Tinkering Staff Member: Steph Muscat

I think there’s magic in the moment when a person first approaches a new idea, tool, or technology. I’m always looking for ways to support that move from the scary vulnerability of not-yet-knowing to fearless exploration. I’ve tried to tackle questions of how we learn about the world on personal and planetary scales, from (figuratively) peeking into little minds through early childhood cognition research to working for a nanosatellite startup that gazed at the earth from above. During my MFA program in digital + media, I spent a lot of time exploring how we arrive at truth: how do we move from observation to understanding? As an Educator and Tinkering Specialist at the Tinkering Studio, I get to work on activities, environments, and materials that support learners of all ages in overcoming the barrier of trepidation to tackle something new.