Local Innovators Shine: Southwestern University Students Showcase Projects at 2024 King Creativity Symposium

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The 2024 King Creativity Symposium at Southwestern University displayed the talents and innovative ideas of its students, supported by the King Creativity Fund. This fund allows students to undertake unique projects that push academic boundaries and introduce new methods. This year, the symposium included 19 students, known as King Scholars, who presented their projects in various disciplines.

One project, 'Clicks in Time' by Garcia Robles, combined a music box's mechanics with marionette puppetry. The project used the image of a baby bird to explore life's fleeting moments, showing both technical skill and creative thought.

Another project, 'Framing Texas: Highlighting the Marginalized Groups Who’ve Built Our Lone Star State,' by Aleena Khan, Natasha Ndele, and others, focused on the contributions of enslaved people, immigrants, and minorities to Texas history. They made quilts in the shape of Texas to contrast the state's popular image with its difficult histories, sparking discussions on Texas' true history.

'The Mechanical Man,' by Angel Rodriguez and Noor Nazeer, used motors and sensors in an installation to mimic human emotions and physical responses, reflecting common human experiences.

Annalina Slover and her team addressed environmental and biological engineering issues with their 'Robotic Plant Growth System.' They developed a robotic system to automatically adjust light and water for plants, demonstrating an innovative use of robotics in agriculture.

Lastly, Taylor Dean and Madison Deitch's project focused on medical rehabilitation, creating a harness-assisted treadmill for individuals with Cerebral Palsy. Their device improved mobility and strength in a young adult with Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy, showing the potential of new technologies in enhancing life quality for those with physical disabilities.