With Carson Bauer and Design Innovation, it was love at first sight.
鈥淚 took orientation and seeing all these things, I said, 鈥楾here鈥檚 so much I want to do here,鈥欌€� Bauer said.
However, as a computer science major, she wasn鈥檛 sure how she could use the space for her work. So, she decided to become a DI Crew Member and help others with their projects.
Down in the Reactor, Bauer often spends her days tinkering with the 3D printers. But her favorite machine is the button maker, which she used to make hand-drawn buttons for her first art market.
Since joining the crew, she has also helped make many of DI鈥檚 events a success. She led all of this fall鈥檚 Mini Maker Series workshops, stayed in the Reactor until midnight to work with hackers at last year鈥檚 Fashion Tech Hackathon and was on the team that created logos for the event.
On an average shift, Bauer also welcomes any challenge that comes through the Reactor doors.
鈥淢y favorite projects to help people with are things where they鈥檙e not quite sure it鈥檚 going to work,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey come in with an idea and a file, and you can collaborate.鈥�
What makes DI special, Bauer said, is having a work environment where crew members openly exchange ideas, no matter their background or experience.
鈥淵ou have nothing in common with someone, but if you ask them what they鈥檙e up to you can learn about something that otherwise you didn鈥檛 know existed,鈥� she said.
Bauers recently joined DI鈥檚 student fellow program, where she wants to workshop ideas to improve campus and stay in touch with resources. In October, she will attend the International Symposium on Academic Makerspaces (ISAM) in Pittsburgh where she hopes to learn more about makerspaces on other campuses and meet students to share her DI mindset with.
