NYC Gazette

During a session of the Critical Making course at Steinhardt, Clinical Associate Professor Cyd Cipolla turned off the lights to highlight Aidan Donev's project. Donev, a student from Steinhardt '26, showcased a spiked choker illuminated with NeoPixels in blue, red, and purple while playing "Red Light" by Siouxsie and the Banshees. He explained how he programmed the NeoPixels and speaker for his final project.

The course encourages students to engage with software and hardware to create technology-based products. On presentation day, students gathered around a table filled with blinking lights, circuits, and wires to present their projects, including mini robots and illuminated clothing.

The course has no engineering prerequisites and aims to make science and technology accessible to nonspecialists through collaboration. “The expectation is that they have no coding or making experience,” Cipolla says. “They should have a level of curiosity, and they should be willing to be frustrated by the work they're doing."

Cipolla addresses barriers in pursuing programming and engineering fields among underrepresented groups. “The larger question becomes how do we make science and technology more inclusive where people of all levels of education and understanding can feel welcome?” she says.

Final projects are the result of months of lab work involving programming with NeoPixels, motors, sensors, and microcontroller boards. Harper Lin (Steinhardt ’26), another student without prior experience in coding or robotics, created an animatronic eye as social commentary on anxiety.

In addition to lab work, the syllabus includes readings on cyborg theory and accessibility in maker spaces. “I learned that tinkering with the physical material of technology is essential for anyone seeking to understand the societal, cultural, and political implications of the technologies we use every day,” Harper adds.

Students faced challenges during their projects but relied on each other for troubleshooting. “We are in a collaborative working space," says Cipolla. "So when we’re in the lab, the directive is to ask each other for help.”

Each student creates a website with instructions for their project as part of knowledge sharing within the DIY community. Aidan Donev expressed his satisfaction: “This experience will help me in the future with design... The freedom to explore your interests within the context of the class was helpful in learning new skills that I can apply to my career.”