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Makerspaces expanding across campus, starting in the fall

Michelle Garst, program manager of BeAM, talks about the first program down through the Maker-n-Residence series, where BeAM brings in expert makers to lead students in making projects. Students will be building a telescope from scratch, led by a local amateur astronomer and telescope builder. Once completed, the telescope will be used at the Morehead Planetarium for a skywatching party in conjunction with the Discover Your Universe Program.
Michelle Garst, program manager of BeAM, talks about the first program down through the Maker-n-Residence series, where BeAM brings in expert makers to lead students in making projects. Students will be building a telescope from scratch, led by a local amateur astronomer and telescope builder. Once completed, the telescope will be used at the Morehead Planetarium for a skywatching party in conjunction with the Discover Your Universe Program.

new makerspace opening in fall 2017 in Carmichael Residence Hall was announced at the March Board of Trustees meeting. There are currently two open makerspaces on campus — one in Kenan Science Library and one in Hanes Art Center.

While the Carmichael location is still in the early stages of development, the Murray makerspace is nearing completion.

“The bigger space (in Murray) will have everything — entire digital, several 3-D printers, textiles, electronics, sewing machines, all sorts of electronics, a woodworking room and a metalworking room,” said Michelle Garst, program manager of UNC’s Be a Maker program.

The location in Murray will be 3,100 square feet, physics professor Richard Superfine said.

“Making is any place where you create things,” Superfine said. “It’s that broadly defined — scientists in the lab make things, the theater tech shop makes things and artists make things. It’s open to a wide range of people, and so there’s a wide range of activities that happen in the spaces.”

Garst said the makerspaces give students the opportunity to have diverse learning experiences.

“As students, you spend so much of your time sitting in a classroom listening to someone lecture, and you don’t have a lot of opportunity to do hands-on learning,” Garst said.

“We take an interdisciplinary approach. Regardless of department or class, it’s an opportunity for students and staff to work together across departments and across subject lines.”

Rick Bradley, associate director of housing, said there are a variety of ideas being considered for the Carmichael space.

“We’re looking at something that can work in a residential space,” Bradley said. “Maybe a 3-D printer, software building and creation, but not the kind of woodworking and metalworking — that wouldn’t work well with fire alarm systems.”

Prior to the opening of the makerspace, there are plans to implement mobile maker carts in various residence halls. These carts will have similar tools as the current makerspaces.

The mobile maker carts will be implemented in first-year residence halls beginning in fall 2016.

“They will be a proof of concept to see how it works as they’re building the makerspace (in Carmichael),” Bradley said.

Bradley said mobile maker carts and the Carmichael makerspace are just some examples of new housing developments over the next few years.

Some other housing developments include facility upgrades and expansions. There are early plans to open a gourmet kitchen, most likely in one of the upper quad communities.

“It’s part of a strategic plan we’re developing that’s looking at more to make our space more modern and attractive,” Bradley said.

university@dailytarheel.com

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