What type of supplies do you typically order? I order specific parts or supplies that individual teams need. Since teams are building prototypes, they don’t usually order in bulk, but it’s a lot of small orders, including specialized hardware, tubing, wire, etc. In many cases the teams use materials on hand to begin the process. Each team is given a budget, and I’m responsible for tracking their expenditures. Once orders arrive, I disperse packages. With 80 teams participating last year, that’s a lot of orders. Let’s just say the delivery guys and I are on a first-name basis by the end of the year. Do you maintain the OEDK equipment? If for some reason one of our machines is not functioning properly, I, along with other team members, try to repair or restore it. However there are times we aren’t able to effectively correct the problem and additional help is needed. We always try, though.
A Ca rlo s o f A l l T rade s
Carlos Amaro
has a diverse background — from the petrochemical industry to satellite communications to hands-on electronics experience with the U.S. Navy — that combined has well prepared him for his current role as the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen’s (OEDK) engineering design technician.
As a technician at the OEDK, Amaro wears many hats. Since coming to Rice in 2006, his job description has evolved to meet the needs of the facility and that of the students who are designing and implementing projects for realworld problems. And he stands at the ready to be sure they have what they need, be it tape, specialized tools or advice. When classes are in full swing, what is a typical day like for you at the OEDK? They can be relatively stress-free, or I can be Photo: Jeff Fitlow
inundated the minute I walk through the door. The spring semester is the busiest [design projects are coming to fruition]. I serve as a resource to answer questions and give advice or guidance, especially during the development of the teams’ prototypes. I am there to troubleshoot with individual teams and lend a hand when something isn’t working out like they had hoped. Beyond that, I do everything from emptying garbage cans when necessary to ordering paper for printers and specific parts for design teams. Did I mention orders?
Are there any projects you’ve seen take shape in the OEDK that stand out more than others? I see amazing things here all the time. But if I had to pick one or two projects, it would be the Dose Right or bCPAP devices, which were created here and are out in the real world giving people a chance at life that they might not normally have. I have had a lot of interaction with these teams, and it was great to see the ideas turn into helpful tools. The simplicity in the designs and functions are almost too good to be true. Overall, this facility and the students have produced some truly amazing solutions. What’s been the biggest benefit of gathering all these resources under one roof? I’ve seen the addition of new courses to the engineering curriculum as a result of increased interest among incoming students. After touring the facility, many prospective students see what’s in store for them and often choose to come to Rice because of the impression the OEDK has on them. Plus, we frequently provide tours to administrators from other institutions. It’s neat to hear that other places are starting up similar facilities and referring to them as ‘design kitchens.’ —Tracey Rhoades Note: This fall, the OEDK will open an additional 6,000 square feet of work space with 24 more work tables to augment the existing 12,000 square feet and 36 work tables. S u m m e r 2 0 1 3 · R i ce M a g a z i n e
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