Page 80 - College Planning & Management, July/August 2017

Case Histories REAL-WORLD SOLUTIONS
BAcademic Makerspaces Foster Innovation
EFORE CASE WESTERN tors by nurturing, developing, funding and Reserve University established commercializing ideas across disciplines. their innovation center Sears “Most companies want technical skills
think[box], access to 3D printing was limited to a small section of engineering students. With just two 3D printers in a de- sign studio used only for specific engineer- ing courses, no one else had access.
In order to get more accessible cutting- edge technology, promote innovation and hands-on learning, Case Western created an on-campus, open environment where applied learning, design and product devel- opment intersected. Now one of the largest university-based innovation centers in the world, the Sears think[box] operates as an innovative and entrepreneurial maker- space for students and the surrounding community. It’s a home to educators, men- tors and facilitators who help students and faculty become future leaders and innova-
SRoad Art That Lasts
and multidisciplinary team experience,” says Malcolm Cooke, Sears think[box] executive director. “Through Sears think[box], we’re able to promote the use of creativity, innova- tion and entrepreneurship across campus. This, in turn, supports a wide range of inter- disciplinary exploration and activity.”
Makerspaces like think[box] give students access to advancing 3D printing technologies. Today, the innovation center hosts more than 5,000 monthly visitors, many of whom use Sears think[box]’s 3D printers to bring their ideas to life. Chosen for their robust capabilities and user- friendly software platform, Stratasys tech- nologies like FDM and the F123 Series put the power of ingenuity and design iteration into the Sears think[box] user’s hands.
Sears think[box] at Case Western Reserve University is one of the largest university-based innovation centers in the world, hosting 5,000 monthly visitors.
Because of its success and leadership, Case Western and the Sears think[box] will be hosting the 2017 International Sympo- sium on Academic Makerspaces (ISAM), September 24-27. ISAM brings together higher education makerspaces to maximize their impact on student learning experi- ences and alumni success, and simply get students and faculty excited about making.
www.stratasys.com
YRACUSE UNIVERSITY For this they turned to Transpo Indus- has been a staple in the City of tries’ Color-Safe MMA Pavement Marking. Syracuse, NY, since 1870 and has Color-Safe is a new generation Methyl
always stayed at the forefront of continuous infrastructure innovation. Maintaining the state-of-the-art campus extends to their transit and transportation system, and to that end university officials and students created the “Syracuse Connective Corridor” project. This project set forth
a goal, among others, to implement bike paths throughout the university, as well
as connecting to the city. However, with the continuous university and city traffic coupled with the staggering winter weather conditions frequently seen in Syracuse, project officials were faced with an issue: finding a pavement marking material that would provide maximum durability while still maintaining the campuses beauty and offer maximum safety for cyclists.
Methacrylate (MMA) resin component designed specifically for projects such as the Connective Corridor.
Color-Safe is easily distinguishable by its uniquely bright and resilient colors,
a feature that fit in seamlessly with the university’s need to maintain the campuses famous scenic appeal.
Fitting with the university’s desire for eco-friendly practices, Color-Safe’s imple- mentation uses minimal emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC). Since it is also one of the longest lasting pavement markings available, Color-Safe also ensures mini-
mal construction materials waste. Unlike thermoplastic paint, which is frequently used and needs to be reapplied every 6-12 months, MMA materials can last up to 10 years.
Syracuse University used Transpo Industries’ Color-Safe MMA Pavement Marking as a central part of their Connec- tive Corridor project.
Finally, Color-Safe was designed to be ex- tremely easy to apply, as well as fast curing in a wide variety of temperatures. For university officials, this meant minimizing labor cost as well as ensuring the bike lanes would be up andrunningwithnominalroadclosures. CPM
www.transpo.com
80 COLLEGE PLANNING & MANAGEMENT / JULY/AUGUST 2017
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