For the final project of my Winter Study course, COGS 10: Minds, Machines, and the Making of Meaning taught by Dr. Charles Kaufmann, I was asked to “integrate the scientific, philosophical, computational, and experiential strands of the course into a single, coherent act of meaning-making.” Having recently read an article about bioprinting—a form of 3D printing that uses organic matter, often including living cells, to create new tissue—I was inspired to cap off my learning experience with some form of material creation.

A simple Google search of “Williams 3D printing” led me to the Makerspace, the on-campus hub for all things related to innovation, creativity, and hands-on learning. I was particularly moved by the idea of Critical Making which combines critical thinking and material design into a unified mode of expression and inquiry. I knew this was how I wanted to approach my culminating reflection.

Minds and Machines Behind the Project

The crux of my project was to explore how minds and machines interface to create meaning, specifically through the lens of different ancient Greek models of time as represented by three deities: Chronos, Aion, and Kairos. That process of intellectual discovery was enabled by the following:

Getting to Know the Space

At the outset of the project, I lacked confidence, having no prior training in 3D modeling of any kind. When I reached out to Mr. David to talk through the specifics of my project idea and gauge the possibility of its completion in a compressed timeframe, I feared that my inexperience would make my goals unfeasible. On my first tour of the Makerspace a few days later, however, my trepidation was quickly melted away by Mr. David’s nonpareil enthusiasm and encouragement. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that my idea was realistically achievable, that he would help through the entire process, and that I could learn first-hand to perform some of the techniques involved.

The Process: From Red Spaghetti to Hellenic Models

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Collaborating with the Makerspace was incredible! With the zealous help of Mr. David, I was able to transform my project idea into a reality in about one week. Creation has never felt so possible. I would encourage anybody and everybody to visit the Makerspace. You never know when immersing yourself in a new environment and connecting with the experts and student workers involved will spark the desire to make something new. While every creative endeavor has a unique set of technical demands, ranging in complexity, getting started really is as simple as dropping by during Open Hours or sending a friendly email. I found this process enriching, fun, and informative, and I will definitely be working with the Makerspace team again soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For explanations of the different paradigms of time these deities represent and the symbols included in the prints, please feel free to check out my final project!