DAVID HINSON, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER:
Originally, John Steward and Cheri Devol got a grant last year and brought a
3D printer onto campus. I was really excited about that, but also recognized that
where we had the printer in a lab still kept an artificial barrier between students
being able to walk up and do some experimentation. So, one of the things I quickly
decided we needed to do was to bring that technology into a space that belonged
to students. That was the impetus for getting a printer and scanner in to the Oathout
Technology center.
JOHN STEWARD '94, LABORATORY MANAGER - PHYSICS:
So a 3D printer is much like a hot glue gun on steroids.
HINSON:
The filament is extruded through a heating element and layered on layer by layer…
BOBBY ENGELER-YOUNG '93, DIRECTOR OF MEDIA SERVICES:
... until there's a thing. Then you go, “tschick!” And then, you've got a thing.
We've got a makerspace now because we have a 3D printer and we have a poster
printer. I mean, the Oathout [Technology Center] is a makerspace.
CHERI PROUGH DEVOL '90, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF THEATRE ARTS:
The idea behind a makerspace is to give students opportunities to experiment
with new technology and I think not only to experiment with things like 3D printing
or new types of software that can be used, but also to give them that sense of community
and to allow them to bring their creative ideas together and bounce them off each
other.
STEWARD:
The students will be teaching themselves. This information will be transferred
from student to student. They will learn by doing.
ENGELER-YOUNG:
The value is in creative collaboration. The value is in a space where togetherness
is valued.