Volunteer Opportunities
The following are volunteer opportunities available to all students who want to get involved with The Shack, including project-focused and more administrative positions.
Please note, projects are done independently and on your own time. You will be credited on the website for the work you complete and have the opportunity to present your project at various Shack events.
If you are interested in any of the projects on this page, send an e-mail to theshack@ualberta.ca and we will respond ASAP.
Administrative Positions
Shack Information Manager
We could use some focus on organizing documents and information necessary to run The Shack. This would include collecting information from previous employees and creating a manual or "dictionary" of important tasks and knowledge sharing. Talk to Danielle in The Shack for more information
Outreach Coordinator
The Shack is involved in tons of outreach events for kids and adults alike! Be the person who organizes the Shackers. This position involves communicating with the outside groups hosting the events (such as Let's Talk Science and Science FUNdamentals) and finding Shackers to tend to booths. This role could also involve developing any demos presented at event booths.
Project Documentation Manager
The Shack needs someone to oversee various projects our volunteers are working on here. This person would be in charge of following up with Shack users for photos and designs so they can be added to the Shack Wiki and Project list. They will also keep an up to date record of people using The Shack equipment.
Project Work
Independent Heated Bed
The original machine printer does not have a heated bed. It could be useful to create and independent heated bed that could be attached to the printer. Instead of running the bed through the printer as a whole, the bed temperature could be controlled with an outside dial and power source.
Paste Extruder
This one is a bit of a tough one. The first goal is to simply test the paste extruder using a gantry. We were given permission to test it using the extra printer from the Veinot Lab. If the filament extruder proves to be successful, then there would be a follow up to install it permanently to a gantry.
Stool Sensors
Save our stools from thieves! Help set up system that allows us to put out stools without them being stolen. RFID was a potential starting point, but maybe Bluetooth? Something. Anything! Help students get keep their chairs!
Acquired skills: learn about sensors, electronics knowledge, and design knowledge.
Stool Height Alteration
Do you hate that all the stools in The Shack are the same ultra-high height? Us too. Use a pipe cutter and a few other tricks to make the stools keep us at a more reasonable altitude.
Acquired skills: experience with hand tools and being everyone's hero.
Filament Joiner
Instead of throwing out small ends of filament, create a hot end press that will join plastic filament ends. Talk to Danielle in The Shack about ideas and processes.
Acquired skills: design, potentially milling, heating metal with an electrical current.
Self-Leveling Bed
Create a prototype for a self-leveling bed for a 3D printer. This should include a sensor that detects the distance from the nozzle to the bed and adjusts screws below the bed using a motor system, which would level everything out.
Unwarpable Printer Bed
Create a prototype for a 3D printer bed that is made to be extremely flat without being warped by continued heating and cooling.