The future of engineering continues with Colorado State University’s newest up-and-coming student organization, the Knife and Manufacturing Arts Learning Club — also known as KAMAL — which gives students the chance to further explore their passions within the field.
The organization, founded by close friends and mechanical engineering undergraduates Logan Anderson and Beau Berman, allows students to gain more knowledge about engineering techniques they may not have otherwise learned in a class.
“I wanted a space that celebrated the creativity that is inherent to engineering, just without the somewhat overbearing nature of coursework,” Berman said.
Meeting in the Engineering Manufacturing Education Center, KAMAL is designed to encourage students to hone their interests in hands-on technical learning whilst focusing on the importance of industrial safety.
“Engineering feels like the place where I can help the most people while also doing something I love. I have no idea if this is what is in store for me, but it feels like the right step for now.”-Beau Berman, KAMAL co-founder
Considered one of the safest labs on campus, the EMEC is located in the basement of the Engineering Building and is full of manufacturing tools for student use. The EMEC was primarily designed to spark connections between students and the skills they need to succeed in a realistic manufacturing setting.
Students enrolled in the MECH 200 class are given the opportunity at KAMAL to propose projects and are able to create them with peer feedback. Although several machines in the EMEC require a MECH 200 certificate, the club is inclusive to nonengineering students hoping to learn more about the industry.
With more flexibility than other engineering clubs at CSU, KAMAL aims to allow students full creative direction to engineer what they dream of and are passionate about.
“This is the kind of space that we wanted to have in engineering, something that is more about the passion of problem solving instead of working against deadlines,” Berman said.
The organization showcases industry-like challenges and experiences in order to provide real-world advice to students who may be interested in a career in the field. The club hosts several professionals and shop tours, giving students expert advice to help them in their careers.
Aside from learning about mechanical engineering techniques, students have the chance to network and form relationships with their peers as well as faculty within the department.
“(KAMAL) is about engaging with students and each other while also getting the chance to watch them grow and be a part of that,” EMEC Director James Tillotson said. “It’s very exciting to see.”
Students are able to learn and propose a variety of ideas with little to no restrictions on the things they can make.
“I want people to just be able to nerd out about the things they are passionate about,” Anderson said.
Although club meetings have not yet started, Anderson and Berman said they hope to get the club up and running by October 2025 to allow students the chance to create bonds with their peers and engineer the things they’re passionate about.
“Engineering feels like the place where I can help the most people while also doing something I love,” Berman said. “I have no idea if this is what is in store for me, but it feels like the right step for now.”
Reach Jenna Espinoza at science@collegian.com or on social media @rmcollegian.
