Nice rant.
I think any criminal charges against her should, and will be, dropped. The only crime here is that an MIT engineering student thinks some flashing lights will impress the folks at career day, but the authorities did act correctly in stopping Star at the airport.
Items in my carry on baggage have been questioned after going through check in, I had no problem explaining what those items were and I am glad they were checking.
I have no absolutely no experience in bomb building, but I'm very sure that I could easily build a timer/detonator device that looks virtually identical to Star's "art" and given access to some plastic explosives I could fashion that to look like the Play Dough (was that "art" too?) that she carried in her hand.
Star's "art": http://machinist.salon.com/blog/2007/09/21/star_simpson/
I have said that if they think that something bears investigating then investigate. When it turns out to be nothing, then apologize for the inconvenience, perhaps suggest that more discretion will lessen the likelihood of these kinds of misunderstandings in the future, and let her go about her business, perhaps even suggesting that she turn her flashing lights off until she gets to her job fair.
I am not defending her fashion sense.
You certainly could, but it would be way overengineered for a suicide vest. You would need no electronics at all unless you are going for something more sophisticated, such as remote triggering or time delay or proximity detection (as in a mine).
On the other hand, an MIT level jihad vest would probably have a circuit board programmed to recognize the words "Allahu akbar!" shouted out by its wearer. That way it could be set off even if the wearer is reaching for the sky as police approach.
And as for the Play Doh, even if it were actually C4, it would be completely harmless the way Star was carrying it (you need a detonator inserted and wired up to get it to go).