Marshall Svendsen

Advances in metallurgy and foundry practices provided the spark for the Industrial Revolution that transformed the world. In this intermediate level metal casting course, students explore how technological developments, material innovations, principles of mass production and distribution, and the mechanization of work have influenced the shape of contemporary social, economic, and political structures. While emphasis is placed on foundry techniques in this course, a variety of industrial materials and processes are explored including computer scanning, data manipulation and rapid-prototyping technologies. Students learn to access industrial services via the internet and off-campus field trips.

Advanced students pursue individual casting projects while continuing to develop and refine casting skills. Alternative investment techniques are explored. Emphasis is placed on individual experimentation and development.