MAKER: How to Make a University Maker Space
In this paper we will be discussing a vital aspect needed in making, the maker space. The goal of this paper is to present tips and suggested avenues in making and maintaining a maker space in the university environment. We will do this by providing an initial list of best practices discovered by the research team as well as by providing further insights into maker spaces at the research teams’ universities. In this way, we hope to help current and developing university maker spaces thrive and give schools considering establishing their own space an avenue to seek guidance and advice.
Bryan Levy is a graduate student at Georgia Institute of Technology. He obtained his Bachelor's degree from Georgia Tech and is currently obtaining a Master's degree from the same institute. His research primarily focuses in the impact of maker spaces on students and design problem equivalency as it pertains to assessing creativity.
Ricardo graduated with honors from the University of Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering in May of 2014. He started his Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Fall of 2014. He joined the Innovation, Design Reasoning, Engineering Education, and Methods (IDREEM) Lab. Ricardo is currently working on measuring the impact of university maker spaces like the Invention Studio on students' retention in STEM related field, creativity, and engineering design confidence.
Craig Forest is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech where he also holds program faculty positions in Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering. He is a Fellow at the Allen Brain Institute in Seattle WA and he is one of the inaugural recipients of the NIH BRAIN Initiative Grants, a national research effort to invent the next generation of neuroscience and neuroengineering tools. He is cofounder/organizer of one of the largest undergraduate invention competitions in the US—The InVenture Prize, and founder/organizer of one of the largest student-run prototyping facilities in the US—The Invention Studio. He was named Engineer of the Year in Education for the state of Georgia (2013).
Dr. Robert Nagel is a Professor and Director of the Department of Engineering at Carthage College. Dr. Nagel, a mechanical engineer by training, performs research on engineering student learning and engagement with a focus on interventions, pedagogies, and design methodologies. He seeks to gain applicable knowledge for increasing student engagement and reducing barriers in engineering, design, and making.
Dr Wendy C. Newstetter is the Assistant Dean for Educational Research and Innovation in the College of Engineering at Georgia Tech.
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6235-0706
Texas State University
[biography]
Dr. Kimberly G. Talley, P.E. is an associate professor in the Department of Engineering Technology, PERSIST (Promoting the Engagement and Retention of Students In STEM) Lab Director at Texas State University, and a licensed Professional Engineer. She received her Ph.D. and M.S.E. from the University of Texas at Austin in Structural Engineering. Her undergraduate degrees in History and in Construction Engineering and Management are from North Carolina State University. Dr. Talley teaches courses in the Construction Science and Management and Civil Engineering Technology Programs, and her research focus is in student engagement and retention in engineering and engineering technology education. Contact: talley@txstate.edu
Dr. Shaunna Smith is a STEM Specialist and Liaison for STEM Pre-Academy, which is a part of the University of Hawai‘i System, Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation. She focuses on providing STEM education support for Hawai‘i middle school teachers.
Dr. Julie S. Linsey is a Professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technological. Her research focus is on design methods, theory, and engineering education with a particular focus on innovation and conceptual design.
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