Project opportunities for Spring 2021

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These projects are learning opportunities for the Spring 2021 semester. Some of the projects below were started in the current fall semester. They serve as an inspiration rather than a strict to-do list.

Be part of an experiment

  • This experiment is new to all of us. What do you think this experience should look like?
  • Sense emerging future opportunities for change, and decide what you want to contribute to and do it.
  • Document for the future for others to build on your

Animal/gardening

  • take care of our future pig
  • maintain beds, plant seeds
  • work on making greenhouses to grow tropical fruits
  • learn how to butcher, harvest animals

Wildlife

  • observe the animals/plants/ecosystem and talk about bio-mimicry in tech
  • forage for food
  • wild-craft herbal medicines

Independent studies that need to be continued

Community building

  • What does it take to live in an intimate community of ten or more people?
  • Intentional community engagement - how to address conflicts, balance community needs, develop relationships
  • Ceremonies, intentional group meetings, parties
  • Being immersed in a supportive off-grid farm community

Direct action/social justice

  • Anti-racism literature and talks with Supa and Elizabeth
  • Be part of an experiment - this is something new for everyone. What opportunities do you see?
  • How to leverage our collective network to co-create lasting change
  • Humanitarian outreach and design for people who need your help as an artist, engineer, and thinker
  • Learn how to take a stance and become an activist: make stickers, raise money, read about systemic injustice
  • Engage in or create an activist community. What does it mean to be an activist and engineer/designer?

Art, sewing, crafting, cooking

  • Light Installation that tells us the battery status in a non-numerical way
  • Make your own earrings out of clay
  • Thread bracelets,
  • Screen printing
  • Use the 30 acres on the farm to install your art installations

Inclusive design and accessibilty

  • Inclusive cabin design for the elderly

Electrical/technical work

  • Wireless Arduino-based control system to regulate power consumption from the fridge. Measure input from the solar panels, wind turbine and determine if we have enough electricity to run the fridge.
  • Deep-cycle battery maintenance and protection
  • Wind turbine power electronics - see Wind turbine system
  • Weather station to data log and measure wind speed, temperature, air pressure
  • Internet optimization with LTE antennas, Wifi extenders
  • Micro-hydro brushless generator maintenance
  • Backup self-starting generator electricity supply

Carpentry and wood working

  • Furniture
  • Mechanical prototyping
  • Interior architecture
  • Small tool cabin building

Building stuff - mechanical building/design

  • Solar panel panning mechanism to track sun; integration of sunlight sensor to self-calibrate
  • 3 kW wind turbine blade design and iteration on current design
  • Solar hot water system
  • Innovative way of washing clothes - potentially a bike-powered washing machine

Tree house

  • Build safely up in the trees in a harness

Logistics and project/group management

  • How do you organize a semester experience for 12 people?
  • Project planning and group communication
  • Food budgeting for a large group
  • Reaching out to sponsors, fundraising, leveraging our communal power
  • Sliding-scale monetary contribution, ethical group economics