Gennady K.

STEM, robotics, 3D modeling and 3D printing

New York City

• I created a robotic dinghy capable of transporting people to and from a sailboat.
• I taught my son to solder a flying drone when he was 11.
• I built my own 3D printer before there were any for sale.

My name is Gennady Kozak, and I bring over two decades of hands-on teaching experience in STEM, physical computing, and robotics. My teaching philosophy is rooted in constructivism—the belief that students learn best when they are actively building, experimenting, and solving real-world problems. Rather than relying on passive memorization, I view the classroom as a collaborative maker lab where curiosity leads and mistakes are celebrated as valuable steps in the engineering design process. What makes my approach unique is the seamless blend of digital fabrication and physical hardware. Whether my students are designing custom 3D models in Fusion 360 or Tinkercad, wiring microcontrollers like Arduino and micro:bit, or engineering mechanism prototypes from simple cardboard and linear guide rails, I guide them to bring abstract concepts directly into their hands. I focus on developing computational thinking and spatial reasoning while empowering young learners to see themselves as true inventors and capable problem solvers. Beyond the classroom, my passion for engineering and hands-on making extends into my everyday life. When I’m not in the lab, you’ll likely find me working on custom nautical fabrication projects or navigating local coastal waters aboard my sailboat. This personal love for practical mechanics, continuous learning, and creative problem-solving is the exact spirit I strive to pass along to every student in my class.