My internship at the Digital Scholarship Commons (DSC) has been a wonderful experience. Over 8 months, I helped to develop a new workshop for Design for Laser cutting and improve existing workshops. This included adding Indigenous centered activities like writing in the SENĆOŦEN language in LaTeX and creating an Indigenous pedagogy infographic with Canva.
I learned new skills and tools like the writing tool Twine, 3D design software Fusion 360, and have upgraded my smartphone photography skills. I loved seeing the creativity of 3D printed and laser cut projects submitted by the Uvic community, and I never knew what was going to come in next. Although I may not use all these skills directly in my future work in the field of Biomedical Engineering, I loved learning for its own sake, a philosophy that is wholly embraced at the DSC.
I was also able to combine my DSC knowledge with my biomedical engineering background by helping to host and organize a Makers Making Change event in the DSC space in collaboration with the Biomedical Engineering Design Club, adapting toys to make them more accessible for children with disabilities.
I loved coming in to work everyday, knowing there was always something interesting and creative to do. Both my coworkers and the students, faculty and staff that came to the DSC were positive and engaged in learning, and I am very grateful for the time I spent here. I hope to carry the values of the DSC forward in my career: fostering interdisciplinary conversations through hands-on and accessible learning.