By Ben Frederick
The Washkewicz College of Engineering held a dedication ceremony for the Dan T. Moore MakerSpace Tuesday, Oct. 23 at 4:30 p.m.
The dedication drew a crowd made up of important businessmen and women in the area such as Donald E. Washkewicz, the former CEO of Parker Hannifin, the current and former president of Cleveland State University, Harlan Sands and Ronald Berkman and many staff members from the university. Around 100 people attended the dedication.
Before the dedication and speeches were given, the guests had time to enjoy a large spread of finger food and drinks while they explored the new area. Students stood at stations giving presentations of each machine.
The main area is the Dan T. Moore MakerSpace that consists of a large area with tables to collaborate about projects and ideas on one side of the room and various manufacturing machines on the other.
These machines include 3D printers, laser cutters and a machine to cut circuit boards. Off to the sides are five smaller rooms meant for small group meetings, each with its own flat screen.
Down the hall from the MakerSpace is the woodshop room. This room was made possible through a collaboration between The Austin Company and Cleveland State.
Small industrial wood equipment is spaced throughout this room to give students a wide range of access to equipment. The main attraction in this room is the Shopbot that has the ability to cut 2D and 3D wood.
The last room next to the woodshop room is the metal shop. Lincoln Electric donated much of the equipment for this room. It has a CNC machine, welding equipment, a plasma cutting table, mills and a lathe.
The dedication opened with Anette Karlsson, the dean of Washkewicz College of Engineering, thanking Dan Moore for donating for the space and how much it will bring to the university. She emphasized that Cleveland State was one of the very first to plan a space like this and that it will be a great asset to the university and the college.
Next, Sands took the podium and again thanked Moore for the space. Sands focused his speech on Cleveland State’s Engaged Learning agenda, explaining how Cleveland State is a hands-on, active college and how this space will solidify that for many engineering students.
With that, Sands introduced the space’s namesake, Dan T. Moore. Moore is the former chair of the Cleveland State board of trustees and runs his own corporation. Moore spoke on how he made his mark in manufacturing. He expressed how it is a valuable skill and he wishes to pass that knowledge and experience on to the next generation of engineers.
This is why he funded the MakerSpace with his donation of $250,000 in May 2016, and he chose Cleveland because the city has a long history of manufacturing that he wants bring back.
“I am proud to make this gift to help create a space where CSU students, faculty and the community can develop their innovations,” Moore said in a 2016 news release about his donation. “It is my hope that this MakerSpace will fuel a culture of creativity and entrepreneurship that pervades the entire CSU campus.”
The space is not officially open yet, but with special permission, students and clubs can use it. Stephen Matz, a junior, uses the space two to three times a week to learn about the equipment and become familiar with all of it.
“For students, the MakerSpace provides a huge opportunity for creativity, practical application of knowledge, project development and collaboration,” Matz said. “It gives students a place to work together on projects that otherwise couldn’t be completed at Cleveland State.”
Many students are excited for this space and the possibilities it brings. Joe Bastulli, a senior and member of the CSU Robotics team uses the space on a frequent basis as well. CSU Robotics meets in the space regularly to prepare for their competitions.
Bastulli loves the large collaborative area in the main space, and he believes that area is a contributing factor on the club’s success.
The Dan T. Moore MakerSpace is a new and exciting addition to the engineering college. Many people believe it will aid the students immensely with hands-on, real world experience that they would not be able to get without the space.
“A lot of the equipment is cost-prohibitive and wouldn’t be accessible to students without the MakerSpace,” Matz said. “Having this facility gives students that needed access and space for their projects and groups.”