1 Lower Campus Road, St. Andrews, New Brunswick, E5B 2L7
This hands-on course will introduce students to the tools they need to understand mechanical movement by focusing on the foundations of simple machines, physics, and engineering design with direct application to ocean industries. Activities will engage students to engineering fields in a fun and interactive style, allowing them to design and innovate with their newly acquired engineering principles.
Example Career Connections: Mechanical Engineer, Oceanographer, Renewable/Alternative Energy Technologist, High School Science Teacher
Narrative Schedule
Day 1 Introduction. Orientation. (supper)
Registration opens at 4:30 p.m. at Anderson House, on the Huntsman Upper Campus with check-in and room assignment. Supper is served starting at 5:30 p.m. and the group will eat together. After supper, there will be an introduction to the program, instructors, participants, general safety and other Huntsman rules followed by a tour of the campus and teaching labs. Ending the night with a fun engineering competition.
Day 2 Simple vs complex machines. Boat trip. (breakfast, lunch, supper)
After breakfast, students will come to the lab to learn about simple and complex machines: levers, wheels and axles, gears, pulleys, motors, and structures. After an introduction to each concept, the students will build a model in the lab as a demonstration of its application. After lunch, we will head down to the St. Andrews Town Wharf where the Huntsman Fundy Spray Research Vessel is docked. After a short safety talk, we will head out to sample the offshore environment as we watch simple machines in action and become familiar to study methods in marine biology and oceanography. The boat trip is about two hours. Back in the lab, we will review engineering applications in oceanography and combine the simple and complex machine concepts to solve a challenge. We will take a supper break at 5:30 p.m. to refresh our bodies before returning to our problem solving to finish the day.
Day 3 Alternative energy. Tour of Huntsman Fundy Discovery Aquarium. (breakfast, lunch, supper)
We will start the day with an introductory lecture about alternative energy in general. We will then explore different applications of alternative energy as it relates to the ocean: specifically hydro and wind turbines. Each application will be followed by building a model to demonstrate the specific application. Before lunch, we will take a tour of the Huntsman Fundy Discovery Aquarium. After lunch, we will continue to explore alternative energy by harnessing the incredible power offered from ocean waves and currents. Supper is at 5:30 p.m. and the evening will be spent with a design and model of a boat pulley powered by alternative energy.
Day 4 Pressure and pneumatics. (breakfast, lunch, supper)
Today, students will learn about pneumatics and the benefits that they offer for applications in marine equipment. Models will be built to explore how pneumatics work and their components. Students will also learn about pressure and its significance in a pneumatic system. After lunch, we will apply principles of pneumatics to create a robotic arm (similar to a marine crane on a work vessel) that is environmentally safe and efficient to lift a load. Supper is at 5:30 p.m. In the evening, students will end the day with a fun engineering competition.
Day 5 Scientific design process. (breakfast, lunch, supper)
This morning, our discussions will turn to the scientific design process that engineers apply to create simple and complex machines, renewable energy, and pressure and pneumatics solutions that meet modern ocean engineering challenges. Students will now put together all of the concepts explored during the week to design creative solutions to solve problems as they work to deploy an ROV in deep waters to study the physical or chemical components of a particular coastal ocean environment.
Day 6 Presentations. Clean Lab. Group photo. ☹ (breakfast)
Our last morning and we are all curious to hear what everyone has learnt. Informally students will present their design and models to contribute a solution for the ocean industry. After this, we will return all of the pieces and clean up. Lastly, we will take a group picture before the final farewell as we go our separate ways. We hope you have enjoyed Exploring Engineering Design for Ocean Applications and thank you for coming.
Character Development: This program helps build the following traits
Independence: Develop new skill sets and build your understanding of mechanical movement by focusing on the foundations of simple machines, physics, and engineering design with direct application to ocean industries.
Creativity: Design and innovate with their newly acquired engineering principles. Be inspired by the marine environment and opportunities that exist in developing new technology in the ocean economy.
