Integrating Art in Materials Science Education: An Interdisciplinary STEAM Course on Metal Craft for Engineering Students

We introduced an innovative interdisciplinary STEAM course for undergraduates in collaboration with the College of Fine Arts, titled “Metal Craft for Engineering Students.” Designed for freshmen, this course enables students to create their own metal crafts under the guidance of Fine Arts professors. Although most participants were new to hands-on activities, they engaged in metal craftwork such as casting, hammering, and polishing, all while utilizing CAD/CAM programs for design. In conjunction with the practical craftwork, introductory lectures on physical metallurgy topics like hardening, annealing, and dislocation were delivered, contextualizing the applied theories. This hands-on approach allowed students to directly observe material thermodynamic and deformation phenomena. By melding fabrication techniques with scientific principles, the course offers a comprehensive understanding of materials science. Feedback has shown high student satisfaction, underscoring our belief that the course not only broadens perspectives but also ignites an interest in multidisciplinary research. Notably, it fills a critical void for materials science students who typically lack hands-on fabrication experience due to a curriculum predominantly focused on analysis, characterization, and theoretical modeling.