ESP Biography



ROB BEST, ESP Teacher




Major: Civil Engineering

College/Employer: Stanford

Year of Graduation: G

Picture of Rob Best

Brief Biographical Sketch:

Not Available.



Past Classes

  (Clicking a class title will bring you to the course's section of the corresponding course catalog)

E2855: Intro to Green Architecture and Stanford Solar Decathlon in Splash! Spring 2013 (Apr. 13 - 14, 2013)
This course will go over the basics of creating sustainable houses and buildings. We will talk through the science and engineering behind great home design before engaging in a workshop to design our own sustainable houses in teams. The course will conclude with a walking tour of Stanford's student-run Solar Decathlon, a project to build a sustainable house right here on campus.


V2856: The History of Jazz in Splash! Spring 2013 (Apr. 13 - 14, 2013)
Jazz is known as America's music. From the early hymns and African-influenced songs through swing, big band, bop, fusion, and more, no style has had more influence on modern music and reflected as accurately changes in culture and attitudes. In this class, we will explore the dynamic history by tracing its origin and development in parallel with American history right to the present day.


R2858: Fairy Tales and Modern Media in Splash! Spring 2013 (Apr. 13 - 14, 2013)
Fairy tales have evolved in numerous cultures throughout history. They provide a means of escape, imagination, and fantasy, and yet also reflect cultural trends and ideas. Their power of reflecting culture and conveying a meaningful message has kept them alive in modern film, televisions, and storytelling as well. In this class, we explore the importance of fairy tales and how they evolve over time with society.


E2176: Sustainable Building Design in Splash! Spring 2012 (Apr. 21 - 22, 2012)
We will explore the basics of energy-efficient "green" buildings and discuss how students can improve their own homes to be more resource sensitive.


E2184: Mini Concrete Canoe in Splash! Spring 2012 (Apr. 21 - 22, 2012)
Do you believe that you can build a canoe that floats...out of concrete? Believe it or not, you can, and you will learn how in this class. Play with concrete, build your own form, and see how it works while understanding why.


R2190: Spanish Language in Splash! Spring 2012 (Apr. 21 - 22, 2012)
Introductory Spanish with a native speaker from the Dominican Republic!


E2263: Introduction to Robotics in Splash! Spring 2012 (Apr. 21 - 22, 2012)
We will do an experimental lab exercise with some real robots to program, build, and have some fun! Students will gain an introduction to electrical engineering and computer science as well as discuss briefly advanced computing, robotics, and AI. Teamwork will be required.