Stepping into new Upper School science teacher Kevin Fine’s office, nothing seems abnormal. It’s just like any other office in the Winn Science Center: a large wooden desk sits across from two grey chairs sitting comfortably on top of the carpet patterned with repeating hexagons.
But within the shadow of the pristine whiteboard sit a woven basket full of red and white juggling pins.
The pins aren’t only just another decoration. They’re indicative of Fine’s personality and his passion for blending art and engineering.
As a child, Fine didn’t have any plan of becoming an engineer or teacher. His dream lied in the trombone, one of the many instruments he played as a member of the Seattle Youth Symphony and a casual enjoyer of music.
“My dream was to be a symphony trombonist,” Fine said. “Music is something that I get a lot of pleasure out of, and I continue to do it. I think there are ways you can be innovative in any career, but music has been able to remain a passion for me even though it’s something I don’t do professionally.”
After high school, Fine attended Stanford University, where he first discovered his interest in engineering through the school’s Product Realization Lab.
At Stanford, Fine combined his love of the arts with his previous experience in building projects as an Eagle Scout. Ultimately, he found a community among other engineers, inspiring him to continue pursuing the field.
“Engineering is something that I discovered,” Fine said. “I really loved the creativity with buildings, breaking and fixing things, and I’m hoping to bring some of those ideas and a lot of that energy here. The first project we’re working on in my eighth-grade engineering class is an automaton that the students design. It’s combining engineering with their artistic sides. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
After his time at Stanford, Fine went on to work at numerous companies and startups, notably working as an engineering manager at Tesla and co-founding his own company, Lunar Energy. Over his nearly two decades of work experience, Fine gathered the tools and knowledge to lead teams and accomplish bold tasks. He hopes to teach these lessons to his students, especially how to work in a team.
“Engineering is a team activity,” Fine said. “Anything you want to make can’t really be done by one person, and being in the outdoors is very much a team activity. Music is another team sport. If you’re part of an orchestra, the sound of the whole orchestra matters, not the sound of any one person.”
In his new roles at the school as robotics club co-sponsor and physics, computer science and engineering teacher, Fine hopes to create interest in the sciences by utilizing his unique skills.
“I see a really big tie-in between engineering and art, and I want to strengthen that,” Fine said. “A lot of my own personal projects during and after college had an artistic element to them, and I want to encourage that development of both technical skills and creative expression.”
Additionally, Fine hopes to continue expanding the engineering program into the Upper School, including more students and making full use of the Makerspace.
“Mr. Mayer has created a really vibrant engineering offering in the Middle School, and that’s created a lot of students who are really interested in engineering now,” Fine said. “There are fewer engineering offerings in the upper school, so I’m really excited to try and expand them.”
Overall, Fine is optimistic for the future. Whether it be juggling pins in physics classes or cutting through stacks of plywood in his engineering elective, he looks forward to making full use of his newfound resources and making a lasting impact on the school.
“The most enjoyable experience so far has been getting to meet all of the people here, both the students and the staff,” Fine said. “The feel of the community here is real, and it’s very different from what I’ve felt before. After meeting all these people, I’m excited to make this my home.”