Overcoming the Challenge of Origami

Working for Science Club for Girls has been a great experience. However, with these great experiences also came challenges. The biggest challenge we had to overcome and accomplish was the construction of a sphere, but not just any sphere. It was a sphere made of different geometric origami shapes which we had to fold. By constructing this sphere, we would also set the record for the world's largest origami geodesic sphere. It was a great amount of pressure and work, but with the help and guidance of Kenneth Fan, Ph.D in Mathematics, we were able to make it happen. Throughout this process our interest for origami grew. We wanted to gain more insights on origami and at the same time get to know Dr. Fan on a different level. So we decided to have a conversation with him.

We asked Ken how he got involved in origami. Ken said an eight year old friend lead him to origami. His friend, who was very interested in origami, would create something and then enthusiastically show Ken his creation. This led Ken, a mathematician, to want to research origami further.

"I then stumbled upon a Robert Lang book called Origami Design Secrets. Robert Lang is a famous master in origami, he also is a laser physicist. Robert Lang contributed greatly to origami; he made it look more realistic by adding many details," Ken said. "After reading this book my interest grew even more, and I went to Origamido and took lessons from Michael Lafosse, another great origami master. I then noticed that MIT had an origami club, so I joined it. My first challenge was to build a dome."

Although Dr. Fan now teaches origami and has designed his own origami structures, such as the sphere Science Club for Girls is building, he continues to take lessons. "Because," he says, "there are still many things to learn." Although he teaches origami at different places, he still hopes to go to the land where origami began: Japan. Ken says he plans to go to Japan in the next two years.

We then asked Ken how he felt teaching and working with Science Club for Girls during the summer of 2005. Ken said that he had great fun teaching us origami. "It is something you can always keep with you and origami is also great to do when bored," he laughed. "I was also impressed with how quickly you learned to fold. You all did a great job!"

In conclusion, this summer we were able to learn more about origami and about an accomplished mathematician, Dr. Kenneth Fan. At the end of all of this, we were able to do something we never thought we could. If you set your mind to something and take your time, you will be able to accomplish anything. So we want to thank Kenneth Fan Ph.D. for helping us throughout this sphere-folding and building process… and for showing us that we should never doubt ourselves.

Interview and article written by Junior Assistants Cindy and Bilkis
Summer, 2005