Subject Listings

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.

View subject listing

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.

View subject listing

Opportunity for independent study under regular supervision by a staff member. Projects require prior approval, as well as a written proposal and final report.

View subject listing

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.

View subject listing

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.

View subject listing

Build your own bicycle

Students will each manufacture a steel single speed bicycle frame, install parts, and ride it. Students will meet with instructors for a required meeting in December to choose geometry. MIG welding training is a prerequisite and will not be taught as part of this course. One complete set of components needed to make the bike rideable will be provided.

Interested students will need to be available for December meeting with instructor. Contact Jack Whipple (whipple@) directly to confirm prereq and confirm December meeting date.

View subject listing

Manufacture a steel single speed bicycle frame, install parts, and ride it. Students will meet with D-Lab instructors for a required meeting in December to choose geometry. MIG welding training is a prerequisite and will not be taught as part of this course. One complete set of components needed to make the bike rideable will be provided.

For credit, 2 units.  Five students only, undergrad or grad.

Interested students will need to be available for December meeting with instructor. Contact Jack Whipple (whipple@) directly to confirm prereq and confirm December meeting date.  Twenty additional hours to be scheduled with Instructor in shared lab space.

View subject listing

PCBs!!!!!!!!! This class teaches the basics of Printed-Circuit-Board (PCB) schematic design, layout engineering, population, and debugging. General engineering design principals provide a base for learning for the entire class, hands-on education is also stressed through lab components.

Class contains three tracks. Track 1: little to no experience with electrical design or PCBs in general, students design and build a bluetooth speaker. Track 2: more extensive prior experience, students build a more complex project, focus on motors and motor control. Track 3: extensive design experience, focus on special topics including flexible PCBs and RF. All tracks meet together. Class additionally covers details on batteries, impedance matching, motors, motor control, RF, flexible PCBs, design for manufacturing, and analysis.

You WILL BUILD THINGS IN THIS CLASS, this includes the PCB you design. We will teach you to solder microcontrollers, populate small components with precision, and how to SYSTEMATICALLY test and debug your PCB. Order of population and testing is stressed, by-hand population is required. 

NO EXPERIENCE IS REQUIRED, OPEN TO ALL. Uses the industry-standard software Altium Designer (licenses provided).

Click for Class website

View subject listing

Students will each manufacture a functioning internal combustion engine. Advanced mill and lathe skills, both CNC and manual, will be taught and practiced. Previous milling or turning experience is good to have but not required. All materials and tools will be provided.
Very limited spaces.

View subject listing

Undergraduate research opportunities in the Edgerton Center. Throughout the year, the Edgerton Center sponsors a variety of UROP positions ranging from electronics and design projects to teaching 4th to 8th graders. (P/D/F)

View subject listing

Undergraduate research opportunities in the Edgerton Center. Throughout the year, the Edgerton Center sponsors a variety of UROP positions ranging from electronics and design projects to teaching 4th to 8th graders.

View subject listing