Duke School Under the Oak Magazine, Fall 2019

Tufts CEEO Professor Chris Rogers taught us that
teaching engineering in elementary and middle
school is important because the benefits go far
beyond engineering. Engineering is simply using
math, science, and creativity to design solutions
to problems. This work doesn’t happen in a STEM
lab. It happens in everyday life as kids learn to see
that problems are everywhere. They need to learn
to notice them and begin designing multiple
solutions at a young age to be prepared for the
future.
I was reminded of Dr. Rogers’ advice in a recent
chat with Duke School alumna Miranda Brown.
Miranda had just won the design competition at
Virginia Tech’s engineering camp. The challenge
was to use the Design Process to come up with
a solution that would help people in a natural
disaster. Miranda and her team developed an
inflatable, waterproof backpack with emergency
supplies for flood victims.
“It actually wasn’t hard,” Miranda told me.
“The challenge was to find a problem, generate
solutions and plans, build a prototype, test it, and
make it better. They emphasized that we would
be evaluated on our teamwork, as well as our
actual solution.”
When I congratulated her, Miranda just shrugged.
“Actually, Kathy, I kind of tuned out when they
explained the steps in design thinking and
teamwork. My teachers taught me that every
single year at Duke School. Duke School taught
me to power and challenge myself every year
instead of relying on grades.”
Perhaps, that is the most important outcome of
our engineering program. I feel confident that
Miranda and our other Class of 2015 alumni, who
are freshmen in college this fall, will have the
powers and the tools to solve whatever problems
they encounter.
UNDER THE OAK
19