Introduction to Electrical Engineering: Where Failure Equals Success

In Introduction to Electrical Engineering, if you aren’t failing, you aren’t succeeding.

This trimester-long course, a cornerstone of Lawrenceville’s engineering curriculum, teaches students the fundamentals of electrical engineering—and the reality that successful projects rarely go right the first time. In fact, science teacher Shinae Park challenges students to embrace failure as an essential part of the learning process.

“The expectation is that you’ll work on something that challenges you, and it’s not going to go perfectly or to plan all the time—and you’re going to learn from that,” Park explained. “By the end, you’ll have something amazing, but we’re really focused on the process. How are you thinking through the engineering you’re doing?”

Park and her colleague Nicki Selan co-teach the course, guiding students through the basics of electrical engineering before diving into hands-on group projects, such as building a robot. Along the way, students learn essential technical skills like soldering, coding, working with microcontroller boards, and building and testing circuits.

“I think they like playing with the circuits a lot, but they also find it really challenging,” Selan noted.

A Unique Blend of Introductory and Honors-Level Learning

Park described the course as unique because it serves as both an introductory and an honors-level class. “We get students with a wide variety of experiences,” she said. “Some have done five summer engineering internships, while others have never coded a single thing before.”

The course accommodates all levels by tailoring expectations to each student’s starting point. “Wherever you begin, the goal is to keep learning and growing from there,” Park said.

Embracing Failure as Part of the Process

Engineering success often involves iterative design and testing, and immediate success is both elusive and, sometimes, counterproductive.

“Figuring things out is the best part of engineering,” said Selan. “The fun begins when a project doesn’t work as planned. Then it’s time to go back to the drawing board: What should I do differently? Do I need more research? A different part? Where did I go wrong?”

Park encourages students to take risks, emphasizing that failure is not only acceptable but expected. “If a project works perfectly the first time, it means you didn’t challenge yourself enough,” she said.

When students struggle, the teachers offer varying levels of support. “If it’s something brand new, I might point them in the right direction—look at this schematic or double-check these parts,” Selan said. “But if they’re really frustrated after working for a while, I might step in and say, ‘Here’s the mistake. Fix this and keep going.’”

Student Perspectives 

Alice Kizilbash ’25, who described Introduction to Electrical Engineering as her favorite class, highlighted the problem-solving focus. “The class taught me how to use documentation to find issues, work backward, and adjust the project when it didn’t work as expected,” she said. “The problem-solving aspect was definitely one of the hardest parts because there were so many variables to consider.”

Fifth Former Chris Bai valued the collaborative element of the course. “A lot of the engineering process isn’t just mechanical or electrical—it’s about collaborating and providing feedback on each other’s projects,” he said. “I’m super glad Lawrenceville offers classes like these. They’re completely different from any other courses we take.”

Ari Smith ’25 appreciated the hands-on experience. “It was really neat to simulate a circuit on my computer and then build it in real life,” he said. “I also learned how to interface hardware and software, using programming to operate electronics.”

Resiliency in Action

For Park, the most rewarding part of teaching the class is watching students persevere. “It’s amazing to see them hit roadblocks and keep trying. That resilience is what success in engineering—and this course—are all about,” she said.

Whether students are learning to solder, debug code, or collaborate on complex projects, Introduction to Electrical Engineering instills a mindset that turns mistakes into opportunities for growth—and success.

For more information, contact Lisa M. Gillard H'17, director of public relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.