They say all work and no play makes for a dull existence. There’s no fear of that happening for three recent New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) graduates, who have turned their work into play.
NBCC Saint John Electronics Engineering Tehcnology students Gary Buchanan, Brent Bustard and Luke Tudor completed an applied research project that created an educational arcade game for visitors to the Crane Mountain landfill’s Glenn Carpenter Interpetretive Centre.
“Planning, delivering and documenting a project of this scope has been an excellent learning experience for us,” said Bustard. “I’m proud of the work we’ve done and grateful for the opportunity to put our skills and learning to good use.”
The Crane Mountain Landfill is operated by the Fundy Regional Service Commission, which approached NBCC Saint John with a challenge – to replace the current educational display at its interpretive centre. Approximately 2,500 people visit the interpretive centre each year, most of them elementary and middle school students from across the region.
“We identified the need to replace our current education display to better demonstrate how to effectively and sustainably manage household waste,” said Janine Van Winssen, public education coordinator with the Fundy Regional Service Commission. “We challenged NBCC learners to design and build an arcade game to replace it, and they met the challenge!”
Bustard developed the original game coding, while Buchanan programmed the electronic audio-visual requirements. Tudor conceptualized the lighting and enhanced the design to improve the user experience.
Applied research projects are an important part of the NBCC experience as students help industry and community partners find practical solutions to real-life problems. Move over, Steve Wozniak…you’ve got some competition!
