Proposals

Abstract

The McMahon 8 Community Center is a multi-use workspace where students can use the woodshop, metal shop, and makerspace for personal or academic projects. The 8 houses nine engineering Registered Student Organization (RSO) teams, as well as workspace and equipment for the Department of Digital Art and Experimental Media (DXARTS). Like the MILL in McCarty Hall, McMahon 8 is open to the entire UW community – undergraduate and graduate students, staff and faculty members. McMahon 8 is the newest site for collaboration, innovation and fostering partnerships on the UW campus funded by UW Housing &Food Services, DXARTS, and the College of Engineering. With varying degrees of support, provided by a full-time staff member, a graduate student, university faculty, and trained student staff, users of McMahon 8 receive safety training and help with their projects while knowledge transfers from entry-level all the way to professional and research level. This proposal is requesting a new ShopBot CNC Gantry machine that can be utilized by anyone in the UW community. HFS, DXARTS, and CoE will contribute monetary resources toward the electrical upgrade and staff training required to install and use this piece of equipment. Approval of this proposal will continue to enhance our goal of providing a space for students to be able to work with equipment that is difficult or impossible to access throughout campus. HFS is committed to helping train and teach students. We will have full-time staff available to students, in addition to an anticipated student staff of over 10 individuals. In accordance with our current operating plan, we also plan to facilitate at least 10 workshops and trainings on the ShopBot for students each quarter.