Teaching
Student Testimonials (across multiple courses)
“Eric honesty discussed design choices, and encouraged me to question my design and come up with better ideas.”
“Eric's lecturing style is great. He is obviously passionate and energetic.”
“Eric makes you feel smart, which makes you enjoy your work and want to come back to it more.”
“He is really smart when it comes to technical issues.”
“Eric is one of my most understanding and caring instructors to date. He truly strives to make this course accessible to as many students as possible, regardless of background.”
“He had a very calming presence and always made the class more positive!”
“I appreciated Eric's dedication to teaching--I really felt like he cared about me as a student.”
Pictures from my past teaching (from top left to bottom right): MIT students with a series of clean water prototypes for a partner organization in India, a hands-on investment casting lab, an end-of-semester project showcase, a Stanford student and her sand cast aluminum espresso press, a Stanford undergraduate advisee and his summer research poster, and a group of Zambian inventors/entrepreneurs and MIT students at the Kafue Innovation Center in Zambia.
Courses Taught
U. San Diego "Engineering & the Health of the Planet
Lead Instructor, 2022-present (three terms, fully virtual)
Masters in Engineering, Sustainability & Health (MESH 501), 10-15 masters students per term
Teach this seven-week course twice per year
Developed by Professor Caroline Baillie, this fully asynchronous online discussion, case-based, and project-based course examines how changes to earth systems, facilitated or exacerbated by technological developments, affect human health, ecosystems, environmental justice and ethics, within political, economic, and social systems. Students develop or enhance their ability to question assumptions and apply critical lenses to a variety of engineering applications.
Stanford “Organizing for Good”
Lead Instructor, 2021 (one term, fully virtual)
Management Science & Engineering (MS&E 188), 32 undergrad and high school students
Adapted this course for fully virtual instruction with Stanford visiting students located on six continents
Developed by Professor Pamela Hinds, this discussion and project-based course examines ways of thinking about when, how, and under what conditions organizations are "doing good" and the intended and unintended impacts that they have on various groups. Students analyzed the activities of a chosen organization alongside their own values and purpose to identify ways in which they may go forth and "do good."
Stanford “Design & Manufacturing”
Lead Course Assistant, 2018-2019 (three terms)
Stanford Mechanical Engineering (ME 103/203), 60-80 undergrad and grad students per quarter
The foundational design and manufacturing course for Stanford engineering undergraduate and graduate students. Students gain practice in milling, turning, casting, welding, and rapid prototyping, then design and produce a product of their own creation
Work closely with Professor Beach to create ME103, a revised undergrad-only version of ME203 with a "chapter" structure and tighter project scoping to facilitate more student reflection and greater equity in the cost to participate in the course
Stanford Product Realization Lab
Course Assistant, 2017-2018 (three terms)
Stanford-wide makerspace, >1,000 students per year
"On duty" 20 hours per week. Ensured safety and coached students in design and making in the campus machine shop, woodshop, foundry, plastics area, welding area, and rapid prototyping space (3D-printers, laser cutters, electronics, etc.)
MIT “D-Lab Earth / Biodiversity”
Co-Instructor, 2012-2016 (five terms)
MIT Edgerton Center (EC.714), 6-12 students per term
A project and community-based design course at the intersection of environmental sustainability, biodiversity conservation, and human well-being
Co-developed and co-taught this course with Ariel Phillips and Jessica Huang
As an example of tension between human and earth systems, tillage (pictured to right) can reduce weeds and improve short-term crop yields, but it also degrades the carbon content of soil (Haddaway, et al., 2016). We need alternatives that sustain soil carbon and grow food production.
Blog post I wrote on this course in 2014
Co-Instructor, 2013-2015 (three terms)
MIT Mechanical Engineering / Edgerton Center (2.729/EC.729), ~20 students per term
A project and client-based design course in which student teams redesign existing impact-focused hardware prototypes for manufacturing and distribution at scale
Co-developed and co-taught with Harald Quintus-Bosz (CTO, Cooper-Perkins), Kate Bergeron (VP hardware engineering, Apple)
MIT “Toy Design" / "Intro to Design"
Lab Instructor, 2014-2016 (three terms)
Mechanical Engineering (2.00/2.00b), coached one team per term (~5 students)
Project-based introductory design courses for freshman and sophomores in ME led by Professors David Wallace and Maria Yang
4th-6th Grade “How Stuff Works” & "Chain Reaction Contraption"
After-school Teacher, 2010-2011 (three terms)
The Advent School (K-6th grade) Afterschool Program
Co-taught "Chain Reaction Contraption" with Natalie Brubaker
Community-engaged Teaching/Learning
(in South America, Southern Africa, & East Africa)
Stanford “Journey of Inquiry,” Rwanda & Kenya
Trip Leader, 2019 (one 3-week trip)
Stanford King Center for Global Development
IDDS Design Summits, Brazil, Ghana & Zambia
Participant, Organizer, & Design Coach, 2009-2013 (five 4-6-week summits)
