Session 15 – Helen Leigh, DIY Instruments and Designing Maker Education

In this session I talk with Helen Leigh. Helen is an author, education writer, and maker with a focus on creative use of new technologies. She has written playful technology education materials for National Geographic and Intel Education, and has developed a Design, Coding, and Electronics Course for the Royal Court of Oman.

Alongside her writing, Helen makes creative technology products with a focus on education, including her latest collaboration with Imogen Heap, MI.MU, and Pimoroni, a gesture-controlled musical instrument glove that you can sew, wire, code, and play. To see some of the things Helen has made and find out more about some of the projects she has worked on, visit her Twitter, @helenleigh.

Helen lectures on electronics, physical computing, and music technology at Ravensbourne University and Tileyard Studios in London. She was previously director of the education platform Mission:Explore, with whom she published six acclaimed children’s books.

Helen lives in Berlin but is often found in London. You can say hello, ask questions, or show off your DIY electronics on Twitter (@helenleigh), on YouTube (HelenLeigh), or on Instagram (@helenleigh_makes).

Show Notes:

Session 12 – Drew Fustini, the Open Hardware Summit Badge, and Why Make?

I talk with Drew Fustini, open source hardware designer at OSH Park and co-developer of the badge for the Open Hardware Summit this year. Drew is, as I say in the podcast, the glue that holds many maker communities together, and I’m really excited to have him on and talk about the things that he makes, and his ethos behind making and tinkering.

Show Notes:

Images of Drew’s Badge and Add-Ons:

Session 11 – Nate Matteson of Obstructures and DePaul University

I talk with Nate Matteson of DePaul University’s School of Design and the industrial design company Obstructures. Nate’s company Obstructures makes aluminum guitars, wallets, pedals, and many many other useful tools. In addition to that, and most importantly, Nate is an excellent design educator and brings his practice into academia to help elevate his students’ potential in design. In this session, we talk about Nate’s personal projects related to sound and light, his work with Obstructures, and how that way of thinking translates into education.

Show Notes:

Session 10 – Otherworldly Sounds, Amateur Radio, and the Ur of Maker Culture with Brian Davis

I talk with Brian Davis (W9HLQ of Hamfesters Radio Club, of Crestwood, Illinois), amateur radio operator and educator of future HAMs. Brian has been an operator for over half a century, and has seen the shift to computerization, and now, has started working with makerspaces to pass on his knowledge of amateur radio to others. In this session, we talk about the HAM community, how it relates to maker and tinkerer culture, one of Brian’s newest inventions, and some of the weird sounds and other things you hear when you’re on air.

Show Notes:

Pictures from the recording:

Session 8 – Pottery, The Unintended Result, And Art Of I Don’t Know With Hayne Bayless

I talk with Hayne Bayless, potter, board member of Studio Potter literary journal, and board member of Pots on Wheels (POW!) about his work, his methodology, and the art of “I don’t know.”

Hayne’s work has been awarded the top prizes at some of the country’s most important craft shows: the Smithsonian Craft Show in Washington, D.C. and the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show.

Other than lessons from a potter in Tokyo and a handful of classes and workshops, he has managed to avoid any formal instruction in ceramics. He abandoned wheel-throwing early on, preferring the freedom of handbuilding afforded by slabwork and extrusions.

Show Notes:

Galleries that carry Hayne’s work:

Photos of Hayne’s Studio (all credits Kathryn O’Neill)

Session 7 – FIRST Robotics in Education and Community Representation with Jackie Moore

In this podcast session I talk with Jackie Moore, Chicago Knights FIRST Robotics team founder and coach, makerspace organizer, Chicago Southside Mini Maker Faire organizer, educator, and many, many other things. Jackie and I sit down to talk about the philosophy behind making — and making with other people — and what that means about how we can learn from each other. That, and much more, on session 7 of This Should Work.