Fab Lab ICC manager, Tim Haynes (left), and ICC music Instructor, Matt Carter with the guitars they each made at the STEM Guitar Institute in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Matt Carter, music instructor at Independence Community College (ICC), and Tim Haynes, Fab Lab ICC manager recently attended a STEM guitar institute in Oklahoma City where they constructed guitars and became certified to teach the course themselves.
The duo participated in the five-day institute where they learned hands-on instruction and spent over 50 hours studying the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) applications as they relate to the guitar design.
“I am not an engineer, so a lot of the practice that goes into the design was over my head,” said Carter. “Be we learned everything from the body and neck to the soldering and wiring that goes into each instrument.”
Both individuals gained certification from the institute and plan to bring their new-found skill to the ICC community. Carter is already working on ways to incorporate the class objectives into his music program at ICC, while Haynes will be offering guitar construction at the Fab Lab.
“The STEM Guitar training has given us the tools to make guitar building a fun, impactful tool for teaching advanced manufacturing concepts to any age group,” said Haynes. “The joy of guitar building isn’t just for musicians or tinkerers. It’s for anyone who enjoys making things with their hands, and we think that’s everybody.
According to their website (guitarbuilding.org), the goal and objective of the STEM Guitar Building Institutes is to showcase a new way to present learning for students with applied methods.
The focus areas of the STEM Guitar institutes include electric guitar, CNC guitar fabrication, and acoustic guitar.
The ICC pair attended the electric guitar course and are eager to introduce the materials to students.
“Matt and I are thrilled to bring what we learned back to ICC, so we can share it with students and the community in the coming semesters,” said Haynes.
To learn more about the institute, visit guitarbuilding.org and to learn more about the offerings at ICC visit indycc.edu.