Interview with David Thornburg
At the recent 3D Printer World Expo conference, I had a chance to interview the innovative and dynamic Dr. David Thornburg. David is a forward thinking visionary in education and his Thornburg Center is home to some of the most important minds in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education as well as strong advocates for the emerging philosophy that continues to surface here at WRI3D: Maker Education. I had the privilege of serving with Dr. Thornburg on a panel at the 3D Printer World Expo Conference held in Burbank, CA, Jan. 31 – Feb. 1. Our panel discussed 3D printing in the classroom including 3D printing in the curriculum and how 3D printing can address the new standards such as Common Core and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Dr. Thornburg was instrumental in getting some very important language adopted into the NGSS.
What impressed me most about Dr. Thornburg is that he is the genuine article. He doesn’t just talk about being a maker. He makes things, and helps students and teachers become comfortable with learning to become makers. His down-to-earth manner and approachable personality just add to his already stellar qualifications to speak to our audience here at WRI3D. Below is a short video we captured while speaking to David about his experiences and why teachers should incorporate maker education into their classrooms.
Muahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!! Ok, now that I have that out... I can get to work. For as long as I can remember, I have been making things. This habit used to be called "Inventing" but has lately been repurposed by the Maker community with the term "Maker". While there are some subtle differences between Inventing and Making, I have discovered my passion for both by inspiring a new generation of Makers. In this quest to spark creative thinking and problem solving through practical and exciting projects, I draw on my background in biomedical research, high energy fiber laser development, and 15 years of building laboratory devices. As an experimental physicist with a PhD from Case Western Reserve University, I have seen research and development from many angles and am now bringing that experience to middle school and high school students who want to make everything from catapults to cybernetic augmentations. Through the medium of Making and Inventing, students are transformed from passive observers of education to active learners. This powerful shift fosters deep insights, creative expression, collaborative thinking and a host of other skills that are difficult to learn in traditional settings. Along with my wife Debby, an accomplished constructivist educator, I am on a quest to transform education and am looking for like-minded collaborators to bring hands-on learning to future generations.
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