2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Making is a growing movement comprised of Do-It-Together and building shared activities and projects. The classic Frankenstein story is emblematic of making both thematically as combining physical parts (such as Frankenstein’s Monster) as well as an evolution of a shared cultural story and touchstone (the book adapted to stage to movies). The 200th anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein1 will be observed in 2018, giving reason enough to make such connections. Frankenstein, both in story and evolution, demonstrate “additive innovation”2. Interest in Frankenstein supports further research efforts to communicate and raise conversation about the social-technical literacy that will be developed as part of a larger project to build a transmedia museum. Guided by a learning framework and goals and outcomes to foster a public discussion of science, technology and society, a set of super low-cost, hands-on activities is imagined to support a larger effort exploring the popularity and utility of the Frankenstein story to build science, technology, and engineering literacy. This paper describes some of that thinking as well as one specific activity developed around a scribbling bot deployed in engineering outreach settings to support such a dialogue in the public about science and technology.