Katherine Olives
This Fall we launched a new program called “Maker Olympics.” Essentially, it's a semester-long series of exciting design, hardware, and presentation workshops culminating in a November Hardware Hackathon. The workshops are designed to introduce students to design and hardware concepts, build upon existing knowledge and expertise, and prepare them for the Hardware Hackathon and/or entrance into the 2017 Zahn Startup Competition.
Maker Olympics is the brain-child of Zahn team members Devin Voorsanger and Aulio Diaz, and is a huge hit on campus (almost all of the workshops below are sold out!). Diaz, a former Kaylie Prize competitor, realized that his engineering classes were teaching him a lot, but he lacked the confidence needed to manufacture a complete prototype. During his time in the competition, he also noticed he was missing key skills, like presentation skills, needed to successfully pitch his idea. “‘Maker Olympics was established to not only celebrate hardware and let CCNY students explore our prototyping equipment, but to give students the tools they need to fill in the gaps so they can be the best makers possible,” said Diaz. “I was surprised last semester how many students from non-engineering backgrounds were interested in some of these skills like arduino, 3D printing and soldering. They just didn't realize how easy is to learn how to use these tools.”
The team hopes that by introducing makers to the Center's prototyping tools and the support of staff, students will feel more confident turning their ideas into entrepreneurial ventures. To learn more about Maker Olympics, check out the Maker Olympics page on our website. Below is a complete list of our workshops.
Workshops include:
- Arduino
- Intro to CAD Design
- Photoshop & Illustrator
- Product Design/DFM/Patent Search
- Presentation (Public Speaking/PowerPoint)
- 3D Printing & Lasercutting
- Soldering
- Welding
Questions? Email aulio@zahncenternyc.com .