Careers in Science: Dan Madrzykowski

This engineering and design investigation gives students a challenge - how to create a battery pack enclosure for a hoverboard using simple materials, how to test those materials for tensile strength and thermal performance, and redesign the enclosure based on the tests results. This series of classroom investigations is best done in small groups of students. This classroom investigation is best done in small groups of students.

UL's Vice President and Senior Technical Advisor talks about curiosity and the ingredients for becoming a successful scientist. This video provides examples of careers in safety science and engineering and insights into the skills and knowledge necessary for a career in STEM.

UL's Research Director for Electrochemical Safety talks about how passion continues to fuel continued learning. This video provides examples of careers in safety science and engineering and insights into the skills and knowledge necessary for a career in STEM.

These Xplorlabs Portable Electric Power Planning Document will provide an overview for middle school teachers for the classroom investigations. Planning for investigations includes: teacher and student guides, video introduction of investigations, group size and roles, questions to explore, a problem to be solved, summary of the lab, and student outcomes as well as a decision tree for the engineering design section of the investigations. This resource is provided for educators to support planning of Portable Electric Power classroom investigations.

Inside UL's laboratories, lithium-ion batteries are pushed to the extreme. When it comes to evaluating the safety limits of mobile or portable devices - like hoverboards - engineers must understand how batteries will operate within the device, even under extreme conditions. In these videos, students can watch the abusive overcharge test and projectile test, which were filmed at the UL lab in Northbrook, Illinois. These videos supplement lessons on safety science and engineering, engineering and design, and energy. The videos can also be used to introduce UL Xplorlabs Module 1: Portable Electrical Power. See the News and Events page for articles about UL battery safety testing and safety standards created for lithium-ion batteries.