ESP Biography



EMILY TENCATE, ESP Teacher




Major: Mechanical Engineering

College/Employer: MIT

Year of Graduation: 2015

Picture of Emily TenCate

Brief Biographical Sketch:

Not Available.



Past Classes

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

X10202: CAVES! in Splash 2015 (Nov. 21 - 22, 2015)
Have you ever rappelled an underground waterfall? Do you know what the difference between a stalactite and a stalagmite is? (Did you know that they're both a type of speleothem, or what causes the different shapes and colors?) Do you kind of just want to be a bat? Come learn about caves, try on the gear that cavers wear, practice echolocation, and discover everything you never knew you wanted to learn about caves.


E10203: Speaker building in Splash 2015 (Nov. 21 - 22, 2015)
Why do some speakers sound really good while others sound really bad? How do speakers *actually* make sound? In two hours, we'll go through the basics of how speakers work, tear apart a bad speaker, and make our own voice coils and speaker cones!


E9414: Paper Engineering in Spark 2015 (Mar. 14 - 15, 2015)
Come and get some hands-on engineering experience as we try to build the tallest towers possible with paper and paperclips!


L9433: The Marble-ously Oolite-ful World of Fossils in Spark 2015 (Mar. 14 - 15, 2015)
Want to know the tooth about fossils? Of quartz you do! In this class we shale let ancient organisms teach us about what the Earth was like when they were alive. Granite, they're a little sedimentary now and don't get out much, but their remains are gneiss clues that can tell us a lot about where they lived, what they did, ore how they died.


W9434: LN2 Ice Cream! in Spark 2015 (Mar. 14 - 15, 2015)
Do you like ice cream? Come see how ice cream can be made using liquid nitrogen, and learn why it tastes so much better than store bought ice cream.


X8873: Underwater Basket Weaving in Splash 2014 (Nov. 22 - 23, 2014)
We understand that your time at Splash is finite and valuable, which is why we're offering a class in an important life skill. Welcome to underwater basket weaving. For years, the sacred craft of underwater basket weaving has been ridiculed by admissions offices across the nation as the de facto example of a worthless educational pursuit. Our mission is to break this stigma and expose the rich world behind this craft. We're also really amused by the concept of *actually* doing underwater basket weaving, so here we are. For more information on this ancient craft, see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underwater_basket_weaving


X9055: CAVES! in Splash 2014 (Nov. 22 - 23, 2014)
Have you ever rappelled an underground waterfall? Do you know what the difference between a stalactite and a stalagmite is? (Did you know that they're both a type of speleothem, or what causes the different shapes and colors?) Do you kind of just want to be a bat? Come learn about caves, try on the gear that cavers wear, practice echolocation, and discover everything you never knew you wanted to learn about caves.


W9057: Take stuff apart! in Splash 2014 (Nov. 22 - 23, 2014)
In this walk-in, we encourage you to BE DESTRUCTIVE. We've brought you some random broken/used/retired equipment! Take the things apart! Figure out how they work! Rebuild them (or make giant hybrid monster machines out of many different parts)!


X8478: Sprinkler! in HSSP Summer 2014 (Jul. 06, 2014)
Take a variety of classes over the 7 weeks of Summer HSSP! Every week, you'll have the option to choose from several different one-shot classes offered during the Sprinkler time block. Class subjects are anything from ballroom dancing to introductory programming to how to land on the moon. Every week the class options are different, so you'll get a chance to learn about a lot of different topics. It's like a mini-Splash within HSSP!


W8256: LN2 Ice Cream! in Spark 2014 (Mar. 15 - 16, 2014)
Do you like ice cream? Come see how ice cream can be made using liquid nitrogen, and learn why it tastes so much better than store bought ice cream.


W8417: FORTS in Spark 2014 (Mar. 15 - 16, 2014)
Come build your own personal fortress from newspaper and bedsheets! Don't think it's possible? You'd be surprised what a few trusses can do...


B7612: Casual German (9-10th Grade) in Splash! 2013 (Nov. 23 - 24, 2013)
Ever wanted to learn how to ask for a pretzel or a bratwurst auf Deutsch? Curious about what a Biergarten *actually* is? This is a crash course in German - you’ll learn the very basics of grammar, some vocabulary, plus a handful of useful/entertaining phrases that may or may not help you get communicate in German!


B7614: Casual German (11th-12th Grade) in Splash! 2013 (Nov. 23 - 24, 2013)
Ever wanted to learn how to ask for a pretzel or a bratwurst auf Deutsch? Curious about what a Biergarten *actually* is? This is a crash course in German - you’ll learn the very basics of grammar, some vocabulary, useful/entertaining phrases, plus resources and directions to explore in German literature, film and music.


W7815: LN2 Ice Cream! in Splash! 2013 (Nov. 23 - 24, 2013)
Do you like ice cream? Come see how ice cream can be made using liquid nitrogen, and learn why it tastes so much better than store bought ice cream.


P8033: Splash Concert Choir in Splash! 2013 (Nov. 23 - 24, 2013)
Do you like to sing? Want to learn more about singing? We'll do some fun rounds and fugues, some folk song call-and-response, and then we'll try out a famous classical choral piece.


W7011: Arts and crafts! in Spark! 2013 (Mar. 16, 2013)
Make arts and crafts from lots of different supplies. We have colored paper, pipe-cleaners, sequins and lots more!


S7073: Fluid Mechanics in Spark! 2013 (Mar. 16, 2013)
Introduction to the laws of fluid mechanics. Learn how dams are engineered, how bearings work, how fluids flow in pipes, and how that pesky air resistance works. We'll try to cover most or all of the following: hydrostatics, Bernoulli's Equation, viscosity, drag, mass transfer, and the Navier-Stokes equation.


A7195: Spark Concert Choir in Spark! 2013 (Mar. 16, 2013)
Do you like to sing? Want to learn more about singing? We'll do some fun rounds and fugues, some folk song call-and-response, and then we'll try out a famous classical choral piece.


W7196: LN2 Ice Cream in Spark! 2013 (Mar. 16, 2013)
Eat LN2 ice cream!


E6498: How It's Made: Splash Edition in Splash! 2012 (Nov. 17 - 18, 2012)
Have you ever wondered how the things you use every day were manufactured? Well, if you have (and even if you haven't), this is the class for you! We'll go over most of the major manufacturing processes that drive our world today, in addition to going through a couple of examples of how specific products are made.


E6499: How It's Made: Splash Edition in Splash! 2012 (Nov. 17 - 18, 2012)
Have you ever wondered how the things you use every day were manufactured? Well, if you have (and even if you haven't), this is the class for you! We'll go over most of the major manufacturing processes that drive our world today, in addition to going through a couple of examples of how specific products are made.


W6700: Paint! Popsicle sticks! Recyclables! in Splash! 2012 (Nov. 17 - 18, 2012)
Come use ESP's wide variety of craft supplies to create a marvelous, fantastic something of your very own!


S6709: Holography: It's not all smoke and mirrors in Splash! 2012 (Nov. 17 - 18, 2012)
Did you know that we've been making holograms since the 1960's? You might be wondering why we still don't have technology like the Holodeck from Star Trek. Come learn about the basics of holography, how scientists and artists make and use holograms, and why holography is really the imaging technology of the future. We'll discuss light, optics, and perception, and we'll end with an overview of some of the awesome applications of hologram technology!


E6752: Spectacular Engineering Failures in Splash! 2012 (Nov. 17 - 18, 2012)
Come watch Youtube videos of structures that have failed spectacularly! After we watch bridges twisting and tearing and buildings toppling, we'll talk a little bit about why they failed so terribly and what the engineers could have done differently.


H6756: Casual German in Splash! 2012 (Nov. 17 - 18, 2012)
Ever wanted to learn how to ask for a pretzel or a bratwurst auf Deutsch? Curious about what a Biergarten *actually* is? This is a crash course in German - you'll learn the very basics of grammar, some vocabulary, plus a handful of useful/entertaining phrases that may or may not help you get communicate in German!


H6759: Disney Movies: you be the psychiatrist in Splash! 2012 (Nov. 17 - 18, 2012)
Cruella de Vil is mean and has an inflated sense of self-importance: she's displaying symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder! Come diagnose your favorite Disney characters with personality disorders according to the DSM-IV!


W6762: Tableaux Vivants in Splash! 2012 (Nov. 17 - 18, 2012)
Come build a silent living portrait of a word or phrase! Be prepared to be quiet.


E6026: HSSP Toy Lab in HSSP Summer 2012 (Jul. 08, 2012)
Have you always wondered what Legos would be like if they were life-sized? Do you wish Nerf Guns came with motion-sensing technology? Bring your ideas and come build your very own toy at HSSP Toy Lab! Throughout the seven Sundays of HSSP, you'll work with your classmates in teams to imagine and begin to create your very own toy. You'll learn about some basic tools and materials used in mechanical engineering, get a brief introduction to Solidworks and other computational design programs, and most importantly you'll get to build a prototype of your toy idea!


H5934: Casual German in ESPrinkler Spring 2012 (Feb. 18 - Apr. 14, 2012)
Ever wanted to learn how to ask for a pretzel or a bratwurst auf Deutsch? Curious about what a Biergarten *actually* is? This is a crash course in German - you'll learn the very basics of grammar, some vocabulary, plus a handful of useful/entertaining phrases that may or may not help you get communicate in German!


W5895: Salsa dancing in Spark! 2012 (Mar. 10, 2012)
Come learn to dance salsa! We'll go over the basic step and a couple of building blocks, and in no time at all you'll be salsa-ing around Lobby 13.


S5897: Neutrons and Nanomaterials in Spark! 2012 (Mar. 10, 2012)
Learn about how we can examine the structure of materials (especially nanomaterials) using different types of radiation, and the tools and equipment scientists use to discover their interesting properties.


W5900: Epic Fort Building in Spark! 2012 (Mar. 10, 2012)
Come build a box fort of epic proportions! No, really, we do mean epic. We have HUNDREDS of boxes -- come play!


W5181: Epic Fort Building in Splash! 2011 (Nov. 19 - 20, 2011)
Come learn how to create an epic castle from the most mundane of materials.


W5183: Set in Splash! 2011 (Nov. 19 - 20, 2011)
Set is an awesome game that's all about finding patterns as quickly as you can... come play with us!


X5227: Sushi Rolling (and Eating) in Splash! 2011 (Nov. 19 - 20, 2011)
Learn how to roll your own delicious sushi (and sample the results at the end)!


W5285: Swing Dancing in Splash! 2011 (Nov. 19 - 20, 2011)
Come learn how to swing dance! We'll start from the basic steps and move onto more complicated steps as time allows. No partner necessary; everyone will be rotating and switching partners as we go anyway.


X5445: How to (not) be awkward in Splash! 2011 (Nov. 19 - 20, 2011)
See examples of how to avoid being awkward.