Shree Nayar

The Bigshot Project

Shree K. Nayar is the T.C. Chang Professor of Computer Science at Columbia University. He leads the Columbia Vision Laboratory and also the BigShot Project. BigShot, coined as “ A Camera for Experiential Learning” is a versatile camera that allows user to learn, create, and express. It comes as a toolkit that needs to be assembled, during which the user is engaged in concepts surrounding optics, mechanics,etc. Users can then use Bigshot as an everyday digital camera and share the photos locally, nationally, and even internationally! Most importantly, the main goal of BigShot is to use the science of a camera to  engage younger students in science and engineering. In addition, Bigshot has partnered with Magic Box Productions through the STEAM initiative that helps kids discover the science behind photography. Students assemble the BigShot camera while also learning about the different gears and parts of a camera.