Internship Reflections

Reflection 1

Currently, I am an intern at the ODU Broks Crossing Innovation Lab (iLab) which is open to the community/city of Newport News. The iLab provides many different tools and technologies such as 3D printers, lasers, DTG printers, and hot press machines to list a few. There are more than one of each of these machines, allowing students and large groups to break out and explore more than one machine at a time.

A great portion of the first 50 hours of my internship was spent touring the lab and getting familiar with the many different machines that are available. The first machine I was able to work with was the Bambu 3D printer. My first hands-on project was to create a luggage tag using tinkcad, an application that allows you to create and customize your 3D designs. This application has different projects you can work on starting from scratch, or you can also use a walk-through to help you achieve a specific design or item. After creating your item in tinkercad you then export the STL file to Bambu Studio where you will then prepare the item for printing. An image of the luggage tag I created will be inserted below.

All in all, I can say I enjoy innovation lab and all it has to offer. Although I have not gotten the chance to do a project that is cyber related, the opportunity to work hands-on with these different types of machines and technologies is truly intriguing and eye-opening. So far, I enjoy the overall lab and the ability to be able to branch off and learn each application on my own time.

Reflection 2

            At the Broks Crossing Innovation Lab, students in the city of Newport News have access to all sorts of hands-on activities and programs. I am an outreach coordinator so part of my responsibility is to develop different hands-on STEM exercises and understand and present information regarding any upcoming programs and events offered at the lab. As I progress through my internship program, I’ve been able to participate in more of these activities, by leading students step by step to create new gadgets and learn new technologies. The first event I participated in was a career fair, where we introduced hands-on activities such as a pick-and-place robotic arm and a welding simulation activity. These activities were short and simple but just enough to catch anyone’s attention. Along with these activities we offered information regarding the different programs and machinery the innovation lab is offering. The activities were a good way to catch their attention which allowed us to then introduce them to other opportunities and programs that we offer at the Innovation Lab. The next week, I led a group through an activity that required us to build a “kicker” using materials such as rubber bands, screws, a ball, and more. The point of the “kicker” is to create a stand that holds a ball between two screws, and allows you to “kick” or launch the ball using a lever. An image of the kicker will be included below. All in all, I’m enjoying the time I’ve spent so far and I’m looking forward to more hands-on projects.

Reflection 3

The last 50 hours of my internship have been nothing short of an enjoyable experience. I’ve had the opportunity to further develop my organizational, leadership, and technical skills while engaging in diverse activities with diverse groups and audiences. The last two weeks in particular highlighted the shifting dynamics of my role and allowed me to consider the impact of STEM for students at a young age. I started my week by completing a task for the SmithTech Lab School using the Circuit machine to make 100 stickers for an upcoming event. Through this task, I was able to enhance my ability to follow comprehensive instructions and troubleshoot technical difficulties. An image of the stickers I printed will be included below, on the next page. I then led an interesting hands-on activity for a Father Figure Field Trip held at the Innovation Lab. This field trip included students from BC Charles Elementary School, where they built “Rubber Band Racers” which is a rubber band-powered “race car”. This event allowed me to not only demonstrate my ability to adapt and connect with diverse age groups, but it also allowed me to gain more leadership experience. This particular event was the most enjoyable for me because I was able to connect with the students on a topic and activity that we both shared an interest in. Lastly, the most recent activity held at the iLab was memorable for me as I guided a group of teenage young ladies accompanied by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority through a 3D printing workshop. I guided them through how to design and configure a nametag keychain, which I will print once I return to the iLab on Monday.