2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

CRI: Introductory Mechanics Demonstrations with Instrumented Skateboards

Presented at Mechanics Division (MECHS) Technical Session 7

This classroom ready innovation (CRI) details the construction of and plans for an instrumented
skateboard demonstration used in introductory mechanics courses. Topics from introductory me-
chanics courses (statics, dynamics, solid mechanics) can be difficult for students to conceptualize,
which can have implications for persistence in the field, as well as performance in later courses.
Such courses can benefit from in-class demonstrations and activities that promote student under-
standing by grounding topics in real-world examples. High-quality in-class demonstrations can
increase student engagement and enjoyment of course content when established best practices
(such as connecting to real-world problems and using technology to provide real-time data collec-
tion) are followed. Furthermore, active learning improves learning outcomes and lowers failure
rates. In pursuit of this goal, we have developed an instrumented skateboard that can connect and
demonstrate different topics in statics, dynamics, and solid mechanics introductory courses.There
are three different instrumented boards, where each board is instrumented to provide real-time data
relevant to the individual course content. For statics topics, the skateboard is instrumented with
load cells to allow students to measure reaction forces and compare them to theoretical values. For
dynamics topics, the skateboard is fitted with 16 inch bike wheels and motion is tracked via video,
which allow students to compare calculations of the speeds and positions of the boards and wheels.
In solid mechanics, an aluminum board is instrumented with strain gauges, which allows students
to analyze stress using beam theory. Ongoing work is to continue to measure student engagement
in these demos and connect demonstrations to learning outcomes.

Authors

Griffin Charles Sipes University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign [biography]

Griffin C. Sipes is a PhD student in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) with interests in adapted exercise and shoulder biomechanics. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UIUC. For the past semester, he has been a part of the Strategic Instructional Innovations Program (SIIP) team in the Mechanical Science and Engineering Department at UIUC, contributing to improving engineering education for undergraduate students.
Melany Denise Opolz http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0226-1629 University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign [biography]

Melany D. Opolz is a PhD student in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, specializing in equine biomechanics and bone chemistry. She holds a bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Cameron University and a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. For the past three years, she has been part of the Strategic Instructional Innovations Program (SIIP) team in the Mechanical Science and Engineering Department at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, contributing to educational advancements in engineering through different projects, including the development of open-access online reference pages and the promotion of an entrepreneurial mindset among early engineering students.
Changmin Lee University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign [biography]

Changmin Lee is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with research interests in bone biomechanics. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Hanyang University in Seoul, South Korea. He has been part of the Strategic Instructional Innovations Program (SIIP) team in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, contributing to the advancement of engineering education.
Thomas Golecki http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0750-8582 University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign [biography]

I spent 10+ years in industry as an engineer in structural mechanics and structural health monitoring projects, earning professional licensure as PE and SE. My PhD research focused on the structural optimization of dynamic systems including random loading and vehicle-bridge interaction. Now as teaching faculty, I try to connect course concepts to real-world examples in a way that motivates and engages students.
Dr. Brian Mercer http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2570-0823 University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign [biography]

Brian Mercer is a Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2016 and subsequently worked as a research engineer at the Illinois Applied Research Institute before turning to a career in teaching and education in 2018. His technical expertise lies in computational and theoretical solid mechanics, and he teaches a range of courses in these topics, including introductory solid mechanics, machine component design, computational mechanics, and finite element analysis. Brian’s pedagogical research efforts focus on developing and implementing effective teaching strategies for large lecture courses and increasing student literacy in using computational tools such as Python and to aid in performing calculations and simulations relevant to engineers.
Dr. Emma Mercier [biography]

Emma Mercier is an associate professor in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her work focuses on collaborative learning in classrooms, and in particular, the use of technology for teachers and students during collab
Dr. Kevin Wandke http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8781-7440 University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign [biography]

Kevin Wandke received his B.S. degree in mechanical science and engineering and the M.S. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, in 2019 and 2022, respectively, where he is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree in electrical and computer engineering. He was a member of the SULI Program at Argonne National Laboratory, and an Intern of the Edison Engineering Program, General Electric’s Global Research Center. He was a recipient of the Chancellor’s Scholarship, the Olesen Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, and a Mavis Future Faculty Fellow in the Grainger College of Engineering.
Prof. Matthew West http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7605-0050 University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign [biography]

Matthew West is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to joining Illinois he was on the faculties of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanfo
Dr. Kellie M Halloran http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1376-3069 University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign [biography]

Kellie Halloran is a Teaching Assistant Professor in Mechanical Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She holds a BS, MS, and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois and is currently investigating ways to engage undergraduate students and encourage curiosity and creativity in larger engineering classes.
Adrian Marquez University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

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