Science Hardware Makerspace (SHACK) summer intern and undergraduate honors physics student Logan Fairgrieve-Park, here pictured with some 3D-printed projects in the SHACK. Photo provided.
The Science Hardware Makerspace (SHACK): a centre enabling student creativity on campus, buzzing away with the whir of 3D printers and students sharing ideas. And, for undergraduate honors physics student and SHACK intern Logan Fairgrieve-Park, it's the perfect place to spend a summer.
"The SHACK really appealed to me because of what it provides to students and all the incredible projects and people I get to see coming through here," said Fairgrieve-Park.
Fairgrieve-Park is working at the SHACK this summer as part of a twelve-month internship through the Science Internship Program, a program that offers students the opportunity to get real-world work experience while completing their undergraduate degrees.
Getting out of the classroom
Fairgrieve-Park is no stranger to taking projects beyond the classroom. This March, he presented on a SHACK project at a meeting of theSociety of Physics Students in Boston as part of the American Physical Society March Meeting. The conference showcases presentations and research from industry and academia, and Fairgrieve-Park took home an outstanding presentation award.
"I had the opportunity to present a project that is in development through the SHACK and that I have been working on: a centrifuge force microscope," explained Fairgrieve-Park. "Just like it sounds-it combines a centrifuge and a microscope in one device."
Fairgrieve-Park explained that combining the two pieces of equipment allows researchers to subject small biological molecules-like proteins or DNA-to high amounts of force to see how the molecules respond, aiding in applications including protein folding research to combat neurodegenerative diseases including ALS.
In addition to the centrifuge-microscope project, Fairgrieve-Park is responsible for launching the SHACK's new podcast, Maker Made, highlighting innovators on campus and their projects. Fairgrieve-Park produces the episodes and interviews the subjects, with episodes to-date including members from the UAlberta EcoCar project, AlbertaSat student group, and Space Exploration Alberta Robotics (SPEAR) team.
Fairgrieve-Park still has a year of studies ahead of him. But, he notes, his time at UAlberta and the SHACK have helped equip him for whatever comes next.
"I'm planning on pursuing a master's degree-although I'm not sure where just yet. The internship at the SHACK has provided me with a lot of useful experiences and has given me a more clear sense of direction."
The SHACK, housed in the Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Science, provides resources and assistance to students from any and all faculties across the university and volunteers who want to pursue their own projects that are both scientifically useful and engaging.