Subject Listings

Intuition-based introduction to electronics, electronic components and test equipment such as oscilloscopes, meters (voltage, resistance inductance, capacitance, etc.), and signal generators. Emphasizes individual instruction and development of skills, such as soldering, assembly, and troubleshooting. Students design, build, and keep a small electronics project to put their new knowledge into practice. Intended for students with little or no previous background in electronics.

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An opportunity for undergraduates to participate in teaching and tutoring Center subjects and seminars. Students develop one-on-one teaching skills under the supervision of an Edgerton Center instructor.

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Opportunity for independent study under regular supervision by a staff member. Projects require prior approval, as well as a written proposal and final report. Students work with international community partners to continue developing projects, focusing on one or more issues in education, design, or public service. Final presentations and written reflection required. May be repeated for credit for a maximum of 12 units.

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Opportunity for independent study under regular supervision by a staff member. Projects require prior approval, as well as a written proposal and final report. Students work with international community partners to continue developing projects, focusing on one or more issues in education, design, or public service. Final presentations and written reflection required. May be repeated for credit for a maximum of 12 units.

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An opportunity for undergraduates to participate in teaching and tutoring Center subjects and seminars. Students develop one-on-one teaching skills under the supervision of an Edgerton Center instructor.

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Students use both film and digital photography to develop a creative imaging project of their own choice. Develops skills in the use of image editing software to enhance, select, and combine images that the student has taken. Uses the darkroom to develop film for scanning and for chemical enlargement. Discusses topics such as the camera, composition, lighting, modes and formats, image compression, and halftone and dye sublimation printing. Students are expected to produce a duplicate set of black and white and/or color prints, along with a writeup and digital copy as the project output. Credit cannot also be received for EC.310.

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Students work in small groups, under the guidance of researchers from MIT, to pursue specific aspects of the year's Terrascope problem. Teams design and build prototypes, graphic displays and other tools to communicate their findings and display them in a Bazaar of Ideas open to the MIT community. Some teams develop particular solutions, others work to provide deeper understanding of the issues, and others focus on ways to communicate these ideas with the general public. Students' work is evaluated by independent experts. Offers students an opportunity to develop ideas from the fall semester and to work in labs across MIT. Limited to first-year students.

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Students develop teaching skills as they prepare to lead an IAP (Independent Activities Period) event/workshop supported by the Edgerton Center.  A uniquely MIT tradition, IAP provides faculty, students, staff, and alumni with an opportunity to share and/or explore a wide variety of academic and non-academic topics. IAP offerings are distinguished by their innovative, playful spirit and fusion of fun and learning. The offerings created by students in this course can range from 1 event to a series of workshops.

Through weekly hands-on meetings, students choose topics, design and pilot lessons, learn from each other, and finally schedule their IAP offering.  Open to students of all levels and disciplines who will be on campus during IAP and willing to offer an event/workshop.

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Focuses on disseminating Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) or water/environment innovations in developing countries and underserved communities worldwide. Structured around field-based learning, case studies, lectures and videos in which teams propose an idea and are mentored through the process of bringing that innovation to fruition. Emphasizes core WASH and water/environment principles, culture-specific solutions, tools for start-ups, appropriate and sustainable technologies, behavior change, social marketing, building partnerships, and the theory and practice of innovation diffusion. Term project entails entering the IDEAS or other competition(s) while implementing a WASH innovation in a specific locale. Guest lectures on specific real-world WASH projects which have been disseminated by MIT faculty, students, alumni, and others. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. Limited to 30.

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Addresses mitigation and adaptation to climate change as it pertains to water and health. Focuses on regions where water-borne illness, malnutrition, and vector-borne diseases - problems that will worsen with increasing temperatures and urban overcrowding - represent the top three causes of morbidity and mortality. Includes readings, workshops and films that address water, climate change and health challenges and explore solutions. Field trips include coastal watershed restoration, flood protection, carbon sequestration, and zero-carbon sites in the Boston area. Students complete a term project and/or teach a class, setting the stage for a life-long commitment to communicating climate science to a broad public. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments.

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Addresses mitigation and adaptation to climate change as it pertains to water and health. Focuses on regions where water-borne illness, malnutrition, and vector-borne diseases - problems that will worsen with increasing temperatures and urban overcrowding - represent the top three causes of morbidity and mortality. Includes readings, workshops and films that address water, climate change and health challenges and explore solutions. Field trips include coastal watershed restoration, flood protection, carbon sequestration, and zero-carbon sites in the Boston area. Students complete a term project and/or teach a class, setting the stage for a life-long commitment to communicating climate science to a broad public. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments.

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Focuses on the design, analysis, and application of technologies that support the construction of less expensive and better performing schools in developing countries. Prepares students to design or retrofit school buildings in partnership with local communities and NGOs. Strategies covered include daylighting, passive heating and cooling, improved indoor air quality via natural ventilation, appropriate material selection, and structural design. Investigations are based on application of engineering fundamentals, experiments and simulations. Case studies illustrate the role of technologies in reducing barriers to improved education. Additional work required of students taking the graduate version. Limited to 20 total for versions meeting together.

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Places special focus on team capacity building and the communication skills critical to design leadership. Multidisciplinary teams work on semester-long projects in collaboration with international organizations, field practitioners, and experts, building team and leadership skills used to address problems faced by underserved communities while implementing design, experimentation, and hands-on prototyping processes. Topics covered include human-centered design, design for affordability and remote manufacturing, sustainability, and strategies for working effectively with international partners. Limited to 20 students in the Gordon Engineering Leadership Program.

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Opportunity for independent study under regular supervision by a staff member. Projects require prior approval, as well as a written proposal and final report. Students work with international community partners to continue developing projects, focusing on one or more issues in education, design, or public service. Final presentations and written reflection required. May be repeated for credit for a maximum of 12 units.

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Opportunity for independent study under regular supervision by a staff member. Projects require prior approval, as well as a written proposal and final report. Students work with international community partners to continue developing projects, focusing on one or more issues in education, design, or public service. Final presentations and written reflection required. May be repeated for credit for a maximum of 12 units.

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Explores gender roles, illuminates the power dynamics and root causes of inequality, and provides a framework for understanding gender dynamics. Develops skills to conduct a gender analysis and integrate gender-sensitive strategies into large- and small-scale development solutions. Prompts critical discussion about social, economic, and political conditions that shape gender in development (particularly design and implementation of appropriate technology) as well as agricultural and job creation initiatives. In project development workshops students apply key tools to real-life situations, e.g., providing a gender analysis and making recommendations on how to incorporate gender considerations into an existing organization; developing programs in low-income communities; or building a gender component to be incorporated in a new initiative. Opportunities may be available for international fieldwork over IAP. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. Limited to 12; must attend first class session. (Meets with EC.718J/ WGS.277J)

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Explores gender roles, illuminates the power dynamics and root causes of inequality, and provides a framework for understanding gender dynamics. Develops skills to conduct a gender analysis and integrate gender-sensitive strategies into large- and small-scale development solutions. Prompts critical discussion about social, economic, and political conditions that shape gender in development (particularly design and implementation of appropriate technology) as well as agricultural and job creation initiatives. In project development workshops students apply key tools to real-life situations, e.g., providing a gender analysis and making recommendations on how to incorporate gender considerations into an existing organization; developing programs in low-income communities; or building a gender component to be incorporated in a new initiative. Opportunities may be available for international fieldwork over IAP. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. Limited to 12; must attend first class session. (Meets with EC.798)

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Provides an overview of pedagogical theories and core teaching skills that allow students to craft their own K-12 curriculum using the design process. Working in groups and collaborating with an international partner, students use the design process to create a final project for a specific audience that emphasizes hands-on, inclusive, project-based learning. Suitable for students with varying levels of teaching experience. Local fieldwork and K-12 classroom visits are required throughout the semester and international fieldwork may be available to students in the summer. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. Limited to 10.

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Provides an overview of pedagogical theories and core teaching skills that allow students to craft their own K-12 curriculum using the design process. Working in groups and collaborating with an international partner, students use the design process to create a final project for a specific audience that emphasizes hands-on, inclusive, project-based learning. Suitable for students with varying levels of teaching experience. Local fieldwork and K-12 classroom visits are required throughout the semester and international fieldwork may be available to students in the summer. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. Limited to 10.

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Issues in international development, appropriate technology and project implementation addressed through lectures, case studies, guest speakers and laboratory exercises. Students form project teams to partner with community organizations in developing countries, and formulate plans for an optional IAP site visit. (Previous field sites include Ghana, Brazil, Honduras and India.) Recitation sections focus on specific project implementation, and include cultural, social, political, environmental and economic overviews of the target countries as well as an introduction to the local languages. Enrollment limited by lottery; must attend first class session. In-person not required. (Meets with Grad level EC.781/11.472J)

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