Aaron Cantrell's Division III

Prateek Rajbhandari's Photography and Engineering

NAME: Prateek Rajbhandari

WORK: Prateek is an adaptive equipment designer at the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services, and is a contributing photographer to several newspapers, including the New York Times Already an accomplished photographer when he came to Hampshire, Prateek continued his study of photography as well as learning design and fabrication with a focus on human-powered technology. His Division III included the EV-XI, a collaborative design/build project of an electric vehicle, as well as a black and white photography installation.

HCLC EXPERIENCE: Already an accomplished photographer when he came to Hampshire, Prateek continued his study of photography as well as learning design and fabrication with a focus on human-powered technology. His Division III included the EV-XI, a collaborative design/build project of an electric vehicle, as well as a black and white photography installation.  Read more>>

IN YOUR OWN WORDS: “I need a reason and motivation to learn what I am learning and to be able to test its applicability while doing so. Hampshire’s educational structure lets me do just that.”

Creativity, Collaboration and Change

Earlier this month Hampshire announced plans for a new Creativity Center, whose purpose is to foster and support interdisciplinary and collaborative creative work through innovative curriculum, spaces and events. Launched by a $500,000 donation from designer and entrepreneur Eileen Fisher, the Center will "help students, faculty, staff, and alumni connect in physical and intellectual settings designed to spark creativity and social change. It will support new pedagogical approaches and curriculum development, including re-imagining existing courses as well as faculty and student projects."

Read more about the Creativity Center here.

The Center was featured in an article in the Daily Hampshire Gazette.

Project Description

Paths to Sustainability

Projects from the 2010-11 cycle of the Tim Harkness Fund for Invention approached the issues of sustainability and renewable energy from the perspectives of ergonomics, history, and community. Students and alums worked independently and in teams to solve problems of transportation, construction with limited resources, and updating conventional methods of power generation. Out of these processes emerged several impressive products.

Prone Bike with Spindle Hub, Christopher Camp.  This Division III project (above left)  is a prototype of a novel way to route a drivetrain for pedal powered vehicles. The spindle hub allows a vehicle to be pedaled from the center of the drive wheel. The design incorporates a circuitous drivetrain, so named because the energy starts and ends in the same place, and follows a simple circuit in order to get from the pedals to the wheel. This type of drivetrain may be useful for people who want to build unicycles, recumbent bicycles, or prone position bicycles, and allows them to be more energy efficient.

Scale Electric Vehicle, Jack Lindsay.  Jack's Division III project (above right) was the design and construction of an electric vehicle that contains two efficiency components: an advanced hub motor and regenerative braking. Hub motors are a recent innovation not yet incorporated into any major electric car concept. Combined with regenerative brakes, they provide a simple, rugged system able to deliver large amounts of power with few losses.

Solar Powered Steam Engine, Joseph Oakley.  For his Division III (above center), Joe modified the design of an existing steam engine (Robert Green's Green Steam Engine) to slightly improve its efficiency. He fabricated the machine as well as a small boiler, which he connected to a Fresnel lens, which focuses solar energy in a manner similar to a magnifying glass. By using this lens to heat water in the boiler, he could generate steam that would then power the engine.

The EV-XI, Jake Horsey and Prateek Rajbhandari.  The EV-XI is a collaborative thesis project by Division III students Jake Horsey and Prateek Rajbhandari. The goal of this project is to engage with the process of vehicle design and understand what it means to develop a transportation technology. To that end, the students are attempting to answer the question: Can we design and manufacture an 'alternative' vehicle that satisfies  commuter requirements, efficiently utilizes non-petrol based energy, and  delivers an exciting and engaging user experience?  Read more>

The Solar Plugin, January Term 2011 Class. Under the guidance of instructors Donna Cohn and Beth Ferguson, the Janterm class designed and built a mobile electric charging station that uses four roof-mounted solar panels to charge electronic devices and appliances. Students intended the station to be used on campus, and considered the Hampshire community's needs while developing the design.  Read more>

Social Change One Grant at a Time

Bringing Stitching Back

Green Dreams

Aaron Wieler

Art and Social Change in Atlanta