Aaron M. Hoover, PhD

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This is Aaron Hoover's memorial site.

Aaron was an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Olin College of Engineering in Needham, Massachusetts where he taught mechatronics and design, experimented with the design of learning environments, and sometimes taught students to make things like furniture, bicycles, and penny arcade games.

More recently, he also wrote a lot about his personal experiences battling brain cancer here. Come for the random musings on craft, engineering education, and digital joinery; stay for the reflections on mortality and the overwhelming beauty of life suddenly brought into sharp focus by a cancer diagnosis.

You can also find Aaron on Google Scholar, Github, Twitter and Instagram.

To share a written memory, please leave a comment on this post. To share photos, images, video, audio, playlists, or anything else, please email files to amhoov AT gmail DOT com.

Remembering Aaron Hoover
January 3, 2021January 18, 2021

Remembering Aaron Hoover

Aaron Murdock Hoover died December 30, 2020, surrounded by an extraordinarily large amount of love. An avid everyday...

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June 27, 2021June 29, 2021

Memorial Service for Aaron in Kansas City

With the easing of COVID restrictions, we are finally able to honor Aaron’s memory with an in-person celebration...

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January 18, 2021January 18, 2021

To Aaron’s friends in the Boston area…

Many, many thanks to all who attended Aaron’s go-by memorial yesterday. He would have been so touched to...

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January 13, 2021January 18, 2021

Aaron’s memorial date changed to Sun 1/17/21

Dear friends, Due to likely inclement weather on Saturday, January 16, Aaron’s “go-by” memorial date has been changed...

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September 3, 2020January 13, 2021

It’s Been a While

In glioblastoma land no news is not always good news. I suppose it depends on the definition of...

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Recurrence. So now what?
May 12, 2020January 13, 2021

Recurrence. So now what?

In a previous post, I wrote about experiencing my first recurrence. Even though we always knew it was...

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May 4, 2020January 13, 2021

To Nurse Liz

A little over a week ago, I went into the hospital for another brain surgery. The goal was...

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April 20, 2020January 18, 2021

“We’ve always known this day would come.”

Author’s Note: I struggled a lot with whether to write this post. But, in the end, I decided...

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April 9, 2020January 13, 2021

One Year Living with Glioblastoma

Technically, it’s been more than a year that the glioblastoma has been in my brain. But then, I...

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March 12, 2020January 13, 2021

Living in the Moment While Planning for the Future

“I feel like the whole world now has to experience what we’ve been experiencing every day – figuring...

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February 10, 2020January 13, 2021

Birthdays, Clean Scans, and The Illusion of Safety

Okay, really the title of this post should be “Birthdays, Clean Scans, and The Illusion of Control,” but...

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December 18, 2019January 13, 2021

So? Now what!?

I’m not gonna lie. I’m ridiculously behind on semester grading. My whole family is home sick with norovirus....

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December 2, 2019January 13, 2021

Connecting With Other Brain Tumor Patients Is Important

Last night I participated in my first Twitter Chat – the monthly #btsm (Brain Tumor Social Media) chat....

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November 19, 2019January 13, 2021

Terminal Cancer is a Fluid

What a weird title, right? Well, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how so many conversations in...

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November 14, 2019January 13, 2021

“What’s good?”

I have always liked the greeting, “What’s good?” It’s succinct. It’s hopeful. It intentionally invites responses that don’t...

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October 21, 2019January 13, 2021

Chemo Round 4 in the Books

Something the other day reminded me that the standard of care for brain tumors is commonly referred to...

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September 26, 2019January 13, 2021

Reflecting on the Halfway Point of Chemo

Apart from the obvious, “I’m halfway done!” sentiment, here’s something good I can say about finishing my first...

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September 16, 2019January 13, 2021

Two for two!

For those of you following along at home, you know that I went in for another MRI last...

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September 9, 2019January 13, 2021

Scanxiety

It’s 9pm, and I’m sitting here waiting to be loaded onto a table, have my head clamped into...

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September 4, 2019January 13, 2021

Teaching with Cancer…

Note: Before you get all righteous and up in arms about Olin making me go back to teaching...

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August 28, 2019January 13, 2021

It’s Good to Be Back

Today was sort of the unofficial first day of the semester. Why unofficial? Well, it was the first...

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August 23, 2019January 13, 2021

“What punishments of God are not gifts?”

A few days ago on Twitter, I encountered this remarkable clip of Anderson Cooper interviewing Stephen Colbert, and...

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August 22, 2019January 13, 2021

Round 2 – Chemo 0, Aaron 1

Tonight, I will take the last of five doses of my chemotherapy in this second round. I hope...

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August 20, 2019January 13, 2021

Maine, Part 2 -Shleppinghurst

A man buys a quarry and turns it into a Japanese garden… Some people read a Bangor Daily...

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August 19, 2019January 13, 2021

Maine, Part 1 – Chairmaking

The Backstory Sometime shortly after I was diagnosed with glioblastoma, I also found out that a spot had...

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August 16, 2019January 13, 2021

Round 2: It’s back on…

…but I’m not sure how I feel about that. Today, my platelet level was 106 K/uL, officially clearing...

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August 15, 2019January 13, 2021

Waiting in the Healing Garden

As I mentioned before, I’m in a bit of a holding pattern as I wait for my platelets...

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August 13, 2019January 13, 2021

Round 2: Temporarily Postponed

Platelets be like, “whoa, whoa, whoa…” And, honestly, this is perfectly fine with me. Today I was supposed...

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Bicycle Framebuilding: Jig Design
August 6, 2019January 13, 2021

Bicycle Framebuilding: Jig Design

Update (08/06/2109): Engineering Drawings! Wow – someone has actually read this post and requested drawings! This seems only...

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July 31, 2019January 13, 2021

Round 1: Chemo 1, Aaron 0

Apologies if it’s been a little quiet around here lately. The R’s and I took a little time...

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July 15, 2019January 13, 2021

Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!

Last Friday, I had my one-month post-radiation follow-up. The Tuesday prior, big R and I had a lovely...

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July 15, 2019January 13, 2021

Stories from taking Lyft five days a week

It’s the law. Something I was unaware of before this whole ordeal began is the fact that Massachusetts...

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July 1, 2019January 13, 2021

It’s been two weeks…

Well, I guess it’s now officially been two whole weeks since my 30th (and final) radiation therapy treatment....

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June 24, 2019January 13, 2021

It’s been one week…

Did I get that Barenaked Ladies song stuck in your head? I certainly hope so! Adrift Seriously, though,...

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The author in his radiation mask
June 17, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 30 – I’m finished!

The last beam room music rundown: Your last beam room music rundown. Technically, there was a song playing...

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View from the healing garden on the 8th floor of the MGH Yawkey building.
June 14, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 29 – Country music and adventures in the Healing Garden

Happy Friday, y’all! Here’s your beam room music rundown: “My Girl,” Dylan Scott – More country, and I’m...

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June 13, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 28 – Soul Music and 3D Modeling

Today’s beam room music rundown: “Upside Down,” Jeffrey David Goldford – This was a new song for me....

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June 12, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 27 – Milestones

Beam room music rundown: “The Space Between,” Dave Matthews Band – I think we know where I stand...

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June 11, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 26 – Sideways

Beam room music rundown: None, nothing, nada There was, however, a woman tech in the beam room today...

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June 10, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 25 – 5/6 of the way there.

Beam room music rundown: Absolutely nuthin’ I also collected yet another data point supporting the correlation of a...

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June 7, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 24 – Chemo + Fasting + Avoiding Caffeine = ?

Beam room music rundown: “You Don’t Know How It Feels,” Tom Petty – It’s good to hear you...

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June 7, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 23 – Lady Gaga and the Humanity of Stanning Little Caesar’s Pizza

Today’s beam room music rundown: “Nobody Knows,” The Lumineers – Lumineers, you can take a powder now. “Always...

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June 5, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 22 – Timely tunes and the Coen brothers

Beam room music rundown: “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Queen – It was very difficult to keep from attempting to bang...

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June 4, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 21 – We’re gonna do this keto thing!

Your beam room music rundown: “Someone Like You,” Adele – Adele has got some pipes. I might have...

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June 4, 2019January 13, 2021

My broken (and repaired) body – an inventory

First things first: this post is a bit self-indulgent, possibly somewhat gross, (depending on your perspective), and long....

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June 3, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 20 – A Keto Diet Brain Dump

Today’s beam room music rundown: Nothing, nada, zilch I have yet another data point correlating the presence of...

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May 31, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 19 – Can keto improve treatment outcomes?

Beam room music rundown: “She’s Always a Woman,” Billy Joel “The Boxer,” Simon & Garfunkel “Lonely People,” America ...

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May 30, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 18 – Asking for what I need

Beam room music rundown: Some country song I couldn’t make out because the radio was too quiet and...

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May 29, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 17 – Winehouse, and only Winehouse

That’s right, only one song in the beam room today, folks: “Valerie,” Amy Winehouse – This is a...

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May 28, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 16 – It’s classic rock all the way down

Beam room music rundown: “I Can’t Tell You Why,” The Eagles – Once again, I side with The...

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May 25, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 15 – “Whoa-oh we’re halfway there.”

(I really, really hope you read that title in Jon Bon Jovi’s voice to the rhythm of “Livin’...

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May 23, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 14 – Silence is golden

Today was the second day of no music in the beam room. The common factor in both days...

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May 22, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 13 – A subtle shift in language

Your day 13 beam room music rundown: “Fool In The Rain,” Led Zeppelin “I Am a Rock,” Simon...

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May 21, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 12 – A Solo Journey

Beam room music rundown: “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head,” Dean Martin – A little too on...

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May 20, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 11 – Country music!

The beam room really switched it up on me today, defying my expectations. Country! Here’s the rundown: “Chicken...

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May 20, 2019January 13, 2021

Graduations, Community, and Connectedness

Yesterday was Olin’s graduation. Despite a dreary, and rainy start (thanks, New England “spring”!), by the time the...

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May 17, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 10 – The sound of silence

Well, week 2 of radiation therapy is officially in the books, but there was no music in the...

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May 16, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 9

Beam room music rundown (only two songs today thanks to the Eagles’ propensity for writing looooong songs): “I...

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May 16, 2019January 13, 2021

“I don’t think I can wear an ‘F Cancer’ t-shirt.”

About a week after my surgery, I had a follow-up appointment with my neuro-oncologist. We needed to wait...

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May 15, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 8 – Tom Petty sparks San Francisco nostalgia

Your daily beam room music rundown: “Fire and Rain,” James Taylor “Black Water,” The Doobie Brothers “Mary Jane’s...

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May 14, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 7 – I could have chosen the music today…

…but I didn’t. I had to go to a different beam room than my normal location today because...

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May 14, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 6

Beam room music rundown: “The Space Between,” Dave Matthews Band (really, more DMB?) [Sadly, I forgot the other...

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May 12, 2019January 13, 2021

The Cancer Nod

Do you know what a “bro nod” is? No? Well, click away on that there link and get...

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May 11, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 5 – Week 1 is in the books (and the music wasn’t bad)!

Beam room music rundown: “Eleanor Rigby,” The Beatles “The Way You Make Me Feel,” Michael Jackson “You’re My...

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May 9, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 4 – It was a good day

Beam room music breakdown: “Ants Marching,” Dave Matthews Band (swing and a miss) [Another DMB song I couldn’t...

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May 9, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 3 – Beam room music rundown and the odd sensation of flashing lights behind my eyelids

Song 1 – “Ho Hey,” The Lumineers Song 2 – “Yellow,” Coldplay Song 3 – “Stand By Me,”...

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May 7, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 2, Part 2 – In which the music in the beam room makes me feel old

When I was back home for the holidays this past winter, an old friend of mine remarked how...

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May 7, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 2, Part 1 – “The Man in the Plastic Mask”

Yesterday I alluded to a sweet, custom-made plastic mask that attaches to the table of the external beam...

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May 6, 2019January 13, 2021

Radiation Day 1

Well, well, well, the first day of radiation and (bonus!) half-dose chemotherapy has arrived. There’s a strict schedule...

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May 3, 2019January 13, 2021

A baseline for my brain

Today was a day of milestones (and mile-markers, I suppose). This morning I had a neuropsychological assessment to...

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When your body betrays you (or starting my battle with brain cancer)
April 30, 2019January 13, 2021

When your body betrays you (or starting my battle with brain cancer)

Note to the reader: This post is a bit of a departure from previous writing I’ve done here...

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Digital Joinery, Part 2 – The Board Corner Joint
February 14, 2019January 13, 2021

Digital Joinery, Part 2 – The Board Corner Joint

In the post, Digital Joinery Design Automation, I introduced a project I’m working on to implement all 50...

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Digital Joinery, Part 1 – “Frame Corner Joint”
December 14, 2018January 13, 2021

Digital Joinery, Part 1 – “Frame Corner Joint”

In my last post, “Digital Joinery Design Automation,” I wrote about a project I planned to undertake to...

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October 11, 2018January 13, 2021

Digital Joinery Design Automation

In past posts, I’ve written a little bit about my experience taking a 12-week intensive course in furniture...

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September 13, 2018January 13, 2021

The role of “craftsmanship” in engineering education

For a while now, I’ve been thinking a lot about craft as it relates to engineering education. “What...

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July 17, 2018January 13, 2021

Craft and computers

You start by sketching, then you do a drawing, then you make a model, and then you go...

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June 21, 2018January 13, 2021

The antithesis of multitasking

I’ve just completed my first week of the 12-week furniture intensive course at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship...

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May 25, 2018January 13, 2021

Cloud-enabled Time-Lapse Video – Part II

In Cloud-enabled Time-Lapse Video Part I, I walked through setting up a Raspberry Pi with a camera and...

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Cloud-enabled Time-Lapse Video – Part I
May 24, 2018January 13, 2021

Cloud-enabled Time-Lapse Video – Part I

A major theme of the library reinvention project is documentation. Documentation can serve many critical purposes including storytelling,...

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May 24, 2018January 13, 2021

Pivots: A Scrum pattern for design projects

I'm calling the pattern "Pivots," but it's based on an existing pattern called the "Interrupt Pattern" devised by Jeff...

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May 24, 2018January 13, 2021

Design Thinking + Scrum = ?

At Olin, design (and design thinking) is one lens through which we view engineering. If you'll allow me...

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