Science 220

If You Can Dream It, You Can Make It

Science 220: The Art and Craft of Making is a 3 unit GE 3A course. Building on the philosophy of learning by making, this transformative course empowers students with modern technical and interpersonal skills in the context of the bigger picture and uses the SSU Makerspace..

What do you actually do in Science 220?

We make stuff. The class teaches students how to do hard skills like digital fabrication with 3D modeling, 3D printing, laser cutters, and CNC mills. We also cover many traditional arts and crafts. Students in SCI 220 engage in critical reading through a weekly sequence of scholarly and artistic texts drawn from multiple genres and disciplines. SCI 220 immerses students in disciplinary methods and concepts from the arts, design, and engineering, interweaving these domains throughout all phases of the course. From design, students use principles of iterative prototyping, form-function integration, and human-centered problem framing. From engineering, students learn technical skills and problem-solving strategies relevant to digital fabrication and physical construction.Throughout the course, students blend these approaches—the expressive aims of art, the user-oriented framework of design, and the technical rigor of engineering—to develop original projects that are functional, conceptually rich, and socially grounded.Creative expression is central to SCI 220 and is embedded across all phases of the course. Students are encouraged to take intellectual and artistic risks as they explore how making can function as both personal narrative and cultural critique.

Who is the class geared for?

The class welcomes students of all backgrounds and stages. No prior courses or skills are needed. We have peer facilitators and address issues such as using the skills in this class in career options or later academic progression and how students fit into the bigger picture.

How is this class related to NSF (National Science Foundation)?

Originally developed by Drs. Jeremy Qualls and So Young Han, the National Science Foundation supported the development of the makerspace through an IUSE grant. NSF is interested in the impact of the SSU Makerspace and Science 220 course can have on the academic community and students’ lives. The creative elements and accessibility of science and technology have slowly receded from our culture. Although embraced by children, as people grow up they tend to move away from making, tinkering, and creating. We would like to change that pattern and NSF is supporting our efforts.

What do you mean by Maker community?

We are a community that supports the dreams and creations of each other. That community is not only SSU faculty, staff, and students but it’s also with all of those we work with. We have ties with local k-12 efforts as well as SCOE, Studio 180, Chimera, and Nation of Makers.

How do Community Partners get involved?

Please contact Jonathan Smith jonathan.smith@sonoma.edu if you are an individual, company, non-profit, or just someone working on a problem who would like to be part of our making community.