2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Multi-Material Marbles Game: An Interactive Educational Board Game Incorporating Embodied and Gamified Learning to Attract New Engineers to Materials Science and Materials Selection

Presented at Materials Division (MATS) Technical Session 2: Activities with Impact! Special Session

Materials science is an essential cornerstone of multiple disciplines in the field of engineering. However, new engineering students often lack engagement and interest in learning materials science. To this end, we have developed the Multi-Material Marbles Game, an educational tool designed to introduce students to material properties and materials selection through tactile interaction and hands-on experimentation.

In the game, students measure key material properties - such as mechanical loss coefficient, thermal conductivity, electrical resistivity, and mass density - using spherical marbles made from different families of materials. They then apply these measurements to construct a Material Property Chart (Ashby plot). The tactile hands-on experience of the material marbles helps foster an understanding of how different materials behave. The game also illustrates the thought process behind materials selection, a critical aspect of engineering design. By engaging learners in this physically interactive experience, the game aligns with the principles of experiential learning, where knowledge is acquired through active participation rather than passive observation. This gamified approach not only makes materials science more accessible but also bridges the gap between theoretical concepts and practical applications in engineering design. The game incorporates a variety of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles that have been shown to improve learning outcomes for all people.

The Materials Marbles Game is adaptable for both classroom use and outreach initiatives, making it an effective tool for high school seniors, first-year engineering students, and public engagement events. Results from pilot studies show high levels of student engagement and an increased interest in exploring materials science further. All elements of the game (e.g., CAD design, game instructions, material information cards, materials/equipment list) are open source, allowing educators and outreach event organizers to download the information and implement the game in their classrooms.

Authors

Asher Barnsdale University of Victoria
Olivia Daugela University of Victoria
Dr. Joel L Galos http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2490-7232 California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo [biography]

Dr. Joel Galos is a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Materials Engineering at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo.
His teaching and research interests are centered on the design, analysis and optimization of engineering materials, especially polymer composites. Dr. Galos previously worked as a Research Fellow at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. There he performed research on lightweight automotive structures in collaboration with Ford Motor Company, USA and CSIRO, Australia. Dr. Galos also previously worked at Granta Design (now Ansys Materials), a spin-off company from the University of Cambridge that develops software for material selection and materials data management. He completed his PhD in Engineering at the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight at the University of Cambridge.
Elisabeth Hülse ANSYS, Inc.
Dr. Kaitlin Tyler http://orcid.org/https://0000-0002-5052-4262 ANSYS, Inc. [biography]

Kaitlin Tyler is currently a Senior Academic Program Engineer at Ansys. Her role focuses on supporting the usage of Ansys tools in academia, with an emphasis on materials teaching and pre-university engagement. She is also the lead for the Ansys Academic Content Development Program, which focuses on developing instructional content to support integration of Ansys tools in curriculum. Her background is in materials science, with a PhD in the subject from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

She is very involved in ASEE. At the publication of this paper, she is the Awards Chair (past Division Chair) for the Materials Division and Chair Elect for the Corporate Members Council.
Dr. Bosco Yu http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6786-3367 University of Victoria [biography]

Dr. Bosco Yu joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UVic as an Assistant Professor in September 2022. He is passionate about bringing his expertise in solid mechanics and materials design, with a focus on sustainable development, to benefit both his research and teaching activities at UVic.
During his education, Dr. Yu developed a strong interest in the solid mechanics of hybrid and composite materials (e.g., CFRP, microlattices). Dr. Yu completed his MASc degree at the University of Toronto, working with Professor Glenn Hibbard. He went on to pursue a PhD at the University of Cambridge, at the Center for Micromechanics. Dr. Yu focused on investigating the mechanics of additively manufactured composites and hybrid materials for use in a wide range of engineering applications.
Before joining UVic, Dr. Yu served as a Teaching Assistant Professor at McMaster University from 2020 to 2022, where he played an integral role in curriculum development for materials science education within a project-based learning initiative. His outstanding contributions to materials science education and pedagogy practice were recognized and he was honoured to receive the ASEE - New Materials Educator Award in 2023.
Since joining UVic in 2022, as the principal investigator (PI) of the Hybrid 3D lab, Dr. Yu has focused on the research goals of systematically investigating the mechanics of heterogeneous architected metamaterials and demonstrating their strong potential to solve engineering design challenges in a wide range of sectors.

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Multi-Material Marbles Game: An Interactive Educational Board Game Incorporating Embodied and Gamified Learning to Attract New Engineers to Materials Science and Materials Selection

Presented at Materials Division (MATS) Technical Session 2: Activities with Impact! Special Session

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