Although their objective is still to make a creative thing, they start applying scientific principles to the problem. Hazlegrove agrees that glass-blowing is a novel way of learning about materials, but recognizes something more in the total fascination many MIT students have developed for this art form. The process is very much like a dance. You're working in a team, carrying around this molten blob on the end of a metal rod and trying to avoid hitting other people. There are other lessons to be learned at the glass lab, Cima says.
Teamwork is one.
Students must work in pairs, with one person maneuvering a rod with molten glass on the end and the other person assisting him or her by fetching tools, holding wooden heat shields, and blowing into the rod. Another valuable lesson is learning not to become too emotionally attached to any one project. Eventually they learn to think more about the process rather than the product. Since 1972 Glass-blowing has been a popular activity at MIT since 1972, when Pam Vandiver brought over a surplus glass furnace from the Massachusetts College of Art and began teaching classes. The activity evolved into one of the most popular freshman seminar courses in the late 1970s, attracting 40-60 students each term.