EAGER: Craft and Circuit: Engaging Youth in Advanced Paper-Based Electronics Education

About This Grant

Paper-based electronics offer a creative and accessible entry point for STEM education, grounded in the rich tradition of papercrafting. However, most K-12 education tools and activities remain focused on introductory concepts, leaving a gap in opportunities for advanced electronics learning. This project aims to address the gap by integrating emerging printed electronics techniques with craft-friendly conductive materials, such as conductive paint, ink, and spray, to support more complex, engaging experiences. For example, inkjet printing with metal-based inks enables circuit fabrication directly on paper, while origami-based techniques with thin-film materials can create self-powered interfaces. These innovations can transform paper into a versatile platform for both introductory and advanced electronics, connecting craft with essential skills and knowledge in microelectronics. Although techniques like inkjet and stencil printing with silver or carbon inks show promise in research, their application has been largely confined to laboratory environments. This project seeks to adapt these methods for educational contexts, advancing electronics education and inspiring youth to explore pathways into the microelectronics workforce. This project will investigate how to engage youth makers in electronics education by introducing paper-based electronics, ranging from basic components (e.g., switches, registers) to more advanced ones (e.g., transistors, capacitors, and integrated circuits). The project will focus on innovating paper-based electronics through emerging printed electronics technologies, connecting the hands-on, creative traditions of papercrafts with advanced electronics fabrication and exploration. Collaborating with Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking at Georgia Tech, which showcases paper-based art and science and provides hands-on workshops for youth and families, the project will examine the feasibility of designed electronics materials by conducting a series of youth co-design workshops at the museum and generate evaluative insights into how paper-based electronics can contribute to both approachable and advanced electronics education. The objectives of this project are twofold: (1) to establish a foundational understanding of how emerging fabrication technologies can be integrated into youth papercrafting for innovative electronics education, focusing on the impact on participants’ knowledge and interests in electronics, and (2) to identify scalable and educationally viable approaches to paper-based electronics for more advanced electronics education. The study outcomes will be featured in a special exhibition at the museum and youth participants from the studies will be invited for a summer internship at Georgia Tech’s WISH (Wearable Intelligent Systems and Healthcare) center. This project is funded by the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program, which seeks to advance new approaches to, and evidence-based understanding of STEM learning in informal environments. This includes providing everyone multiple pathways for accessing and engaging in STEM learning experiences. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.