Open Source Ecology Summer School

We are working on infrastructure to host a 3 Month summer school in 2019, based on learnings from our 2014 Summer of Extreme Design where students can get hands-on experience in a variety of topics in the form of self-guided projects. OSE provides basic curriculum in the respective topics, and students draw up a research plan in collaboration with OSE as part of their application. Everyone produces a final report. The summer session begins with a 3D printer build as a core prototyping machine.

• Aquaponic greenhouse - developing growing systems, plumbing design, automation, 3D printing, pump development, production growing with Seed Bot
• Agriculture - providing fresh food for the participants.
• Open source agroecology - earthworks, permaculture design, soil building, ponds, mulching, shredder development, perennial planting, Miyawaki method, hating, forestry; drone mapping
• Site development - mulching, mowing, baling, companion planting, stump grinding, forestry
• Plant propagation - mist propagation of green wood, plantout,
• Materials production - CEB brick pressing, solar concrete production, gravel crushing, plastics grinding and recycling, aluminum grinding and recycling, producing ingots of aluminum and iron, making 3D printing filament etc.
• 3D printing - clay flameware production, refractory crucible 3D printing, refractory material 3D printing, open source product development of useful objects, developing a production metal printing
• OSPD - 3D printing, CNC torch, web store, FreeCAD workbench design
• Solar energy - linear solar concentartor, saturated water, hillbilly and 3D printed heaters, 3D printed steam engines from lost-pla or investment casting filament, etc
• Electronics - Arduino data loggers, control systems, raspberry pi, CNC circuit mill, etching with toner method and copper chloride infinite solution.
• Universal Axis Machine design - build small and large machines up to heavy duy CNC Mills and lathes.
• Electric motors - from rotors to solenoids
• Hydraulics - designing and building hydraulic solenoids, and getting them to industrial permormance levels.
• Tractor Design - design and build of OSE's next generation tractor with rubber tracks made from recycled elastmers. OSE CNC torch table and plastic shredder/filament maker will be used.

OSE Preparation

• Hablab upgrades
• Site preparation.
• Curriculum on subjects covered
• Operations manual for the summer school including marketing strategy
• Staff hiring
• Worship infrastructure improvements