Evil Genius

Course Description

The best learning doesn’t just happen by listening and looking but by doing. Evil Genius is a hands-on, interactive course rooted in the liberal arts tradition, designed to engage students in creative problem-solving through the design and construction of real gadgets and devices. From hovering machines to human-scale games, projects are built to be ambitious, inventive, and above all, fun!

This course makes the case that creativity, experimentation, and a willingness to think unconventionally are not just entertaining, they are exactly the skills students need in real life. Whether you consider yourself an engineer, an artist, or simply someone who likes to make things, Evil Genius invites you to embrace your inner inventor.

Faculty Spotlight

Robert Berls – Professor, Drama

Academic background

Robert Berls holds a BA in Theatre and a BA in History from Emporia State University, followed by an MA in Theatre History from Bowling Green State University. He later earned an MFA in Production Design from Michigan State University and is currently pursuing an MS in Engineering Technology at Western Carolina University.

What makes this course meaningful for students?

Berls teaches this class because it explores the concept of “doing” over just listening. The course is designed to be “playfully serious,” encouraging students to explore what they would build if they were an evil genius—it provides the means to start your own evil empire. It is a hands-on, interactive first-year seminar course that focuses on creativity, design, and building, exploring how junk can be turned into technology.

What Berls hopes students gain from the course is the opportunity to explore their creative side with fun experiments and projects designed to push their knowledge while having fun, moving beyond traditional lectures to interactive, hands-on projects.

Favorite spot in Asheville

Berls’s favorite spot in the area is Lake Louise in Weaverville, where he enjoys going fishing with his kids.