3D Printing and Engineering with Dr. Marie Farson

Dr. Marie Farson has extensive experience working in marine engineering and has completed more than 15 years of seagoing research on autonomous and unmanned remotely operated vehicles in Panama, Singapore, and India. Prior to teaching at Principia, she developed acoustic and vibration analyses of the New Attack Submarine and a precision sound velocimeter used in marine geophysical research aimed at measuring stress and strain buildup at underwater plate tectonic spreading centers. Farson teaches engineering, geology, and oceanography, and instructs students in building 3D printers in the 3D Printing Technology class.

What do you love about teaching at Principia?

Each student here is seen as inherently capable, as reflecting the intelligence and strength of his Maker. There are so many exciting and engaging opportunities for students at Principia—study abroads, athletics, performances, the annual Public Affairs Conference, and more. Every student is welcome at any activity and seen as having equal opportunity and equal ability in the sight of God. It makes for a very rich and active environment.

What research/special projects are you working on right now?

For the Engineering Program, I have been working on new coursework involving the use of laser cutters and 3D printers. I am also working on an underwater remotely operated vehicle and a drifter for data collection in oceanography.

If you could give students only one piece of advice, what would it be?

Be present! Actively engage in each course of study and opportunity. College is an amazing time in life to delve into a wide spectrum of activities. You may discover your passion in an area you hadn’t even considered!

What led you to teaching?

That’s easy—I love learning! It is very fulfilling to see young adults working with new ideas and discoveries, and I find I continue learning myself while participating in the teaching and learning process with students.

Can you share a character education moment you’ve had at Principia that particularly stands out to you?

A final project was turned in by a student, and I suspected it was not their own work. I was intimidated by the thought of confronting the student, so I prayed about it. I felt the connection between Love and Principle very strongly and realized the need to hold us all to a principled standard out of a sense of love. I prayed until I knew I could only see God’s honest and meek child. I researched the student’s project, found that it had been copied off the internet, and filed an academic dishonesty report as required by Principia. Before filing the report, however, I was obligated to meet with the student, who admitted copying the work. I was able to work with the student to support the completion of a new project after they had genuinely learned the material. We were able to appreciate each other’s qualities and work harmoniously together in a spirit of love and respect. While the original assignment remained an F, the newly completed assignment was strong enough to result in a passing grade for the class.

What work would you pursue if you weren’t a professor?

So many wonderful things to do in the world! I loved conducting seagoing research in oceanography—perhaps I’d go back to that.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

Our family has a tradition of enjoying homemade waffles with fresh strawberries and whipped cream each Sunday morning no matter where we are. I love this tradition so much that I’ve actually carried a waffle iron in my carry-on baggage when moving overseas to make sure we could make waffles that first Sunday.

If you had a day off and weren’t allowed to use it to catch up on work, what would you do?

I’d spend the day doing something fun outdoors with my husband and five kids—dirt bike riding through the woods, wakeboarding on a lake, climbing a mountain, exploring a river by canoe, or taking a day trip to Elephant Rocks State Park!