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Jasmine Florentine’s new ebook introduces making and STEM to middle-schoolers. The ebook, “Hex Allen and the Clanksmiths”, creates a fantasy world the place actual issues are solved by hands-on abilities. Jasmine is pushed to assist younger folks perceive STEM, not simply as a discipline of research, however as a chance to use their creativity in addition to their intelligence. She believes if extra children knew what STEM actually was, they’d notice it supplied one thing for everybody — a no brainer.
Jasmine has her BS/MS from MIT in Mechanical Engineering. She’s labored at FIRST Robotics designing play fields for robotic competitions. She lives in Israel however can be transferring quickly.
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Transcript
Dale: I’m joined at this time by Jasmine Florentine who simply printed her first ebook and it’s known as Hex Allen and the Clanksmiths. It’s a ebook for center schoolers.
Initially, welcome Jasmine. Good to speak to you.
Florentine: Thanks a lot. It’s an honor, truthfully.
Dale: Inform me when in your life did you begin making stuff or how did that type of emerge as a part of who you might be?
Florentine: So I principally, so long as I keep in mind, however a variety of it was channeled into arts and crafts at first, simply trigger I didn’t actually find out about, I don’t know, like engineering and like electronics or any of that. I wasn’t fairly launched to that. So I used to be doing a variety of issues like drawing and origami and scavenging issues round the home and assembling them into bizarre issues.
And it wasn’t actually till I obtained to varsity that I came upon what engineering was and was oh, it’s simply making issues like that is nice. Yeah,
Dale: It’s humorous. It’s that easy in a approach, however generally, it will get portrayed as properly. You gotta be this math particular person, you gotta do all these different issues.
And generally I discover in a few of the colleges of their recruitment of engineers find yourself with individuals who truly don’t have a need to make issues. They simply discovered their approach into engineering as a result of that they had good math scores and which is ok, nevertheless it’s only a completely different path.
Florentine: That’s truthful too. Like engineering is a massively broad discipline and there’s elements of it which are like far more concept and math heavy and elements of it which are far more arms on and making heavy. Like, I went into mechanical engineering with a concentrate on product design, so then there’s much more of an emphasis on — okay, most of math is gonna be again on the envelope calculations. And then you definitely’re gonna truly be prototyping one thing to determine if it really works. However if you happen to’re doing one thing that’s I don’t know, difficult fluid evaluation, then you definitely’re most likely diving the mathematics.
Dale: I don’t imply to disparage math. I believe it’s one other device within the device chest. And really that again of the envelope calculation factor is kind of a great way to have a look at issues.
It sounds if you happen to have been in product design, primarily that’s prototyping, isn’t it? I all the time felt just like the maker motion actually is a revolution, not a lot a producing, however in prototyping. And you could make issues sooner, simpler, and subsequently in the event that they don’t work out, you simply make it once more. The place there was a penalty to having to begin over and also you needed to get the design excellent earlier than you made the factor, and that was a unique approach of growing a product.
Florentine: Each time anyone asks me about 3D printing I’m all the time like initially I noticed it as only a enjoyable toy till I truly was seeing the way it was getting utilized in product improvement. And seeing how, like I used to be, I assume I used to be nonetheless working at locations that have been doing it the best way they used to, which is they’d ship the CAD mannequin to get milled in China after which shipped over, and that was an costly course of.
After which immediately with 3D printing, you simply print it and the following day you’re like, oh, nice, this prototype works.
Dale: Or it doesn’t,
Florentine: or it doesn’t, extra possible it doesn’t the primary few instances.
Dale: So that you went into MIT and you bought a BS and an MS in mechanical engineering, is that proper? What was that have like? I’m not an MIT particular person and what’s that like? Additionally as a girl going into MIT as of late.
Florentine: I beloved it. I used to be actually nervous getting in as a result of I wasn’t a type of individuals who was like on the mathematics workforce and hardcore math sciences in that approach.
I preferred math and science as a lot as I preferred another topic. I believe senior, no, junior 12 months in highschool, it actually began to make sense to me and I actually began to take pleasure in it. However I utilized to engineering colleges type of from encouragement from associates and lecturers who have been like, oh, you’re good at math and science. You must no less than go to and see what you suppose. And as soon as I visited and noticed like robotics and product design and all that, it appeared actually thrilling, nevertheless it actually took me the primary 12 months there to truly really feel like I deserved to be there. I assume for a very long time I had this I dunno, a chip on my shoulder of, oh, I solely obtained in as a result of I used to be a girl.
Possibly I wasn’t certified sufficient. And sadly a part of that really got here from one thing that someone had informed me, which was principally, oh, you’re solely getting in –first they stated, you gained’t get in with these SAT scores in math. And I stated, okay, wait until the SAT2 comes again or my AP scores.
As a result of for no matter motive, I dealt with the upper stage math higher than the like primary SAT math. These got here again after which she stated, oh, you’ll get in since you’re a girl, however you gained’t prefer it. And in order that whole first 12 months I assume I used to be actually nervous and it wasn’t till I began realizing that I used to be doing properly in my courses and I used to be actually having fun with issues and I used to be being challenged, however all people was being challenged and we have been all working collectively that I actually felt like, oh I belong right here.
After which once I began taking extra mechanical engineering and product design courses, I used to be like, that is actually enjoyable and a approach for me to additionally use my creativity.
Dale: Which is a power. I wish to suppose that MIT is searching for these varieties of individuals. When you go to RSDI or different colleges the place they get the inventive people who don’t have essentially, they get the design background, however they don’t have the engineering.
You go to the engineering facet and also you get people who don’t have that design or creativity. They’re type of two worlds that wish to meet the center someplace extra typically.
Florentine: Yeah, I believe so. I didn’t get it. I’ve by no means taken programs at RSDI however my senior 12 months at MIT I took programs at Mass Artwork, which additionally has an industrial design program.
And it was actually cool seeing what product design seems to be like from their perspective. And I believe for me, I actually wished to be someplace within the center. Like I wished to consider the person design and the way it seemed, however I additionally wished to make it work or perceive from a technical perspective.
To me, it’s like the 2 of them go hand in hand. And I wished to be someplace within the center.
Dale: Give me an instance of a challenge you probably did in school that it was a product. The place did the thought come from and the way did you develop it?
Florentine: Yeah. So considered one of my favourite initiatives, this was truly a graduate faculty challenge was for a product design class the place the problem was so we have been working with this close by place that type of did puzzle adventures for youths. This was earlier than escape rooms, nevertheless it had the same vibe and so they have been making a brand new one which was gonna be science fiction themed.
So the problem for the category was, go and make one thing science fiction themed. And our workforce was simply wow, we get to really feel like Disney Imagineers right here. And so we determined early on that we simply wished to make a very ridiculous excessive science fiction door. I’m not likely positive how we settled on that.
I believe it was simply, as a result of everytime you watch all these sci-fi films, they all the time have all the additional actions and the lights and simply further pneumatics and actions and stuff. And so the method we went by way of, truly I had a very superb workforce, together with individuals who got here from an industrial design background and individuals who got here from a mechanical engineering background.
And the product design course of we went by way of was textbook in the best way we went by way of it. And it was a very nice studying expertise for me, studying from my teammates. So we began with all of the drawings of all of our concepts and stuff. Initially we wished to make like an aperture fashion door, a digital camera shutter with six leaves.
We constructed some prototypes of that. We realized it wasn’t gonna work as a result of to make a correct one you truly must have a few of the leaves go underground which wouldn’t have labored. Despite the fact that we tried other ways of fudging it and ultimately what we had was one thing that was like two leaves that rotate and open and have these lights go and it’s all pushed by pneumatics, so it makes this actually satisfying, like “SHHH” sound.
So it’s not product design within the conventional sense of one thing {that a} client would purchase. We went by way of principally the identical course of and it was simply such a enjoyable challenge.
Dale: It’s per what I’ll see, like at a Maker Faire that all the time pursuits me is, and I believe it’s a brand new space it’s actually interactive installations in a approach, issues that you just come as much as and say what does it do? It’s not a product, it’s an expertise. It performs with us that factor, and a variety of instances in a humorous approach, it makes us snort or it makes us affiliate one thing like fantasy.
So what did you do once you obtained out of college, completed your Grasp’s program?
Florentine: I went and labored for First Robotics, which, I believe you, I’m positive you realize about for anyone who doesn’t, it’s a fantastic nonprofit. And so I used to be there on the engineering workforce as a mechanical engineer, designing the fields that the robots would play on.
One of many enjoyable issues for me was like throughout the interview they have been like, oh, we noticed you additionally do artwork. Not too long ago we’ve began theming the video games. How would you’re feeling about doing artwork, as a part of your job? And I used to be like, That is the dream job as a result of one of many struggles I had once I got here out of school earlier than going again for my grasp’s, was discovering a technique to bridge that hole of engineering and artwork.
And a variety of corporations have been like yeah, nevertheless it says you’re an engineer in your diploma, so that you’re doing engineering. And so this case I obtained, I believe 80% of my time was engineering, however 20% was additionally making it look themed and making it look actually cool. So we had Steampunk discipline and like an area themed discipline.
And it was a very enjoyable and fulfilling job. After which I left the US so I needed to go away the job.
Dale: That feels like a enjoyable expertise. Possibly First Robotics may very well be a bit extra enjoyable. Not simply useful, however enjoyable.
One in every of Maker Faires I actually like is our Maker Faire in Tokyo, and so they have a number of robots, however they’re all in costume. They’re all characters and is perhaps a sumo robotic, it is perhaps one thing alongside these traces.
However that’s very playful. And getting that type of connection collectively of the play and the perform is good.
Florentine: That sounds actually cool.
Dale: So that you moved to Israel at that time
Florentine: Eire first, yeah. Eire. Okay. After which as in Israel partner is in academia, so we transfer round lots.
And we’re gonna be transferring once more. Shortly as properly, so yeah, that was truly after we came upon we have been transferring once more from Eire to Israel, that’s once I determined to truly strive freelance simply because I used to be beginning to get a bit foolish searching for work.
Dale: What sort of freelance work do you do?
Florentine: I’ve performed some simply engineering design. So like I labored on a race automotive helmet that like had a EEG constructed into it. And in order that was a really attention-grabbing design problem. However a variety of what I’ve been doing currently has truly been extra in STEM content material creation.
After I labored at FIRST, I actually fell in love with STEM training. I used to be already transferring in that route with the ebook. And so with freelance what occurred was truly I began making paper robots for enjoyable with the micro: bit. And people type of took off.
I assume due to that, I obtained launched into to lots of people and organizations working within the STEM ed area for youthful children than what I used to be working with at FIRST. And so yeah, I’ve been doing every little thing from the challenge design and curriculum design and dealing on like completely different kits and stuff.
So it’s been a variety of enjoyable.
Dale: Let’s go into your ebook a bit bit after which we’ll come again to perhaps the training concepts.
However so that you simply printed a ebook a graphical ebook known as Hex Allen and Clanksmiths. Inform us about your thought for that ebook and the way it developed.
Florentine: Yeah, so I got here up with the thought round graduate faculty and I believe a part of it was simply based mostly by myself expertise of feeling like I fell into engineering by fortunate accident. Earlier than I utilized to MIT, I didn’t even actually know what engineering was.
After which once more, I believe particularly girls will not be essentially inspired in the identical approach. So I wished type of one thing that like made engineering enjoyable and approachable and in addition simply confirmed children what it was as a result of like once more, I didn’t actually know till faculty and even once I’d go dwelling and inform folks what I research and so they’d be like, oh, so that you’re constructing bridges?
I’m like that’s civil engineers, there’s different elements of engineering. Yeah. So I wished to make a ebook that was showcasing STEM with a concentrate on engineering and type of got here to the thought of a fantasy world the place engineering feels extra like magic, to make the engineering centered and one thing that it’s the factor all people desires to do. Versus an actual world the place it’s oh, regular issues. After which like magic’s so cool.
So I truly, the unique thought was gonna be a graphic novel after which I believed that it might be too troublesome as an example a graphic novel and thought, oh, a ebook can be simpler to jot down.
I used to be flawed. Books are actually arduous to jot down and it took a very long time. Whoops. Glad I didn’t understand how arduous it was or unsure would’ve tried it.
Dale: It’s true. A whole lot of issues, isn’t it?
Florentine: Yeah. So it went by way of a variety of iterations. What lastly got here out was prefer it initially had a, inverse wizard faculty type of factor the place it was just like the engineering faculty that was hidden inside just like the magical world.
However what it’s now’s extra of like a fantasy journey the place the principle characters don’t even have magic in a world the place all people else does. So that they wind up having to make use of the key mystical arts of STEM and engineering to beat completely different challenges. Clearly the magic is all fiction and the adventures fiction, however every little thing they construct is one thing that’s truly potential to construct in actual life. Many of the initiatives are literally described ultimately of the ebook. There’s directions which are within the type of the principle character’s design pocket book.
Dale: Good. So you may construct what’s within the ebook?
Florentine: There’s a few initiatives as a result of one of many characters is the chemist the place she makes use of extra explosives. So these will not be given directions within the ebook. However even for these, I truly consulted a pal to simply make certain I used to be getting the small print correct.
Dale: That’s good. It’s this problem and like you may characterize a problem of getting girls into STEM, nevertheless it’s most likely a broader problem of getting extra completely different varieties of individuals into STEM, proper? That for some folks it seems to be like a fantastic area that as you turned on to it — a spot to discover an journey. Different folks, they get pushed away as virtually you probably did too. That’s not for you. You gained’t prefer it. You get informed these issues. And it’s identical to, how do you swing folks in that little area the place, be open to what’s there. Folks say, oh, it’s arduous. You gained’t prefer it. It’s not a lot they’ll say it like, you don’t have the power to do it, however you gained’t like doing it, which is a desire greater than an announcement of expertise.
Florentine: I used to be truly simply having a dialog with someone yesterday who she was saying that, the problem for ladies in addition to a variety of underrepresented minorities isn’t simply the pipeline, but additionally such as you get to the stage the place you’re perhaps lastly on this profession and individuals are nonetheless getting handled in another way or judged, for who they’re and never their {qualifications} or informed they’re not certified once they have already got extra {qualifications} than lots of people.
The place I’m specializing in is the pipeline, cuz that’s the place I really feel my skillset fits. However I do suppose it’s undoubtedly a broader drawback.
Dale: And pipeline, you imply children at school that select to concentrate on STEM topics.
Florentine: Precisely that. As a result of particularly a variety of them even get misplaced.
I believe center faculty is normally generally cited because the age the place a variety of once more principally ladies begin to lose curiosity or really feel like, for no matter motive or one other and their scores begin to drop comparatively to guys. And one of many issues that I’ve beloved truly doing a variety of the freelance I’ve been doing, particularly with the micro:bit, is I’ve seen, such as you have been saying earlier, the way it, some individuals are identical to, oh, you’re good at math, go into engineering.
However with a variety of the stuff I’ve been seeing that’s extra maker oriented, it’s change into extra of this inventive free-form exercise that’s extra arms on and immediately, I really feel such as you don’t see a variety of the discouragement and extra of the encouragement of wow, you made this actually superior factor.
And approaching STEM in an entire bunch of various methods which are all equally legitimate. Making a robotic pet is sort of a tremendous cool, enjoyable factor that may enchantment to some children greater than like pencil and paper, textbook math.
Dale: And I believe what you’re describing is that there’s a variety of other ways and a variety of completely different expressions of this slightly than the straight, slim highway generally, which STEM seems to be like. It’s such as you gotta align with that and you need to do what all people else is doing.
And I believe making opens it up. And says there are a variety of other ways and you may also consider your self as having strengths and weaknesses. You’re good at some issues. However there are different issues that you just wanna enhance on, however you’re a part of a group that may provide help to get by way of sure challenges as properly your colleagues may help you tackle a few of your weaknesses.
Florentine: Yeah, for positive. One of many makers I like speaking to lots who was on the duvet of your magazines is Jarvon Moss or OddJay. And one of many issues that I discover superb about him is he’s all the time, he’s oh, I must study facial recognition to construct this cool new robotic.
I’m simply gonna ask my different maker associates and I’m gonna discover ways to do it. Yeah. And it’s identical to that angle of there’s this nice group and I’ll study, I’ll have the ability to do it.
Dale: I believe if you happen to most likely noticed a bit in FIRST, this concept of being a part of a group, part of a workforce versus simply it is a extremely aggressive particular person educational pursuit I believe could make a distinction in how folks think about this, that they belong, they’ll obtain each their very own objectives and in addition some objectives in frequent with different folks.
Florentine: Yeah, undoubtedly. I believe one factor I might hear lots from coaches and mentors can be, oh, this scholar struggled academically after which blossomed once they joined the FIRST workforce.
Yeah. I believe a part of that was only for some children it’s tougher to study in just like the extra conventional setup and having the workforce and the arms on elements and all that, it clicked with them lots higher.
Dale: You possibly can make the argument that each job on the market intersects with know-how and more and more with artwork and so getting aware of issues, which is perhaps on the core of drawback fixing is one thing that’s a reasonably generalizable talent. And it doesn’t matter whether or not you’re within the furnishings enterprise or in SpaceX, you’ve got these challenges forward and so they’re fairly attention-grabbing challenges.
Florentine: Yeah, undoubtedly. I believe I discovered a variety of the method that I used to jot down a ebook was the identical type of mentality I approached an engineering or a maker challenge, of design and iterate. And I believe to your level additionally what do you do for youths particularly, I believe one of many messages I took from from product design initially, however applies to creating, applies to so many issues is the acceptance of failure as a part of the method. And that’s one thing that I try to get by way of within the ebook as properly, which is like, virtually nothing you make goes to work the primary time. And in order that’s the place the entire like iterative course of is available in of strive it once more. Try to study from what you probably did flawed. If you want to do again of the envelope math that will help you, that’s another device in your device set. Generally it’s sooner to simply construct it. And I believe that’s one factor that I’ve been seeing once I’ve been working with like STEM educators, is that they’re bringing that mentality to the classroom.
The opposite factor that’s essential is a few colleges have entry to superb maker areas which have 3D printers, laser cutters, like complete digital labs. And a few don’t. And lecturers have requested what do we have to do to get began with a maker area on a minimal price range?
And the reply is simply make.
Dale: I all the time thought there’s an natural mannequin for maker areas, which is, trainer as soon as stated, I despatched a notice dwelling to folks and stated, simply ship me something that they’re discarding and we’ll put that in and set up it in bins for youths to make stuff with it.
And particularly with youthful children, it’s simply, such as you stated, artwork experiences or assemblage and collaging and issues like that. It truly is the apply of creating, of doing this apply time and again with completely different supplies, completely different instruments perhaps because it, as you, in highschool or later, you start to get entry to extra highly effective instruments.
However that’s not the place you begin. And actually, I, and this may relate to your ebook a bit, I’ve typically thought that sketching is without doubt one of the methods, how do you are taking an concept that’s working in your head and categorical it in order that another person can see it? A tough sketch is a good way to do this.
Florentine: Yeah, undoubtedly. So that really is an enormous factor within the ebook of the principle character begins by sketching out all these concepts and she or he very hardly ever builds them and once they do they fail as a result of she feels discouraged the primary time they fail. And he or she will get bullied trigger she doesn’t have magic like everybody else.
And so a part of her character arc and assembly these different folks, the Clanksmiths who have gotten expertise in STEM and engineering and science is bridging that hole from, oh, you, you’ve already been desirous about drawback fixing once you’re drawing these items out. Right here’s the method to truly go and make them, and right here’s the arrogance to grasp that it’s okay that it’s not gonna work the primary time.
After which even in actual life, one of many issues that like was drilled into me with the ideation means of like brainstorming is draw the concepts down. They may appear like hen scratch. That’s okay. Simply drawing it down will provide help to begin to visualize it and can provide help to talk the concepts whereas, even when it’s simply stick figures,
Dale: It requires to make selections. And that’s a part of the way you get it to be actual. It might’t be every little thing. It has to have some form to it and issues. That’s a very good level. I’m glad that to see that’s in your ebook.
Florentine: A whole lot of what I realized at MIT and what I even, and at FIRST, in every little thing I attempted like placing that into the ebook in a easy approach for youths. So it’s it was one thing that was consistently on my thoughts for some time of like, how do I distill all these ideas?
Dale: That’s nice. Give us some extra data on the ebook. It’s obtainable. It’s seems to be prefer it’s obtainable within the ordinary locations. However it’s categorized beneath juvenile fiction motion and journey. So that you within the younger grownup space.
Florentine: Yeah, like center grade, which is like eight by way of 12. Eight by way of 14, yeah. Hilariously the UK Amazon algorithm categorized it within the device part as a result of the title is Hex Allen.
Dale: That’s humorous. Good. Do you suppose you’ll do extra books?
Florentine: Yeah, I initially, like I stated, I been planning on doing graphic novel and chickened out from the quantity of illustration. And I went again and browse the unique script and was like, oh, that is truly fairly hilarious.
So when my ebook initially obtained postponed due to Covid and so I made a decision to pitch the graphic novel. And now I’m engaged on that as properly. And it’s related like bringing the STEM into the story.
Dale: Similar characters?
Florentine: Completely different characters, completely different plot, however like nonetheless the STEM factor.
Dale: And also you’ll proceed to do freelance work?
Florentine: Yeah, I’ve been doing freelance for 2 years, so I’m determining like the place I wish to be. All the pieces I’ve performed I’ve loved up to now. So I’m simply look see the place this goes.
Dale: I simply suppose we’re all aligned in making an attempt to essentially get extra children uncovered to this arms on. 10 years in the past I felt like there was a dearth of this in training that means arms on had been left behind someway.
And that target testing and different issues, a need to be environment friendly in training has led them away from arms on. And when the lecturers and others get again to it, they notice that is how children study and so they actually like studying this manner and so they do properly. It actually motivates them to to study topics that in any other case they won’t.
And once more I’ve been speaking to somebody not too long ago that.
Florentine: Yeah. And it’s additionally extra concrete than take a look at is like proper or flawed, however if you happen to’re constructing or making one thing, I believe you might need an thought of what your proper or flawed is, nevertheless it’s not concrete in that approach.
Dale: The opposite factor is issues like understanding, simply understanding science and engineering may take a lifetime actually, it’s actually massive and arduous, doing one thing, you may. You will get some end result that’s perhaps not the end result you anticipated. Possibly it’s not excellent,
Florentine: however you study alongside the best way,
Dale: parallel path.
Like when folks lecture us, we don’t typically perceive what they’re speaking about. We would over time, however after we’re doing stuff, we have now our personal sense whether or not we get it or not.
Florentine: At the least for me, additionally like having, so for me it’s extra enjoyable studying as a part of the method. If someone’s go and find out about resistors in a vacuum and I simply must learn a textbook. It goes in a single ear and out the opposite. If I’m constructing one thing and I’m like, oh, now I would like to determine learn how to use resistors, then I even have a motive to study it. And it turns into much more enjoyable.
Dale: Precisely. It’s utilized studying and. And we stay in an period the place you may command data from anyplace, at any time to study one thing. However the context of constructing one thing and saying, oh, I’m making an attempt to work on a circuit. The place does the resistor, what sort of resistor I would like?
That’s, an actual particular activity. That you would be able to work out.
I respect speaking to you at this time, Jasmine. Is there any remaining thought or is there one thing I didn’t cowl that I ought to have with you?
Florentine: Oh man. I believe that lined lots. I assume the general message of every little thing is anybody can do STEM no matter their gender, their race, their background and I believe that’s what I actually attempt to talk with every little thing that it shouldn’t be this scary, oh, math it.
Yeah. It’s core, it’s inventive drawback fixing, and that takes so many various varieties.
Dale: And all people has the power to do it.
A pleasure to speak to you at this time and I want you properly with the ebook, and it’s. Hex Allen and Clank Smiths. When you’ve got a teenager in your life, please exit and test it out.
And it’s nice to see books on the market which are a bit little bit of fantasy, but additionally grounded within the actuality of creating issues. A pleasant mixture there.
Florentine: Cool. Thanks a lot.
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