Thursday, October 29, fifth grade students from Cowles Montessori visited Iowa State’s Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (ABE) with members of the Trinect triad that reside in their classroom. They were accompanied by their teacher, Mr. Egherman and their Fellow, Kendra Allen, a graduate student in ABE.
The fifth graders had the opportunity to tour the state-of-the-art plastic and metals labs. The students learned about injection molding and extruding, different techniques for shaping plastics as well as metal centering, a new technology. Each student took home a metal top from the metals lab and a decorated coaster from the plastics lab.
To conclude the day, the class had a Q &A with other Fellows in the Trinect program. Students were curious about the equipment in the labs and how each Fellow initially became interested in engineering. The Fellows then questioned the students if and when it is alright to fail. To defend their opinion that failing is an important part of the learning process, students quoted Thomas Edison: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”