The ‘Air Pump’ is a current criteria-based 'design-build-test' exercise in the MEC1110 first-year project module. Students work from a ‘functional requirement’ sheet where criteria are related to primary and complementary functions and constraints. Building materials are disposable coffee cups and stir-sticks, freezer bags, and the like. Flow, pressure, and volume are tested. A first reflection phase is individual, followed by a group discussion. Team organisation, time management, responsibilities are discussed as well as ethics (as...