Introduction to Industrial Design 3D Printing, CNC machining, and robotic automation have transformed how objects are designed, prototyped, and manufactured. In this course we will learn fundamental 3D solid modeling techniques, iterative design strategies and fundamental additive and subtractive manufacturing techniques. Every class will be hands-on and fully immersed in the high-tech tools of the industrial design process. Students will leave with a strong conceptual understanding of 3D solid modeling, printing, and machining, and an independent final project.

Design Lab I High quality design succeeds through problem solving and iteration. In this studio course, students first each identify a problem and devise a solution that that uses high-tech equipment like CNC fabrication, robotics, 3D printing, laser cutting, or 2D/3D graphics. They also build a production calendar with at least two design iterations toward a final deliverable. And then they head out on the adventure of project work where they discover the unforeseen surprises, knowledge and experience gaps, and calendar setbacks that define serious design work. The outcome is a final deliverable in metal, wood, plastic, or pixels.

Design Lab II In this collaborative follow-up to Design Lab 1, students move beyond their independent practice and work with a project partner (a professor or instructor, a not-for-profit or business collaborator) to identify a real-world problem. Students conduct outreach, research, planning, execution, revision, and final delivery of a solution to the problem defined. Along the way, they practice effective communication with their partner toward the goal of building strong relationships with entities on- and off-campus.

Intro to 3D Industrial Design 3D Printing and CNC machining have transformed how objects are designed, prototyped, and manufactured. In this course we will learn fundamental 3D solid modeling techniques, iterative design strategies, and a working knowledge of additive and subtractive manufacturing techniques. Every class will be hands- on and fully immersed in the high-tech tools of the industrial design process. Students will leave with a strong conceptual understanding of 3D solid modeling, printing and machining, and an independent final project.

Worldbuilding In this course we will critically examine fictional worlds in literature, cinema, and games. Worldbuilding synthesizes and transforms our understanding of reality into fantastic settings in literature, movies, and video games. We will critically examine the multidisciplinary use of origin stories, symbols and myths, invented histories, and imagined geographies in constructing new universes. Among the questions we will consider are: How do we conceive of coherent places and times? What real world consequences do fictional worlds have on popular beliefs and practices? Students will design their own well-researched and richly detailed worlds during the semester.

3D Computer Animation 3D computer animation has revolutionized animation, graphics, and special effects.  In this course students will explore basic 3D modeling techniques, virtual material and texture creation, digital lighting, rendering, and animation.  Every workshop will be hands on and fully immersed in this rapidly evolving technology.  Students will leave with a strong conceptual understanding of the 3D graphics pipeline, a fundamental 3D skill set, options for further study, and an independent final animation project. 3 hrs. workshop

Data Science Across Disciplines In this course, we will gain exposure to the entire data science pipeline—obtaining and cleaning large and messy data sets, exploring these data and creating engaging visualizations, and communicating insights from the data in a meaningful manner. During morning sessions, we will learn the tools and techniques required to explore new and exciting data sets. During afternoon sessions, students will work in small groups with one of several faculty members on domain-specific research projects in Sociology, Neuroscience, Animation, Art History, or Environmental Science. This course will utilize the R programming language. No prior experience with R is necessary. ENVS: Students will engage in research within environmental health science—the study of reciprocal relationships between human health and the environment. High-quality data and the skills to make sense of these data are key to studying environmental health across diverse spatial scales, from individual cells through human populations. In this course, we will explore common types of data and analytical tools used to answer environmental health questions and inform policy. FMMC: Students will explore how to make a series of consequential decisions about how to present data and how to make it clear, impactful, emotional or compelling. In this hands-on course we will use a wide range of new and old art making materials to craft artistic visual representations of data that educate, entertain, and persuade an audience with the fundamentals of data science as our starting point. NSCI/MATH: Students will use the tools of data science to explore quantitative approaches to understanding and visualizing neural data. The types of neural data that we will study consists of electrical activity (voltage and/or spike trains) measured from individual neurons and can be used to understand how neurons respond to and process different stimuli (e.g., visual or auditory cues). Specifically, we will use this neural data from several regions of the brain to make predictions about neuron connectivity and information flow within and across brain regions. SOCI: Students will use the tools of data science to examine how experiences in college are associated with social and economic mobility after college.  Participants will combine sources of "big data" with survey research to produce visualizations and exploratory analyses that consider the importance of higher education for shaping life chances.  HARC: Students will use the tools of data science to create interactive visualizations of the Dutch textile trade in the early eighteenth century. These visualizations will enable users to make connections between global trade patterns and representations of textiles in paintings, prints, and drawings.

Daniel Houghton

Reviews and ratings for Daniel Houghton at Middlebury College.Daniel Houghton teaches Intro to Industrial Design, Design Lab I, Design Lab II and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Daniel Houghton good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

Daniel is one of the most passionate and intelligent professors you'll come across at Middlebury. I've been lucky enough to take two of his classes which has given me the opportunity to work on larger projects. There is very little that is more fulfilling then working hard on a project you can call your own, and Daniel ensures that there is no hand-holding in the process, you're really on your own to an extent. He's very helpful of course but the goal is to make it as close to reality as possible: you have a client, a deadline, and a product to present. I wouldn't reccommend the makerspace more. I think anyone who has worked in the space would agree. 

This was a very engaging and fun class. I found working through the different video modules to be an effective way to learn at my own pace. Using the CNC can be stressful because it is such an expensive piece of equipment but it was really cool to learn how to use. I definitely gained an appreciation for the prototyping and manufacturing process. 

This class is very hands-on and essentially has a series of asynchronous modules you work through over the class. You basically learn to use each tool in the makerspace and woodshop, which then qualifies you to go in and do you own projects as well! It’s very flexible, and you can replace up to two weeks of modules with a mini independent project of your choice as well. 