Professor Vijay Modi, Columbia University

George's Introduction:

How many of us recall learning for the sake of learning? I recall the 'first' introduction of 'Square Root' in the class room. I blame it on my fourth grade teacher, as I never liked her; and she had little tolerance for my hobbies, namely bringing mechanical and electrical toys to school and playing with them instead of listening to her often boring instruction. 

Mrs Owens started out.. "Today Boys and girls, we will learn Square Root" I sat in back of the class room asking myself, "what the heck am I going to use this for?" I could be wrong, but I don't remember the subject ever coming up, and I don't think anyone in the class had the same need to know why we were going to learn Square Root.  Moments later, I caught myself day dreaming about sinking a 55 gallon barrel in the lake, and trying to figure out just how many pounds of rocks I'd need to sink one full of air. I'd use one with an open end, and use rope to tie it to a big bag of rocks. I'd swim down and enter the barrel and kids would wonder just where I went. Now how do I determine how many rocks? 

Mrs Owens had a big wooden paddle, and I got it more than anyone in that class. My wife came across my 4th grade report card about a month ago, unimpressive in deed, and the note to my Parents that George needed to leave his toys at home :-) As to why I remember some of these details for nearly 50 years? Mrs. Owens sent me to the Principal's office for not paying attention, while there I found the Principal a pretty interesting guy, after getting the required scolding, I got him interested in my barrel sinking exercise; and off the top of his head he helped me calculate the area of the barrel, the displacement, and we figured out the weight of that bag of rocks I'd need. I was pretty impressed with the process, and had a better appreciation for Math. My bet is this Principal was a DIYer all the way, but our paths never crossed again, I think he moved onto a larger pond shortly after.     

Professor Vijay Modi

Imagine learning by doing, imagine a project where you actually discover the need to know square root to solve the problem! I would bet that this would be Prof Modi's approach to teaching a student Square root.

I was privileged to receive an email from  Prof Modi in October of 2005 about selecting a slow speed Lister CS clone. Early in 2006 it was mounted in the LAB in the Columbia U Mechanical Engineering department! You can imagine the red tape, "and engine running in doors!" What about carbon monoxide and poisoning everyone? Just an example of hurdles that Modi, peers, and students cleared to 'get er done!'

Imagine Giving Students a project to study a fuel, to document all aspects of the project. To develop hardware, Protocols for testing, building interfaces and sensors to interface to lab equipment! Figuring efficiencies, calculating losses, measuring, and reporting!

All we need to do is look into the eyes of these students in the group photo, and you KNOW of their excitement in being involved with this Modi conceived project. And the learning taking place is exactly what the real word is in desperate need of.

Matt Basinger is making a proposal to Further Study JSVO as a fuel. If Matt is successful in selling this proposal to Prof Modi, AND finding funding, the DIYer movement might help identify that funding. I will add more to this page as I lean of the outcome.

Matt follows Nate Beckett and his group who took top honors in competition with nine other projects for their work in setting up this engine, for research. 

I hope there is more news to post here soon..

          Here's the Link Matt Basinger sent me.

Hats off to Prof Modi, the world needs more like him.. 

Thank you Matt for Sharing this data with the DIYer public!