The Next Generation of Engineers Is Learning by Doing, with 3D Printing

• Across several universities in the U.S., more programs are adding hands-on learning into how they teach, often using tools like 3D printing. Instead of relying only on lectures and theory,...

Across several universities in the U.S., more programs are adding hands-on learning into how they teach, often using tools like 3D printing. Instead of relying only on lectures and theory, students are getting more chances to work directly with technology. In different settings, from outreach programs to advanced science classes to student-led clubs, 3D printing is used to turn ideas into something students can actually see and handle. Three recent examples show how this is happening in different ways. At Ohio University, engineering technology and management student Brandon Petrie is helping local K-12 students get an early look at manufacturing and technology. Petrie, a senior in the Russ College of Engineering and Technology, started leading outreach sessions after giving a campus tou