On the third floor of Charles Library lies an open-access space with assorted equipment—a glue gun, a typewriter, laser cutters, 3D printers and sewing machines.

This area—known as the makerspace—is where MFA sculpture student Ollie Goss spent two weeks building a critical piece of their final project through a new program.

Thanks to the Loretta C. Duckworth Scholars Studio’s Makerspace Residency, Goss used the technology of the space to construct an amusement park ride for their thesis, The Tunnel of Love, which explores how rules and regulations govern space and limit access. They constructed the cart from a mobility scooter with a track made out of PVC pipe. Goss’ MFA exhibition opens on March 22 at the Temple Contemporary Gallery.

“I was really interested in how digital fabrication and electronics could factor into my work,” they said. “I’ve always had a social practice lean to my art. I like when it allows people to interact in ways perhaps they haven’t before and when it makes them reimagine how they’re living. How can we reshape the world around us to be more interesting? 

“Given the makerspace’s resources, it was the perfect fit because of the electronics expertise and 3D and resin printing,” they added. “The makerspace staff has guided me about how to create my own components. They’ve been so generous with their time and resources. I didn’t have the confidence in the electronic parts of my project until going to the makerspace.”

The residency program invites undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty to spend two weeks over Temple’s academic breaks to develop their research and creative projects during the space’s hours, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents are awarded a $500 stipend and get up to $500 of their material costs covered. As part of the program, participants also write a blog post about how the residency helped them achieve their goal and will do a short presentation of their project and experience during the fall 2024 semester.

“The Makerspace Residency gives participants primary access to the equipment and allows them to use me and student workers as a resource,” said Hannah Tardie, makerspace manager. “It’s rare to get multiple staff members in a shop environment that can help exactly with your individual project.”

The makerspace provides the tools to work on academic or personal projects with an interdisciplinary focus including zine making and experimental publishing, media archeology, data visualization, video or tabletop gaming, DIY networks, computational design, and beyond. Makerspace staff are available to assist users with the equipment, and they host free workshops ranging from custom keychain design to holiday décor.

It’s part of the Loretta C. Duckworth Scholars Studio, which provides technical equipment, software and support for digital methods of interdisciplinary research and teaching such as text mining and analysis, work in 3D spaces, geospatial technology, and educational games, among others. In addition to the makerspace, the studio includes a VR lab, specialized computing lab and tech sandbox—an area with higher-end desktop computers dedicated to more complex datawork.

“The makerspace and this residency program are important for Temple because we’re showing that we have these resources available to our community,” said Matt Shoemaker, head of the Loretta C. Duckworth Scholars Studio. “The makerspace is open to everyone. Anyone in any discipline can use these material goods for their creativity and fun. This residency helps explore making in your own research. And we’re here to help you.”

Goss served as the inaugural resident during the first session at the beginning of January. The next two sessions in the program’s first year will take place from May 15 to May 29 and from June 5 to June 19. Applications for the May residency are due March 11, and those for the June residency are due April 1.

“The exciting thing about the makerspace is you’re able to quickly make your vision into a reality and learn a different way of making,” said Goss. “This residency is a commitment to cross-discipline learning. It’s been cool to see people from so many different departments approaching things at different angles with the collective goal of creating something new and exciting. It shows a dedication to larger community-building and fostering an exchange between disciplines. I encourage people to apply to the program. It has made a huge difference in my project.”

Apply for the Makerspace Residency.

Learn more

• Temple University Libraries: Ranking among the top university research libraries in North America, our library system offers world-class collections and services across Main Campus, Ambler and Health Sciences Center.
• Loretta C. Duckworth Scholars Studio: This area on the third floor of Charles Library offers resources and spaces for students and faculty to engage in collaborative and interdisciplinary research and teaching related to digital methods and making.
• Become an Owl: Learn more about applying for one of our undergraduate, graduate or professional programs.