Inspire 2026 Faculty on E4 Design Thinking & Rapid Prototyping: From Idea to Innovation Summer Course
"I'm looking forward to engaging with students who are interested and still in that eager state of 'what is engineering all about?'" - Shaylin Williams
Step into the shoes of real-world engineers and inventors this summer with Shaylin in the E4 Design Thinking & Rapid Prototyping: From Idea to Innovation course! Discover the excitement of engineering design and how your ideas can lead to new things. Want to get ahead? Learn more about how to create prototypes for various contextual problems — and the many ways you can apply your interests and strengths to the field — here. Below, meet Shaylin Williams, the instructor for Summer 2026!
Meet Professor Shaylin Williams:
Q: Tell us about your journey into the world of engineering and how you developed your expertise in the field?
A: My journey began in undergrad. I didn’t know any engineering before I went to college, so I chose to pursue this field because I liked STEM classes in high school. Throughout my involvement in a lot of student programs and organizations, I was able to form communities within STEM, sparking my interest in engineering, STEM, education, and teaching at a university level.
Q: What knowledge and skills can students expect to learn in E4 Design Thinking & Rapid Prototyping: From Idea to Innovation this summer?
A: The big focus of the class is rapid prototyping, innovation, and creativity. Our theme for the week is “idea to invention.” Students will learn essential skills related to design thinking and the engineering design process. We will explore and develop a variety of technical and professional skills.
Q: Do students need a background in engineering to be successful in this class?
A: No. Everything that we’ll go through within the class will be prefaced with some information. We will talk about all the concepts, software, and skills they’ll need. There’s nothing to study beforehand or come in already knowing.
Q: What advice do you have for students interested in taking E4 Design Thinking & Rapid Prototyping: From Idea to Innovation this summer?
A: Come in and be yourself! We will have interactive sessions and activities catered toward bringing ideas to life. Throughout this process, students will begin to figure out what they can bring into engineering, whether that’s certain skills, the ways that they think, or how they solve problems.
Q: What are you most looking forward to about Inspire this summer?
A: I’m looking forward to engaging with students who are interested and still in that eager state of “what is engineering all about?”and just seeing them grow. I hope to instill in them some type of interest that will stay with them as they go back to the rest of their high school years and as they consider higher education as an option. I’m looking forward to being a mentor they can always reach back out to!
This course is part of a four-part series: E4 Exploring Exciting Engineering Essentials. Other courses in the series include:
- Mission: Engineering
- Teamwork and Leadership in Engineering
- Engineering for Human Health: A Dive into Biomedical Engineering