered by the Universities of Wisconsin ��. Office of Professional and Instructional Development, which supports the 13 UW Centers for Teaching and Learning in fostering a culture of teaching and learning excellence in Wisconsin.

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Music to honor a master: Ukulele kits by engineering students are in homage to alum Kuboyama

goersab — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:34:32 +0000

Music to honor a master: Ukulele kits by engineering students are in homage to alum Kuboyamagoersab April 13, 2026

Cross-disciplinary groups also design toolless furniture connections, learn valuable customer perceptions

Abbey Goers

A small black case rests atop a filing cabinet in Assistant Professor Kevin Dietsche ��. office. He opens the case and begins strumming a ukulele. The soft music fills the office. Dietsche, an engineering technology instructor at ��, built the ukulele 15 years ago under the guidance of Kazukiyo “Jiggs” Kuboyama, a master in his craft who was honored by the Ukulele Guild of Hawaii.

In homage to Kuboyama, Dietsche tasked his own students to develop a process to build ukuleles in his New Product Development course this semester. “For me to do this is in honor of his tradition,” Dietsche said of Kuboyama, who was a 1957 �� industrial arts alum. He taught technology education in Oahu and passed away in 2019.

Professor Kevin Dietsche and Braden Kapitz watch as the CNC machine removes wood to shape a main ukulele jig.

The project grew to also include developing toolless bed connections, with one group expanding their design to work across different furniture types – a solution allowing for flexibility of use.

The engineering technology and mechanical engineering students worked in cross-disciplinary groups to research market trends and materials and to ideate preliminary designs before they were joined by engineers and designers from Ashley Furniture Industries, including industrial and product design alums Caleb Toft and Anna Lindner, as well as Emeritus Professor Jerome Johnson, who viewed the groups’ design presentations and provided insight based on their industry experience.

The groups then began their build process of the ukuleles and toolless connections in the Jarvis Hall Technology Wing Woods Lab.

“These projects are about teaching the students problem solving through the design process. The most difficult part is getting your first draft right. Once you’ve troubleshooted everything, you can build hundreds of models using your programming,” Dietsche said.

Creating ukulele building kits for beginners

The ukulele groups are meeting the challenge of making instrument-building kits more accessible to beginners. Two groups – Andrea Smith, of East Troy, and Brook Derks, of River Falls; and Konnor Kraft, of Plymouth, Minnesota, Alex Ogno, of DeForest, and Braden Kapitz, of Athens – researched ukulele construction methods, dimensions, and kerfing techniques, and how wood type and body shape affects sound quality and buildability.

Konnor Kraft shows a cardboard prototype and a CNCed jig for a ukulele.

“Traditional instrument construction requires a high level of craftsmanship, which can be difficult for those with limited woodworking experience. Our goal is to simplify the process so anyone can successfully build a ukulele using guided methods and fixtures,” Smith said.

The groups designed main jig blocks in SolidWorks to match the size and shape of a ukulele and then, using AI contour construction, they removed the inner material on a CNC machine to make the manufacturing process more consistent and repeatable.

Andrea Smith and Brook Derks discuss their ukulele design.

“We then steamed .08-inch-thick strips of ash wood for 45 minutes to make it malleable and clamped it to the inside of the main jig block for 48 hours to create the exterior curve of the instrument,” Kraft said. “The quality of the wood can affect how it curves, as well as how long it is steamed. We found that 45 minutes in the steamer was optimal for malleability, and that knots will affect the wood ��. strength. It will weaken and split at the knot when curved.”

The groups also made kerfing supports (flexible, notched wooden strips glued to the inside of the ukulele body to strengthen the structure). “The top of our ukulele will be made of spruce for sound quality and the neck will be made of cherry wood for its vibrant color,” Kraft said.

Konnor Kraft cuts pieces for a ukulele neck on a bandsaw, assisted by TA Annika Schlueter.

Smith and Derks expect bending the wood sides and achieving consistent kerf cuts to be challenging, since both directly affect the shape and structural integrity of the ukulele. “Designing jigs that ensure accurate alignment and repeatability has also required careful planning. We’re looking forward to testing to see how well our designs perform and what adjustments may be needed,” Smith said.

She ��. enjoyed researching everything that goes into making a ukulele and understanding how each component affects the final instrument. “It ��. been especially rewarding to take that knowledge and apply my design skills to create something that actually works. Seeing the transition from research to a functional build has been the most satisfying part of the process,” Smith said.

Andrea Smith and Brook Derks ready their ukulele jig block for the CNC machine.

Simple, functional, attractive and mass-manufacturable designs

One of the toolless connections groups – Alex Dill, of Hartland, Aden Story, of Holcombe, and Bethany Winge, of Cottage Grove – first worked to identify ways that toolless assembly works in conjunction with a flatpack bed frame (a bed designed to be deconstructed into individual components). They then compared their drafted ideas to existing market solutions.

“We found that a flatpack frequently involves various methods that have self-aligning or self-maintaining joinery. From there, we began to brainstorm connection methods that involved self-contained components, or single-step customer assembly and disassembly items,” Dill said.

TA Annika Schlueter and Bethany Winge construct a frame for an epoxy mold pour.

From Toft and Johnson ��. critiques, the group thought the most interesting was to remember how material affects customer perception and quality of an item. “For example, a nicely finished piece of stainless steel has a much more premium feel than injection molded plastic,” Dill said.

Dietsche required the toolless connection groups to produce their designs with three different manufacturing methods and materials. Dill, Story, and Winge ��. thumbscrew and locking head device is intended to work across different furniture types.

Their methods and materials include: 1.) a 3D-printed component, designed in SolidWorks and printed by Story on his home 3D printer; 2.) a poured epoxy component, produced using a two-part casting rubber mix; and 3.) a metal component, based on availability and machinability, such as stainless steel and aluminum, and cut out by Dill on the CNC machine in the Machine and Subtractive Processing Lab in Fryklund Hall.

TA Annika Schlueter and Bethany Winge mix the two-part casting rubber for an epoxy mold pour.

“The epoxy pour makes everything more repeatable in the manufacturing process. And our 3D-printed component is very well designed and thought out. But I think the metal component would sell the best in the real world,” Winge said.

The challenging part is almost always coming up with a design, as it needs to be simple, functional, attractive, and most importantly, mass manufacturable, Dill said. “Professor Dietsche facilitates a phenomenal environment to learn about CNC programming and other shop processes. Being able to go out in the lab and make things while learning how on the fly has proven very fun and interesting.

“More people should take technical manufacturing classes, as they build an appreciation for how the world around us is made,” he added.

Aden Story holds a 3D-printed thumbscrew for toolless furniture assembly.

�� . engineering and technology department offers six undergraduate degrees, including computer and electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering, mechanical engineering, plastics engineering, engineering technology and packaging, as well as four minors and a master ��. in manufacturing engineering.

Technology education is offered through the School of Education, which is home to nine undergraduate degrees, five graduate degrees, certificates, certifications and online professional development courses.

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Kevin Dietsche

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Full Name: Kevin Dietsche

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College: College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Management

Department: Robert F. Cervenka School of Engineering Engineering & Technology Department

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