This activity is very close to my heart, as it was inspired by the lessons and wisdom passed down through my family of educators. My father, a math teacher who wasn’t familiar with engineering, always had a unique way of helping me find clarity, even when his advice seemed unrelated to the problem at hand. His stories, though tangential, sparked new ideas and opened my mind. Unfortunately, he passed away last December after a brave battle with cancer. This activity was designed during that time, with his influence lingering in every idea I came up with.

With the support of my wife, colleagues, and a few wonderful individuals along the way, we created a project that combines key aspects of learning motivation, competition, enjoyment, and engagement. We designed a calculus escape room that integrates real-world applications and problem-solving, all while making learning fun and interactive.

The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with students rating the experience highly in multiple dimensions of learning.