Dr. AnnMarie Thomas is an Associate Professor in the School of Engineering at the University of St. Thomas. Her teaching and research focus on engineering design, particularly as it relates to PK-12 education. With her students, AnnMarie explores the playful side of engineering exploring topics such as Squishy Circuits, the Engineering of Circus, and toy design. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of St. Thomas, AnnMarie taught at Art Center College of Design. AnnMarie served as the Founding Executive Director of the Maker Education Initiative. She is the mother of two young makers. AnnMarie has an SB in Ocean Engineering (with a minor in Music) from MIT, MS and PhD degrees in… Mechanical Engineering from Caltech, and a professional certificate in Sustainable Design from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.