New Year and New Role

It is my extreme pleasure to announce a change in roles for me (Ammon Shepherd) in the Scholar’s Lab. Beginning this new year, I will be the full-time Manager of the Scholars’ Lab Makerspace and the Lead Research Technologist. I started in the Scholars’ Lab 5 years ago as a Digital Humanities Developer, building websites, working on various projects, and helping to maintain our technical infrastructure. Since then I have enjoyed learning the technology and skills available in the Makerspace, and, like the metaphorical camel, I found a way to get myself all in. 😊

From the beginning (Summer 2014), the Makerspace had a great vision under the outstanding leadership of Laura Miller and Jeremy Boggs. As their roles have changed over the years, this left an opportunity for me to join the Makerspace team full-time. As Manager, I will oversee the administration and day-to-day running of the Makerspace and supervise our wonderful team of student employees who we affectionately call Makerspace Technologists. As the Lead Research Technologist, I will conduct research about Makerspace technology, methodology and pedagogy, and collaborate with scholars throughout the UVA community.

With the new year and the new decade, we’ve enhanced our vision of the Makerspace, and put in place a mission.

Scholars’ Lab Makerspace Vision

The Scholars’ Lab Makerspace is strategically situated within the UVA Library to be open, provide a low barrier to entry, and be a helpful resource of information, technology and support. The space invites all people, and proactively encourages those in underrepresented academic studies, ethnicities, genders, economic classes and skill levels to come, learn, make, and be empowered to improve their education, research, and community. The Makerspace is an active participant in academic research through independent and collaborative work with scholars to explore, understand, and report on emerging technologies, methodologies and pedagogies in a variety of disciplines.

Mission

All humans are dreamers, creators, and achievers. Our mission is to provide the place, the tools, and the support to empower people to dream, create, and achieve.

I encourage you to check the blog often this year, and our social media pages, as we will be more active in posting the very cool things that the UVA community creates in the Makerspace.

Social Media