Inspiration: Why We Do What We Do
We are passionate about what we do, but it can be hard to explain. That’s the reason for this collection of videos, articles and essays; take a few minutes to review them, and you’ll understand us a little better. However, the best way to get to know us is to pay us a visit—our doors are always open.
The Great American University
February 19, 2017
https://www.amacad.org/publications/bulletin/spring2011/great.pdf More»NY Times: Last Rites for a ‘Plywood Palace’ That Was a Rock of Science
February 19, 2017
More»TED: “The Playful Wonderland Behind Great Inventions,” by Steven Johnson
January 11, 2017
Necessity is the mother of invention, right? Well, not always. Steven Johnson shows us how some of the most transformative ideas and technologies, like the computer, didn't emerge out of necessity at all but instead from the strange delight of play. Share this captivating, illustrated exploration of the history of invention. Turns out, you'll find the future wherever people are having the most fun. More»Autodesk: Wouldn’t it be cool if…you could engineer a better world?
April 1, 2016
In this quick, thought provoking video, inventor Saul Griffith challenges the viewer to curiously inspect everything around them, while always asking “Wouldn’t it be cool if…?” He bolsters this creative focus with the often neglected reminder that scientific rigor is a necessary component to true ingenuity. More»
JODS: The Enlightenment is Dead, Long Live the Entanglement
June 3, 2016
Danny Hillis's article in the Journal of Design and Science is an empowering chronology of humanity's ever increasing knowledge and control of the natural world. Despite some dangers, he argues collaboration between humans and machines could make the future bright. More»Huffington Post: Democratizing the Maker Movement
April 4, 2016
Huffington Post author Aaron Dubrow analyzes the current state of the "Maker" movement, which is picking up steam across the US. Several members of the community are endeavoring to make making more accessible to people with varying capabilities and from varying backgrounds. More»NY Times: How to Cultivate the Art of Serendipity
April 1, 2016
Author Pagan Kennedy makes you want to make mistakes as you read through this brief exploration of accidental discovery, and the benefits and educational value such discoveries offer. More»
Paul Graham: Hackers and Painters
April 1, 2016
In this longer essay, the named programmer, writer, and investor dissects the stronger-than-you-may-realize relationship between the work of what many consider a pure creative, painters, and the programming-driven work of hackers. More»NY Times: Wood Shop Enters the Age of High-Tech
February 8, 2016
In this brief article, John Schwartz, looks at the relationship between tinkering and teaching, stating that "...tinkering is a pedagogy." More»