Show Notes:
Diego kicks off the conversation with a quick review of his career path, which included working at a business school in Barcelona, consulting in biotech and healthcare, and working as product manager and product running product groups. He then went back to business school. He talks about his job at the business school in Barcelona and what prompted him to take it. He explains that the opportunity arose through a professor he knew, and the timing of the 1992 Olympics made it hard to resist. He shares his insights on Catalonia's cultural differences and the importance of knowing Catalan.
Educational Toys and Founding Imagination Supply Co.
Diego's current work is with educational toys and ed tech. He discusses his exposure to the case study method of teaching, which he found valuable and enjoyable and describes his transition from biotech to setting up a maker space at his daughter's school and becoming a resident tinkerer. He explains the challenges he faced with existing products for teaching electronics and coding, leading him to start Imagination Supply Co. Diego introduces the product line "Electrify" and its focus on making learning about electronics and coding engaging and accessible.
The Very Useful Monster Project Design
Diego elaborates on the "Very Useful Monster" project, which teaches coding through a constructivist learning approach. He discusses the importance of creating products that align with how he believes these subjects should be taught. Diego shares examples of his products, such as a vibrating motor project for exploring the engineering process. He contrasts the traditional pinewood derby project with his approach, emphasizing the importance of iterative learning.
Addressing the “Fear Pyramid”
The conversation turns to the impact of Diego's products on students and teachers. Diego highlights the engagement and transformation he sees in students who build and code their own projects. He notes the unexpected benefit of making teaching more accessible to teachers, who often feel intimidated by STEM subjects. Diego explains the concept of the "fear pyramid" in teaching, where teachers feel increasingly uncomfortable with more advanced subjects like coding.
Diego's Background as a Tinkerer
Diego has a history as a tinkerer and he talks about his interest in building things. He recounts his experience at Harvard, where he took a machine shop class and built a cannon as a project. He shares his independent study project to measure the power output of a cyclist's pedal stroke, which involved designing and building a full pedal.
Maker Spaces in Education
Diego explains the initial enthusiasm and funding for maker spaces, particularly through DARPA's Mentor Maker Spaces program. He discusses the various goals of maker spaces, such as teaching hands-on making, STEM, and problem-solving through design thinking. Diego highlights the challenges of articulating the purpose of maker spaces and the different approaches taken by schools like Nueva and Lick-Wilmerding.
Biotech Venture and Lessons Learned
Diego talks about his experience working with the biotech company, Sutro Biopharma. He explains how he got involved in the company through a class at Stanford and its focus on cell-free protein synthesis. He also discusses the challenges of working in biotech, including the hierarchical nature of the industry.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Diego highlights the impact of John Stilgoe's "Gas Stations" class, which taught him to observe and question the built environment. He shares how this approach influenced his thinking and approach to problem-solving. Diego also reflects on his involvement in rowing and cycling at Harvard, and how these activities have continued to be important in his life.
Timestamps:
03:47: Opportunity in Barcelona and Cultural Insights
06:19: Educational Toys and Imagination Supply Co.
09:24: Product Design and Teaching Methods
13:18: Impact on Students and Teachers
17:03: Diego's Background as a Tinkerer
22:21: The Rise and Fall of Maker Spaces
26:58: Life as an Empty Nester
31:29: Biotech Venture and Lessons Learned
Links:
Lectrify website: https://www.lectrify.it/
Featured Non-profit:
This featured non-profit of this week’s episode is recommended by Kerry Dean Carso who reports:
“Hi, I'm Kerry Dean Carso, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Children's Hospital Colorado, as a nationally ranked pediatric hospital. Children's Hospital Colorado cares for families throughout Colorado and surrounding states. My brother works for the Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation, and I'm proud of the work he does to raise funds for the hospital and its mission of improving the health of children in the Rocky Mountain region. You can learn more about their work@www.childrenscolorado.org and now here is Will Bachmann with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work, visit: www.childrenscolorado.org
