The new director of the Alley Makerspace, Dr. Shane Oberloier, brings fresh energy with his “Dr. Shane Makes” workshops. Established in 2014, the Alley Makerspace repurposed a bowling alley in the basement of the MUB into a resource-rich area where students can access tools, resources, and coaching to create and invent.
“The Makerspace’s objective is to enable making because many students are in dorms and don’t have access to these tools, but they want to create,” Dr. Oberloier explained. The Alley Makerspace is free for students, faculty, and staff. Participants can reserve or sign up for training at makerspace.mtu.edu.
Dr. Oberloier, an assistant teaching professor of electrical and computer engineering, is a strong advocate for open-source educational tools and the making process. He seeks students who “want to have that feeling of putting something together.” His projects, including a musical lava lamp and a 3D printing project, can be found on his website, oberloier.com, and his YouTube page, @DrShaneMTU, where he encourages others to recreate and modify his work.
“Dr. Shane Makes” offers in-person workshops on various topics. Upcoming sessions include “Intro to 3D Printing for Prototyping” on Oct. 3 and “Integrating AI in the Prototyping Process” on Nov. 21. No prior knowledge of making is required. “The beauty of the Alley is that when you go there, our coaches will meet you where you are,” Dr. Oberloier said. “If you don’t have experience with circuits, 3D printing, or woodworking, it’s the coach’s job to assess your skills and provide the necessary training.”
The “Dr. Shane Makes” workshop takes place Thursdays from 2 p.m. to 3:20 p.m. in the Alley Makerspace in the MUB basement. Recordings of the workshops are available on Dr. Shane’s YouTube page.
