Graduation is an opportunity not only to celebrate the qualifications of Stellenbosch University’s (SU) students, but also the creativity that stems from the pursuit of academic excellence.
As part of her final-year project, Ella Gardiner, who received her degree in Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at SU’s December graduation this week, has developed a unique educational toy to inspire South African girls to follow careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem).
She created a cute solar-powered unicorn that can walk and flap its wings accompanied by a beautiful storybook explaining how a mechanical toy works.
The new graduate was inspired by the American toy company Goldieblox, which was founded by engineering graduate Debbie Sterling, who recognised a gap in the toy market for promoting Stem toys for girls.
The topic was proposed by her lecturer Deborah Blaine, an associate professor in the Mechanics Division. “When I was choosing a topic for my final year project, this specific one captivated me as it was unique,” Gardiner said. “I liked the idea of being able to combine creativity with engineering to make something that would have an impact on little girls who weren’t as fortunate as I was to be exposed to the possibility of engineering.”
Her unicorn comprises separate pieces a child can assemble into the animal while following the story of Aisha, a little girl who wants to see her unicorn come to life. Core engineering concepts are explained, such as how a photovoltaic cell provides solar power to a motor and how the motor drives a gearbox that, in turn, works a crank-and-shaft mechanism.
Although there are affordable and accessible Stem toys available in South Africa they do not specifically cater to girls. While the Goldieblox concept has succeeded in America it does not market its products in Africa, and importing the toys is expensive, according to Gardiner.
Inspiration also came from personal experience. “I remember as a child seeing all these cool robot toys that one could build oneself, and I always wished I could have that, but only if they could be pink, sparkly and pretty.
“Growing up, my older brother and I got a lot of hand-me-down toys from friends, so we usually ended up with a mix of toys where we would construct the most fascinating worlds for our characters. I also had my doll house and Barbie collection, as any young girl would. But my favourite was Lego. I would spend months saving my pocket money to purchase a new set to add to my collection. Even today I wish I could buy all the cool sets they have available, and I love to see how many more girly sets they are starting to make.”
In addition to designing and constructing the toy, Gardiner wanted to find a way to make it accessible to the average South African schoolgirl. This is where the accompanying storybook comes in.
She said: “The storybook is such a powerful tool as it allowed me to create a character that could act as a Stem role-model to girls who may not have one, while also explaining the inner workings of the toy to the child. I approached it by taking the engineering concepts to their basics while ensuring the information remained accurate and then added the visual appeal for children by using lots of pictures to aid in conveying the information.”
While she enjoys art and would love to have illustrated the book herself, time constraints meant she had to get help with this. She designed the book and content and collaborated with a digital arts student from Wits University, Tamara Tesoriero, who brought the story to life.
The reaction to Gardiner’s innovation has been overwhelming. “Everyone loved it. I’ve received so much positive feedback through the project. I think people enjoyed seeing something that looked pretty in the engineering faculty. It was a fun project, which comes through when people look at the end result. I’m really happy about that, as it is after all a toy.”
She considers herself fortunate to have grown up in a family where she was told she could become anything as long as she worked hard.
“Both my parents have obtained Stem degrees; my mother studied botany and zoology at SU and my father entomology at Rhodes University. My mom went on to become a teacher and my dad has his PhD from the University of Zimbabwe. I think he was always my inspiration to push myself to excel in my career, but both taught me a lot about hard work and perseverance to achieve one’s goals.”
Gardiner was inspired to study engineering by its possibilities for making an impact. “When it came to choosing a career I decided engineering was one of the best pathways to end-up in a position where I could be part of innovation that impacts how we as a society live.”
Her unicorn creation hasn’t been given a name yet, and she’s keen to get some help in doing so. “I am terrible at giving things names. My examiners suggested we call it ‘Ella’, but I’m not too sure how I feel about that, so I think I’ll need to give it a little more thought. I’m definitely open to suggestions!”
After using so much creative energy to complete her BEng degree Gardiner plans to catch-up on sleep after graduation. “It has been a long four years and I am happy to be on the other side. I will be taking the holidays to catch up on my other hobbies such as sewing and nurturing my creative side a bit more.”
Next year she will start to work as a graduate engineer in Cape Town to get some experience, but dreams of one day working in the toy-making industry. “It is such a powerful tool for inspiring future generations, and representation is so important to young children. I wish I could have had toys like the unicorn I developed in this project as a child.
“The toy is the intellectual property of the university, so I don’t think I’ll be selling this exact concept. But I would love one day to be part of the development of the toy industry to make more inclusive toys. I am open to all possibilities, and I think I’m going to see where life takes me. Who knows, maybe one day I can make my own line of engineering toys for girls.”
