Ari Bortman: From Student to Educator

The Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM) department welcomes back one of its own, Ari Bortman (he/him), as the newest Educational Lab Coordinator. In a recent interview, Ari shared his journey from student to educator and his vision for fostering hands-on learning experiences.

Ari’s connection to MEAM runs deep, having completed both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the department in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Reflecting on his time as a student, Ari fondly reminisces about the transformative experiences that have shaped his trajectory. “The things I worked on and learned here at Penn have taken me all around the world,” said Ari. “From being a machinist, carpenter, and fabricator crafting precision parts for industry, to designing and creating interactive experiences for children’s museums, teaching mathematics in the Swiss Alps, installing solar panels worldwide, to hiking as a professional backcountry backpacking guide in Yosemite National Park.”

Ari’s return to MEAM is fueled by a fervent desire to empower students. His eclectic background has endowed him with a multifaceted outlook on education, igniting his enthusiasm to nurture real-world competencies among MEAM’s students. He seeks to instigate collaborative endeavors, innovative problem-solving initiatives, and community-driven projects, aiming to transform MEAM into a nucleus for cultivating technical prowess alongside a profound sense of purpose and social responsibility.