11.19.2025: What an incredible afternoon we had at the recent STEAM Connect Pop-up hosted by the trailblazers at Tektronix! We are deeply grateful to the staff—including Christian from the Reliability Lab—and the dedicated volunteers of VintageTek for opening their doors and sharing their passion for high-tech innovation. Thank you also to all of our partipants, who respected the impressive equipment on display and for interactive use.
Where It All Started: The VintageTEK Museum
Our journey began in the amazing VintageTEK museum, a fundamental resource that truly brings the history of the “Silicon Forest” to life. The museum, led by the exceptional Dave Brown, showcased why Tektronix is a foundational pillar of the high-tech industry, having literally given birth to many of the tech companies that now thrive in our region.
Dave shared some fascinating moments:
- Pop Culture Connection: We learned about Tektronix equipment’s surprising appearances in iconic films like Hidden Figures and Star Wars. We even got to hold the Grammy Award Tektronix earned for its role in audio technology!
- Visualizing Sound: Dave helped us understand the science of sound, explaining how audio is a wave that can be heard at different frequencies, and how that wave can be perfectly visualized on Tektronix equipment.
🌟 Plan your visit! The VintageTEK museum is a must-see for anyone interested in tech history. It is open every Saturday 10am-4pm and admission is free. It’s an amazing place to stop, explore, and learn.
The Ultimate Test: Behind the Scenes in the Reliability Lab
The adventure continued in the Tektronix Reliability Lab, where Christian showed us the intense testing required to ensure quality and durability. This is where products face brutal conditions before they ever reach a customer:
- Extreme Environments: We saw equipment tested under extreme heat and cold, humidity, and pressure chambers. Also we got to see the “Shaker Tables” that expose Tek equipment to 6-10G’s of vibration force!
- Durability and Shipping: We witnessed drop tests designed to simulate the bumps and stresses of the shipping process, and expose the probes and cords to extreme and repetative movements.
- Robot Testing: We ‘met’ the robots custom-built to automatically touch screens thousands of times, rigorously testing functionality and durability over time.
The Power of the Non-Linear Career Path
Perhaps the most valuable takeaway was the personal stories shared by the Tektronix employees and VintageTEK volunteers. Each person elaborated on a powerful truth: very few people experience a straight-line career pathway. We often take detours, right or left turns, and even U-turns to find our true calling. These real-life stories are the heart of the STEAM Connect mission—showing our “Next Gen Pros” that every journey is valid and unique.
How You Can Get Connected
Thank you again to the VintageTEK and Tektronix teams! If you missed this event, don’t worry: go visit the VintageTEK museum and join us for our next Pop-ups!
- Stay Tuned: Visit SteamPathways.org/steam-connect/ to Register for our upcoming destinations.
- Help Us Spread the Word: Know a student, family, or professional who would benefit from these experiences? Direct them to our website and share this post!