Jack Maes
projects
Van Build
Using a Ford E-150 cargo van as a shell, I designed and actualized a functional travel home on wheels. I rebuilt the engine, stripped and painted the interior, and redesigned the electrical framework to power lights and appliances.
Cross-species Pepper Breeding:
With a few of my gifted Biology, Chemistry, and Life Science students, I cross-bred a ghost pepper and a habanero to study capsaicin, growth factors, and organic chemistry. The results were brilliant and very, very hot.
Painting Robot:
I worked with my robotics and engineering students to design an Arduino-powered robot that tracks movement with an ultrasonic sensor and a camera and pees paint to create abstract masterpieces. It was highlighted in a national newsletter.
Plant Music:
Using some basic source code and an article as a jumping-off point, I coded, in Arduino, then C#, and then again in Python (because I could not make up my mind and processing speed was a huge pain) a plant music machine. The Arduino and Raspberry Pi read and interpret conductivity levels between two diodes, translate that data into a set of frequencies, and then play those frequencies as music through an output speaker. I then used this project and the schematics I made for it to teach my physics students about applied wave mechanics.
Robo Catapult:
I taught my robotics and engineering students how to use Solidworks and Fusion360 to CAD model parts for a robotic arm. The parts were printed on a Prusa Mini and then attached to a set of servos which were run off an Ardunio Uno.
about
I'm a teacher, engineer, writer, and curriculum designer with a focus on experimental pedagogy and trauma-informed pedagogy. Resume below.