Summer STEAM Experience

Video Production - Session Instructor: Jonny Wheeler

Have you ever wanted to make a movie? You can learn how to tell a story using video from development to the big screen. We’ll start by applying narrative structure to a script and planning the shots. Then we’ll dive into capturing professional-quality video. With guidance in pacing, we’ll cut shots together using industry-standard software. At the end of the week, we will watch your short films on the big screen in Stout’s historic Harvey Hall Theatre.

3D Animation - Session Instructor: Jesse Woodward

To infinity…and beyond! Campers will produce 3D animations using the same software that is currently being used at Disney Animation Studios.  After learning the basics of the software, we will jump right into animating.  We will explore professional techniques and follow the 12 principles of animation to produce believable and fun animations!  By the end, the campers will have worked together to produce an animated short film that will be featured online.

Video Game Design - Session Instructor: Karl Koehle - THIS TRACK IS FULL.

Level up your skills and get started on realizing the game of your dreams! Learn the end-to-end process of creating video games and the many skills needed to bring them to life using the same techniques and tools as the pros. Begin the week exploring the foundation of game creation—planning the fun—by sketching levels and character designs. Proceed to build a game by adding art, animation, programming logic, and sound effects. At week’s end, playtest the fun with your class, family, and friends to get your game ready for all the world to play!

Explore 3D Printing & More - Session Instructors: Wei Zheng & Kevin Dietsche

Have you ever wanted to create your own game tokens, picture frames, or dryland hockey pucks? Do you want to learn 3D printing? This session teaches you to design and manufacture plastic/wood products. Learn injection molding, extrusion, 3D printing, thermoforming, wood cutting/finishing, and more in a state-of-the-art lab. This is a fantastic way to explore the high-demand Plastics Engineering profession.

Digital Storytelling - Session Instructor: Mitch Ogden

Take your stories to the next level! Digital storytelling blends creative writing, story exploration, and media production together into many different forms. Our workshop will feature web-based interactive stories (choose-your-own-adventure), gamification of stories, digital audio stories (call them podcasts or audiobooks if you like), and multimedia stories. We’ll generate lots of story ideas and construct different digital stories each day.

Industrial Design/Product Design – Session Instructor: Jennifer Astwood

We will be designing lights with lasers! This session involves creating new designs for lights. Students will become immersed in the design process! They will sketch ideas, and create cardboard/paper sketch models of their ideas for their light concepts. In addition to building prototypes with their hands, they will also learn digital tools in Adobe Illustrator to create their concepts for the laser cutter and engraver. This gives students the ability to create lighting prototypes using the laser cutter and engraver. At the end of the week, students will take home a light that they designed. 

Enameling on Metal: Grit, Gloss, and Finish - Session Instructor: Rose Schlemmer

Enameling is a historic technique where finely powdered glass is fired at high temperatures and fused to the metal surface.  In this class, we will begin with the basics of how to enamel on metal and work our way through a few different techniques such as sgraffito, stencils, image decals, and champlevé, etc.  Students will be able to make several enamel samples and then design and create an artwork of their own.

Interior Design - Session Instructor: Nicolette Brehm

Learn what real interior designers do! Campers will design a living space for their favorite celebrity. While designing this space, you will learn about project programming, the design process, space planning, and how to create a color palette. You will learn about and choose finishes and furniture for your celebrity space. You will hand draw your floor plans, compose imagery boards, and create a presentation for your project. We will also show current student work and interior design projects from around the world.

Unhackable Quantum Codes - Session Instructor: Todd Zimmerman

How can quantum computers hack all your old passwords?  How can quantum cryptography be used to make an unhackable code?  We’ll explore how messages are encrypted and how code-cracking normally works.  Then we’ll explore the basic ideas of quantum mechanics and see how a quantum computer can be used to hack most codes.  Finally, we’ll explore how we can create an unbreakable code using a quantum system.  You’ll create a poster or presentation to show off what you did during the week.

Genetics/DNA analysis - Session Instructor: Michael Bessert

How do we use DNA to solve problems? Campers will explore the world of molecular biology by collecting specimens from the field, extracting and quantifying DNA, then using various techniques to copy and study it. Campers will learn how to set up polymerase chain reactions, gel electrophoresis separation, and analyze DNA in various ways to answer questions and solve problems. Campers will gain hands-on experience using the following equipment: micropipettes, high-speed centrifuges, electrophoresis tanks, spectrophotometers, fluorescent imagers, and even a DNA sequencer. These techniques help us answer questions about everything from population studies to forensic identification to medical screening.