Project Mentor: Professor Eric Obeysekare, Computer Science & Engineering

2026 Impact Fellows:
William Rex '28
Hannah Rebello '29
Anastasia Koutsivitis '29

Project Description:
What does the education of the future look like in the world's most populous country? How do you transform the nature of hands-on learning?

The Indian government launched an initiative called Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) in 2016 to bring makerspaces to public high schools around the country. However, many of them go unused due to overworked teachers, a lack of training for teachers in charge of these labs, challenges with lab equipment, and an exam system that does not encourage activities outside of core subjects. While some private schools have access to technology and equipment you might find in an ATL, most rural school children would not have access to the same quality of education and opportunities. ATLs could make a difference if they are activated and used effectively. With more than 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) already open across India and a goal of 50,000 over the next few years, this government-funded initiative has the potential to expand access to school-based makerspaces and experimental education nationwide. 

The Future Makers Unlimited venture is creating resources for ATLs and their teachers including a website, a series of short hands-on activities for ATL classes, and physical activity cards to help facilitate those lessons. The heart of the project is centered around the activity cards that teachers can pick up and use right away, creating easy wins through a short challenge the students have to complete during an ATL class period, from building an automatic street light to filtering dirty water. Every card comes in two editions: a student edition that guides the students through the activity step-by-step, and a teacher edition that explains the concepts, anticipates the mistakes and suggests questions that keep learners engaged and thinking for themselves. 

In 2026, the team formed new partnerships with a student club from Rajarambapu Institute of Technology (RIT) who will be piloting activity cards with local ATLs, providing feedback and suggestions for lessons, and developing a website to host digital versions of the cards. Next year’s team will focus on expanding use of the cards, prototyping new lessons, publishing research about ATLs including data collection during fieldwork, exploring gamification and other innovative learning techniques, and more. 

Our partner in achieving this goal is the Agastya International Foundation, whose mission is to ignite curiosity, foster creativity, and build confidence through hands-on, experiential learning for underprivileged children and government school teachers.

Through these efforts, the project seeks to push the boundaries of how science and design thinking are taught, ensuring that students not only learn scientific concepts but also develop the skills needed to innovate and create solutions for real-world problems. 

Come apply your skills and interests in Making, Graphics Design, Business, Engineering, Computer Science, Social Sciences, and more to make a lasting impact on science education for underprivileged children across India, inspiring a new generation of makers, thinkers, and tinkerers!