Mentorship first, AI second: How my students solved real engineering problems

As my students entered my classroom, I chatted and joked with them as I usually do. Their mood got more somber when they noticed the representatives from Sully Miller Contracting standing at the front of the class. They would be interning with Sully Miller for the next six months to solve engineering process problems costing the company hundreds of thousands of dollars.  

Maria walked over to me and said, “Mr. Rivas, I don’t think I can do this! I feel like the solutions we come up with will not be good. They mentioned that we are going to present to project managers and engineers! I feel out of place. Are my ideas good enough?” 

Scanning the classroom, it seemed that many of my students felt the same way. Some were staring at the floor. 

Maria said, “What if they think our solutions are dumb?” 

I knew what Maria and my students were capable of doing. They just needed a chance to believe it themselves and overcome their impostor syndrome. 

Through mentorship and co-designing with artificial intelligence, I wanted them to see that their ideas have value in spaces they are not a part of.

AI is a transformative tool that can act as an intermediary, enabling students to enhance design ideas and prototype solutions quickly. I wanted my students to know that working with AI was not about leading with it. Instead, it was about developing the trust, expertise and connections with people first to then wield it effectively. 

The Sully Miller internship was going to change my students in ways they could not see yet.

Two months into the internship, my students held group meetings with their mentors at the Sully Miller offices. Some students were on their laptops organizing spreadsheets, some were creating schematics on whiteboards, and others were having deep, jargon-filled conversations with mentors.  

One group was focused on creating an AI-driven camera system to guide trucks collecting asphalt. Another group was designing an AI-powered app to analyze asphalt mixtures and consistencies. I walked over to Maria’s team to listen in. Maria was sharing her team’s preliminary ideas for a bio-diesel fueling app. She was fidgeting and stuttering while walking everyone through her ideas. After her explanation, one of the mentors said, “I see where you’re going with this. Good job! You have something here!” Maria looked surprised. She quietly said thank you, then she looked at me and smiled. 

When spring semester rolled in, there was a shift in my class. Students rushed past me at the door. Rummaging for their laptops, they organized slides and prototypes to share with mentors through virtual meetings. Maria was especially excited as she began the Zoom meeting with her team and mentors. She jumped right in, talking quickly, deftly navigating different screens as she walked the audience through her process. 

“As you can see here, the data that is collected is compiled into a database that shows cost and location,” she explained, “I used Claude to optimize the backend code and develop the wireframe.”

“Maria, your team has an outstanding prototype! Can you guys develop a preliminary implementation proposal and bring it to the next worksite field trip?” 

“Definitely!”  

On the final day of the internship, we headed to the Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) worksite. The bus was quiet. Some students had their eyes closed, and others were quietly mumbling what they were going to say, periodically scanning their note cards.  

In the main office, my students quickly set up their posters, arranged their prototypes, and pulled up app demos on their laptops. The room began to fill with guests from LAWA, Sully Miller and other contractors. 

As the presentations began, I could hear Maria address concerns Sully Miller’s CFO had. 

“I understand where you’re coming from, but our database will help you to quickly compare data from different trucks with just a click.” 

As Maria was explaining, the VP of Sully Miller dug into her app. 

“The app can not only scan the details of the receipt, it also provides a breakdown of the different subcontractors.” 

The VP looked up and said, “Maria, your team has looked at all the different angles, we are very impressed with your solution!” 

Maria’s posture shifted. She stood taller with the biggest smile on her face. Around the room engineers leaned into posters, passing out business cards and shaking hands with my students.  

I stood at the entrance of the bus, and as each of my students passed me, I shook their hands. When Maria got to me, she looked up and said, “I never thought this was something I could do!” 

Not only did Maria and the rest of my class do it, but they showed engineers at Sully Miller, senior staff at LAWA, and more importantly themselves that, with the right guidance and tools, they can solve complex, real-world problems. I can’t wait to see what they do next.

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Jose Rivas teaches physical science, AP physics, electronics, and product development to 10th, 11th and 12th graders at Lennox Math, Science and Technology Academy in Lennox, California. He is a Teach Plus Leading Edge Fellow.

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